Consumption of animals... I know that we don't need to, and I know that in a few decades it will probably be looked on as barbaric, but I just can't give it up. That said, I eat much less than I used to and only better quality. So, not a total convert but doing a little bit in the right direction!
Glad to see you're cognizant of the first couple things you mentioned. I tend to agree. I sorta think it already is rather barbaric, but.. Just not for most people who haven't quite looked at it really close. Which is right now most people. I think vegans are like between 1-5% of the population maybe as much as 10% so.. 90% of the world isn't quite there yet and doesn't see a problem with it.
However, that's good to hear you're eating less and working on it! A lot of other people are too, and some people think slaughterhouses will be a thing of the past before too long. They are more optimistic than me, but.. I would love to see that if they are right.
As for government, as with many things, I think the key is in the balance. There are certain things that we need government to do, as it would be impossible for corporations and individuals to shoulder the risks of high risk, high reward situations. The thing I am alluding to is basic scientific research. This is often derided by populists as useless, but the benefits are way into the future. And it is impossible to know which will be the completely world changing technologies and which of the many more paths will be dead ends.
I'm not exactly sure what you're saying government is necessary for here.. To direct science? They keep all the real science secret to themselves and give us the basics. The secret government is probably at least 20 years ahead of us, some people think a lot more than that.
I think if government was out of the way more of the science would benefit the people instead of be being used to create bombs to kill each other and stuff like that.. Government has a monopoly on giving us very subpar things.. I would really like to hope some day we can all somehow decide to work together rather than to look for other people to rule over us. Thanks for sharing your thoughts though! I appreciate your point of view.
I think government is required to fund basic research. The risk-reward dynamic and the time scale is completely at odds with what a private company or private individual is capable of doing.
The application of the basic research is really up to industry and the free market. But the long shot in the dark with many dead ends, that is up to governments (via the funding of universities).
I dunno I still feel like government wastes more money and makes us less productive.
Look at all the amazing inventions throughout history that didn't need any help from government. Flight is a good example, the poor brothers who were passionate succeeded while those with all the government money and research in the world floundered.
I would say that is engineering, application of basic research to solve a specific problem. The research I'm talking about is the blue sky research with no obvious application. Knowledge for the curious mind. This sort of research is often derided by politicians and popular media for being 'useless' and a waste of taxpayer money. However, it is the foundation upon which the engineering solutions are build upon, in many decades after the original useless research!
Edit: I agree there is a certain inefficiency with government funding, but in some sectors private groups can't or don't provide funding. In other sectors (hospitals and infrastructure), they shouldn't. My experience with government is from Australia and Netherlands. For example, In healthcare, in Australia we have a mix of public and private health insurance, but a baseline guaranteed universal medical healthcare. In the Netherlands, we have mandatory private health insurance (if you are working) at a basic level. But at lower income levels, the government pays for you. Health and medical services I would take the inefficient spending of the government over privatised healthcare, as it is a sector where the rules of the free market are not applicable (lack of choice and imbalance of power due to the fact you would be sick or dying...).