From: Dossy (dossy@panoptic.com)
Date: Sun Jun 09 2002 - 13:51:48 MDT
On 2002.06.09, Harvey Newstrom <mail@HarveyNewstrom.com> wrote:
>
> >If others can benefit from the technology you possess, then in
> >order for everybody to win, shouldn't you share it freely with
> >everyone?
>
> Yes, it should be shared or distributed. Maybe not "freely", maybe for
> a price. Patenting processes to prevent their use seems unextropian.
> It is the suppression of knowledge and the prevention of advancement.
> Patenting processes to make money and thereby market a better product
> does seem extropian. It is the promotion of advancement. It does not
> restrict use, but seeks widespread use while rewarding the inventor for
> that use.
As soon as something is not free (without encumberance or restriction)
you have divided people into the Haves and the Have Nots. You have,
yet again, started playing the game: in the end, the Haves will win
while the Have Nots will lose.
Not as "evil" or "immoral" as the winners killing the losers? Look
at this: what if someone finally DID find the cure for cancer? If
it wasn't made freely available to everyone that needed it, then
you (not you personally, but you get what I mean) have just started
another game that involves life and death. Is this any more or less
evil or moral than going out and conquering another group of people
which might include killing them off?
Wouldn't it be extropian to say: "You know, I could make a lot of
money off this. Or, I could give it away to everyone -- one of the
lives I might save if they were able to live longer might do something
really spectacular that would benefit me in return -- or, maybe not.
I will never find out unless everyone benefits from my hard work.
I'm going to give the cure away to anyone who needs it."
I think that capitalism is inherently unextropian. It reinforces the
idea that "if I work hard, I can be better than others" rather than
"if I work hard, we can all live better lives."
Someday, I hope we'll evolve into an extropian economic model. I
don't see how that'll happen since I believe it's entirely in our
nature to be capitalists as humans (or, animals) -- so, this is a
chicken-and-egg problem, IMHO.
Thanks for the very thoughtful and thought-provoking response,
Harvey.
-- Dossy
--
Dossy Shiobara mail: dossy@panoptic.com
Panoptic Computer Network web: http://www.panoptic.com/
"He realized the fastest way to change is to laugh at your own
folly -- then you can let go and quickly move on." (p. 70)
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