Re: news spin on cryonics

From: TT (transtigger@aol.com)
Date: Wed Jul 10 2002 - 05:14:45 MDT


[quote from: Harvey on 2002-07-09 at 23:29:02]
Is this news to anyone? Isn't it obvious that cryonics, life-extension,
nanotech, and our other ideas are considered a UFO cult by mainstream
science? I am not surprised at all about this news coverage, but am
surprised by our own reactions. Maybe this should be a wake-up call for
our movement. We are not mainstream and never will be. Anybody who
thinks we are or will be is just deluding themselves. Mainstream news
or public opinion would never be able to keep up with us even if they
wanted to.

--
Harvey Newstrom, CISSP <www.HarveyNewstrom.com>
Principal Security Consultant <www.Newstaff.com>

I’m beginning to think that becoming mainstream may be a bad thing for
Transhumanity. It certainly seems to occupy a lot of debating time, but
what would the real advantages be? To be quite honest (and selfish) if H>
technology works and is of benefit to me I couldn’t care less if it were
mainstream or not.

It’s true that the number of folk in the movement at the moment only number in
thousands (and those actively committed in the hundreds – if that.) But maybe
that’s an advantage, and provides more focus?

Perhaps it would be better to create a more exclusive club? (sorry for the
unintentional pun Max…). It could enhance outsiders ambitions to be "allowed
in", and once in gives then additional motivation to contribute.

I don’t necessarily believe this, I’m just offering it as a ‘what-if’. But I
am starting to consider the mainstreaming of H>/Extropianism is a Red Herring.

What does being mainstream really mean to H>/Extropianism and what are the
advantages compared with the drawbacks?

TT

----
This message was posted by TT to the Extropians 2002 board on ExI BBS.
<http://www.extropy.org/bbs/index.php?board=61;action=display;threadid=52383>


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