From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Mon Jan 07 2002 - 14:34:41 MST
>From: Kai Becker <kmb@kai-m-becker.de>
>The problems you mention are mostly questions of fair distribution
>of existing material. "We" (meaning all humans) can easily produce
>enough food and vaccine to prevent the death of the over 40,000
>children per day for example. But there's is not enough monetary
>profit in it. We could easily provide enough teachers to eradicate
>illiteracy. But the ROI would come in a decade or so. Too long to
>explain this to shareholders. And the 1st world would long have a
>real cure for HIV/AIDS, if the possible profit would be big enough
>(compared to the profit they currently make) and/or their own
>survival would be at stake.
These are all very real and important problems, well worth the time
and effort of extropic peoples.
Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
>*thinking of our decadent 1st world* yepp. At least most of us.
Speak for yourself.
>From my POV, the "race to the moon" was the last project that
>really motivated millions, because the success had been coupled
>with political survival, while the practical use of it (for the
>average citizen) was almost zero.
I take this as urban (global) myth.
Without much effort one could make a case that the race for the
moon led to the development of the microchip. Hardly an item with
zero practical use.
Brian
Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
SBC/Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
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