From: Vanessa Novaeris (novaeris@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun May 12 2002 - 10:42:37 MDT
Reading all this as a new (poorly educated) member, I'm feeling a bit
unsteady. Because I'm new I'm still figuring out what Extropy is really
about. I could be completely off the mark here, but I feel like extropy itself
is not something you can just force into your life. It seems like more of a
special perception of life & the reality which surrounds it. Like extropy
encourages a way of seeing the outside world (& beyond) rather than imposing
limits or definitions on the world itself.
For me, learning more about transhumanism has helped me idenitfy the relevance
of my own thinking. I've always been told some of my ideas are just "too out
there" so I wrote them off but now I've been challenged to reconsider.
I still look at things the way I always have, but now my vision seems
sharpened when I recall some transhuman values that just *fit* In a way I feel
somewhat validated because I can identify (for once) with something outside
myself & so it makes me feel more connected. So I don't feel like extropianism
has really changed the way I see the world, but it has helped me understand
why I do see it that way - it just *fits* - I can't explain it.
I've been quiet because there is so much to read :P But I'm not sure now what
the objective of this forum is. I know I have virtually nothing to offer, so
really I have everything to gain. I don't know if that is a drain on what is
trying to be accomplished. For this reason, I really agree with James Rogers
post - I feel some confusion about what exactly IS extropian. I'm fuzzy on
how the priciples of its philosophy are fitting into peoples lives. But if
education is one of the goals, then I must say its working (if only for me).
This all may seem trivial, but reading (most of) the posts has really
motivated me to *want* to learn & do so independently, without having to rely
on anything. Since I've joined this list, I've been exposed to things I only
imagined could exist & its made me investigate these things more on my own.
Example: Even though I finished 3 years of university, I still know nothing
about computers. But now I understand the importance of technology in the
world, but more importantly, its potential in my own life. I'm taking a break
from school because my entire life just collapsed on itself, but I've decided
to enroll in the computer science program at the local community college in
the fall. Big f***ing deal, right? But thats something I never would have
done were it not for this forum. So I know I have nothing to contribute &
I'm not solving the worlds problems, but I am trying to lift myself up to
a level of higher utility. Its slow, painfully slow sometimes - I want to
learn more than I can physically take in (& learning disabilities don't help
that much). This is totally cheesy, but I just keep thinking of "The Matrix"
when the main character gets plugged into some computer that just instantly
downloads information into his brain. I think I'm really frustrated that I
can't do that in real life.
But anyway, if collectively you're trying to stress the importance of .
knowledge, education, & most importantly, being self-motivated, then I think.
in that way, you are succeeding .
So thank you all .
vanessa novaeris
novaeris@hotmail.com
---- This message was posted by Vanessa Novaeris to the Extropians 2002 board on ExI BBS. <http://www.extropy.org/bbs/index.php?board=61;action=display;threadid=51672>
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