From: Brian Atkins (brian@posthuman.com)
Date: Fri Jul 07 2000 - 12:47:59 MDT
You can change the world a lot faster with a Singularity. Can you make an
argument showing that it would be better to spend my time having political
discussions, and generally "working within the system", rather than "playing
a bit with computers" as you so unbiasedly put it?
Waldemar Ingdahl wrote:
>
> > > What I suggest, is to "cheerfully" explain to the merely curious or
> > > the misinformed that the universe is way-big enough for all kinds of
> > > religions and plenty of room left over for atheists to. Baring that,
> > > if they are persistently obnoxious, give their nuts a healthy tweak.
> >
> >Unfortunately I think you miss Waldemar's point. The misinformed will
> >simply believe that we are some sort of cult, and then not listen to
> >us (how often do we *listen* to religious fundamentalists, and not
> >just picking up stuff to make fun of?).
> >
>
> Thanks Anders!
> I think the above shows that the transhumanist movement today lacks a good
> analysis of its present environment that my point didn't go through. What
> are we perceived as, by the current mainstream? In what ways is it possible
> for transhumanism to be negatively/ positively perceived? What are the
> opinions of the mainstream on the topics we are discussing?
>
> Those are important questions! This because transhumanism is an ideology
> with far reaching implications, a system building philosophy! With deep
> implications also in the field of political theory, and ethics, this as
> certain kinds of politics and ethics will work to the advantage of
> transhumanism, and others certainly wont.
>
> If we don't care about these issues we are just playing a bit with
> computers, or having dreamy discussions about physics. But these things are
> not INHERENTLY transhumanist, they could be discussed otherwise. And if we
> don't have the tools to bring forward the societal change most will soon get
> disillusioned BECAUSE THEY RIGHTLY NOT FIND TRANSHUMANISM PRACTICAL, it's
> just a pasttime. But with the right tools, right analysis, and right
> arguments we can change the world to a society that fits our ideas better.
>
> Sincerely,
> Ingdahl
> ________________________________________________________________________
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