From: michaelroyames@hotmail.com
Date: Tue Aug 20 2002 - 18:59:43 MDT
Damien Broderick wrote:
> What's
> the likely response of middle-of-the-road people researching a topic like
> this, for a newspaper or magazine article or TV soundbite, who find
> themselves directed in the first instance to the deep thoughts of someone
> who called himself FutureMan2030? (Or Avatar Polymorph, or T0Morrow, or R.
> U. Sirius for that matter, or even, cough cough, sorry, the rather flushed
> Romanticism of `Natasha Vita-More'?)
>
Damien:
I think that your *question* is SPOT ON!
But your answer needs a little work.
Let me explain.
It is accurate to point out that many extropian/transhuman names are unusual,
but I would suggest that this is a *good thing* for unusual people. I do
not think that these names will in any way detract from the political ideas
of movement. A close analogy springs to mind: that of 'foreign' names. I
have witnessed, in my 20+ years of adult life, a profound change in how
non-English names are accepted and used, both in social situations and in the
workplace. An unusual name used to be something people would pause over, and
comment upon... even feel embarassed about. But gradually I have noticed this
attitude change, to one of acceptance, inclusion, and normalcy. Some of these
names were/are just as strange and unusual as those you mentioned... if not
more so. The focus has shifted from the *name* to the *person*... and I can
only see this as being a good thing.
The more people who's names are Extropian/Transhuman - style: *unusual*, the
more these names will become accepted, even celebrated!
Let us hold on to our chosen names.
Michael Roy Ames
---- This message was posted by michaelroyames@hotmail.com to the Extropians 2002 board on ExI BBS. <http://www.extropy.org/bbs/index.php?board=61;action=display;threadid=52828>
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