From: Robert Wasley (rpwasley@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Fri Jun 15 2001 - 13:36:10 MDT
All of the discussion on transhumanist "movements" strikes me as
anachronistic in the extreme. It is more shades of the nineteenth to later
20th century political movements than anything appropriate for the 21st
century. However, in response to Waldemar's question of why the
transhumanist movement is only a "marginalized movement" is for two reasons.
Even though there is a general acceptance of the end goals, there are widely
divergent ideas on how to get there. So in terms of choosing intermediate
objectives what would we throw our collective weight behind? Greater support
of government's involvement in seeding new technologies or let us get
government out of it an let the market do its magic? Secondly, there is
little political will (this is an observation not a criticism). I have been
on this list for about a year and have yet see any more than a tepid
response to suggestions of activism. This is just as well when there has
periodically surfaced discussion of the need for 'enemies lists', a real
penchant among some member for guns, and now quoting Lenin!
I mention the lack of political will was not a criticism, but a reflection
of the larger picture which proposes the question; "What is the motivation
for a transhumanist activist effort anyway"? The revolution, aside from the
inevitable dips and valleys is doing very fine thank you in the way that it
should occur, as an emergent phenomena arising out of the total context of
our times and evolution. Is it to protect the revolution from being turned
by Luddite movement so robbing us of our dreams? I think we need to regain
some of the vision we claim we have and realize that as Ray Kurweil stated
in his book "The Age of Spiritual Machines (p 182) .....the Ludite movement
is not likely to fare any better in the next century (21st century) than it
has in the past two. It suffers from the lack of a viable alternative
agenda". Well, the transhumanist movement as a political movement would
fare the same. In this case due to the success of its cause. It lacks
relevancy, in other words, what could it do that is not already being done?
If people grumble because of the rate of change that is because they are not
naturally inclined towards change no matter how fast or slow. They do not
like being taken out of their comfort zone. They are doing it now because
they have bought into the system that is creating it and have derived
benefits from it. However, if we develop a movement that seeks to fulfill
our vision of the future at the rate of change our impatience demands,
without allowing people to incorporate that change over time, our paranoia
will surely become a self-fulling prophecy.
The only real enemies is ourselves. Things are not going to happen any
sooner than they are, and conversely they will not happen any later than
they should. I think we should recognize the transhumanist movement and
enjoy it for what it is (and the reason I have decided to participate), the
pleasure of interacting with intelligent and informed people who's personal
visions are fixed on the future. A much better and productive activist role
for the transhumanist movement is for everyone to get involved with others
to create, technology, companies, art, and all forms of positive creative
endeavor. To become in the community to contribute in some in making the
world (locally or globally) a better place. Then simultaneously turn within,
to yourself, love ones, and friends to make your world a better place as
well.
Robert Wesley
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