Another awesome post with so many points to think on, I'd risk getting lost in response if I was to try and respond to it all. But again, you've given something to be read and reread a few times..
Just on the subject of prisons, if neither human or some superior artificial intelligence can work out a way to utilise that great waste of resource to actually benefit mankind, we must be doomed to forever look after those in society that give nothing positive back at all and continue imprisoning those that perhaps don't need to be in there in the first place where they may have committed some victimless crimes...
Yeah, exactly! Sometimes it feels like everything is backwards, those who did nothing wrong end up in jail for victimless crimes, and those who lobby to destroy the economy, start wars and just keep causing pain are in positions of power.
Btw, feel free to get lost in response, getting lost in one's thoughts is certainly a great way to expand our thoughts :) Thanks for the great comment!