Long Term Planning, Space Colonization, and the Ru Jia

John Tierney wrote, "A Survival Imperative for Space Colonization", in the Tuesday July 17, 2007 issue of the New York Times (Science Section).

Tierney raised two key points, explaining the mathematical reasoning for these points. One point was that the there is a 95% probability that the human race will last at least 5,100 more years, but no more than 7.8 million years.

We only have 3,000 years of recorded history, and we might be extinct only 5,100 years from now. That is something to think about.

Then Tierney postulated that if the likelihood of human survival is heightened by establishing a human presence on another planet, like Mars, then we have a problem because there is a fifty percent (50%) probability that we will lose the ability to travel through outer space during the next 46 years.

No one has walked on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. We have lost two satellites and two space shuttles due to incompetent leadership. We really could lose the ability to put people on other planets, just like we can no longer build battleships.

I have long term plans, or hopes, for Confucianism in America. I hope we can start a Confucian Universiy with specialties in Education, Economics, Law, and Philosophy. Maybe this university should have a department focusing on the long term survival of the human race.

Confucianism has been slow to catch on in America. The poet Ezra Pound wrote his first translation of the Analects in 1937, 70 years ago. He promoted Confucianism in some of his writings, but World War II ended his efforts. My efforts to promote Confucianism might take as long as 15 to 25 years to bear fruit. If there is a chance we can lose space flight in 46 years, then an active Confucian community would have only 46-25=21 years to save our space flight capability.

We want to see individuals fulfill their humanity, to see leaders exhibit moral leadership, and to work for world peace (The Doctrine of the Mean). Maybe we need to add "working for the survival of humanity" to our Confucian goals!

The Ru Jia, the School of Scholars, is durable. We study works that are thousands of years old. We've already been on a mission to improve the lives of people for 2,500 years. Who else is better suited to ponder the long term survival of humanity?

Robert

Confucianism and Economics

I believe America can benefit greatly from Confucianism. I am thinking more and more that Americans interested in Confucianism should want to see Confucian ethics make inroads on Wall Street.

American finance has suffered many shocks from unethical business. How many shocks can the economy absorb before the harm becomes irreparable?

A few years back we suffered a crisis in the savings and loan industry and many savings and loan banks were driven essentially into bankruptcy. Then World Com created a bubble in the internet business with a false report about projected internet usage. Now we have the sub-prime mortgage scandal. Dishonest businessmen have probably inflicted more financial losses upon America than the Al Qaeda attack of 9/11.

In the Dec. 23, 2007 issue of the Sunday New York Times, Ben Stein wrote in his "Everybody's Business" column an article entitled: "Tattered Standard of Duty on Wall Street."

Here is his concluding paragraph:
"... are we a nation if there is no meaningful restraint on what people can do with an offering statement and a computer screen inside our borders? We surely cannot remain a republic under law if there is no law except the axiom from "Richard II" that "they well deserve to have, that know the strong'st and surest way to get."

His point is that businessmen at reputable companies are violating their fiduciary duty and getting away with it.

Confucianism cares about the prosperity of the people and about moral leadership. The salt and iron debates and Mencius's discussion of the Well-Field system prove that Confucians have historically cared about economics and taxes when the people's prosperity was threatened.

The people's prosperity is threatened today. Confucians can and should work to restore fairness and ethics to Wall Street.

Robert

American Leadership Crisis in Finance and Investments

Here is an article from the New York Times, "A Lurid Aftermath to a Hedge Fund Manager's Fast Life" by Andrew Ross Sorkin. The article is in the Tuesday Dec. 4, 2007 issue. It describes how Seth Tobias, who ran a $300 million hedge fund, chased after gay strippers, did cocaine, and died under questionable circumstances.

Seth Tobias sounded more like a mafioso than a businessman. Or is there really much difference between Wall Street and organized crime? There is a serious leadership crisis on Wall Street. Part of the problem is that Wall Street does not understand that simple morality is a part of competence: if you are immoral in finance, you are incompetent in finance.

Seth Tobias is not the only questionable character on Wall Street. Citigroup just recently sacked Charles Prince, their CEO. Prince participated in the sub-prime mortgage scam and cost Citigroup billions. Citigroup has been plagued by poor performance and financial scandals for years, in Japan and in Europe for example.

Confucius said you cannot hold onto ill gotten gains. The message of Confucius is that there is power in virtue. On the flip side: there is weakness in immorality, and there is way too much immoral behavior on Wall Street.

Robert