A Glimmer of Hope: Imagining a Better Future

When you look around at the inequalities and exploitation of our current world, it’s easy to feel cynical or overwhelmed. Yet despite the bleak realities, a glimmer of hope remains: we have the means—technologically, intellectually, and morally—to reimagine our socioeconomic and political core in a way that centers humanity’s well-being, rather than the profit or power of the few.

At the heart of this transformation is a simple but radical question: What if our systems were designed to ensure humanity’s survival and flourishing first, rather than enable the exploitation of the vulnerable? Once we decide that every human being deserves fair access to life’s essentials—and the chance to contribute in a meaningful way—everything else follows.

To move beyond the status quo, we need to identify and protect those rights that make a dignified life possible. Food, water, shelter, healthcare, education, and a livable environment shouldn’t be privileges—they should be guaranteed fundamentals. The moment we assert that these resources belong to everyone by virtue of being human, the old playbook of wealth, power, and exclusion begins to lose its hold.

Traditionally, “employment” has been viewed as labor in exchange for wages, often neglecting other essential forms of contribution like caregiving, parenting, studying, volunteering, or creative pursuits. In a future that aims for genuine equity, we must broaden that concept so that all valuable efforts—be they raising a child or researching a scientific breakthrough—are recognized, respected, and supported.

This new understanding of employment would also include collective responsibilities such as environmental stewardship, community mentoring, and collaborating on public projects. By elevating these roles, society signals that progress isn’t just measured by profit margins or stock prices, but by the well-being and enrichment of all.

To make these ideals a practical reality, we need a fair mechanism that tracks each person’s contributions to society. Think of it as a merit-based points system, similar to the concept used for immigration in some countries but applied more broadly. Under this system:

• Contributions are Tallied: Whether formal wage-earning employment, caregiving, volunteering, or studying, each role can earn merit points proportional to its impact on fundamental human rights.
• Prioritizing Accessibility: People who accumulate merit points gain priority in accessing resources—like advanced training, certain luxuries, or queue preferences—while everyone still retains baseline fundamental rights.
• Encouraging Active Engagement: Merit points ensure that contributing to societal well-being is acknowledged, without entirely excluding those who can’t participate at a given moment (due to health, age, or personal crises).

Most people already carry a smartphone or something similar. For those who lack one, a standardized YAD (Yet Another Device) can be provided, ensuring no one is left out of the digital ecosystem. This technology helps track merit points securely and transparently.

Underpinning this entire system is the concept of a quantum-secure, eventually consistent, and privacy-focused blockchain, built to manage identity, merit points, and resource distribution. Unlike conventional blockchains that are resource-intensive and often centered around massive server farms, this one would be local-first and offline-capable—able to keep running even if you temporarily lose internet access. By storing only the data necessary for verification and using robust encryption, it protects personal privacy while still providing transparency where it’s needed.

Rather than using electricity-guzzling “proof of work” algorithms or hyper-financialized “proof of stake” models, this blockchain employs proof of personhood, a protocol designed to ensure that each participant is a unique, real individual. This approach not only thwarts fraud and multiple-identity gaming but also aligns perfectly with the principle that everyone—regardless of financial standing—deserves a voice and a baseline set of resources.

It’s easy to dismiss all this talk as idealism, but hope can be a powerful lever for change when paired with actionable plans. We already have the technology; we just need to direct it toward solutions that honor collective well-being. By defining fundamental rights, rethinking employment, implementing a merit points system, and leveraging cutting-edge yet accessible tech, we can create a world where human dignity and cooperation are built into the very design.

A fairer future isn’t some distant dream—it’s a direct possibility if we choose to invest our collective energy in making it real. The more we imagine what that future might look like, the better equipped we are to build it. So let’s keep the flame of hope burning, and turn our minds to what we can achieve together with the tools already at our disposal.