From: John Marlow (johnmarlow@gmx.net)
Date: Mon Jan 29 2001 - 21:06:52 MST
Yeah but see, the thing is, nanotechnology makes it possible to bring
THEM up to OUR standard of living at NO COST to us!
jm
On 29 Jan 2001, at 14:46, hal@finney.org wrote:
> > But our present system isn't working very well either. Not for the vast
> > majority of people living within it. Most people spend the majority of
> > their time doing things they don't want to be doing. For most people, life
> > cannot be said to be joyful.
>
> This may be true, but the problem is this. Almost half of all people
> live in China or India. I've never been there and I know little about
> their culture. Any analysis of what "most people" do must be based on
> lifestyles in these countries and other countries where the bulk of the
> people in the world live.
>
> Most people are, by Western standards, very poor. It may well be that
> most people do not experience much joy in life. I don't know; I've never
> spoken with a poor Chinese peasant. But if we hope to improve the lives
> of most people, we should not analyze their situation in the context of
> a Western middle class lifestyle.
>
> It's one thing to talk about the future of the West, about the new
> technologies and what opportunities they will bring to those of us wealthy
> and fortunate enough to be participating on this mailing list. But let
> us not forget that "most people" are unlike us. It's going to be a much
> longer road for them to share in the bountiful future we hope to see.
>
> Hal
>
John Marlow
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