From: hal@finney.org
Date: Tue Dec 05 2000 - 18:18:13 MST
David Barrera of Spain writes:
> Extrops, should people with transhuman, cyborg, evolutionary, individual
> power, pro-nanotech, pro-clonation, etc... this is, the future ones,
> give another opportunity to the underdeveloped humans, or just forget
> about them and unplugged?
Naturally, this is a decision that each person should make for himself.
Keep in mind that many "underdeveloped" humans will be that way because
they want to be. They are not interested in becoming transhuman cyborgs.
This is fine, and we should respect their wishes.
However for those who want to enhance themselves but are too poor to do
so, those of us who are more fortunate may choose to help them. In that
case I would suggest the principle of triage: separate the poor into
those who will make it without your help, those who will make it only
with your help, and those who would not make it even if you help them.
Focus your efforts on the second group. This is how you can give the
greatest benefit with less than infinite resources.
Several Extropians have pointed to the Grameen Bank, http://grameen-info.org,
as an organization which provides highly cost-effective benefits to Third
World countries. They provide loans to poor people who would otherwise be
unable to get them. This selects the poor who have initiative and desire
but who are too limited in resources to put their ideas into action.
As we move forward, it may be possible to use the Grameen principles
as guidelines for helping poor people in disadvantaged circumstances to
take advantage of the new technologies which will come into existence.
Hal
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