From: I William Wiser (will@wiserlife.com)
Date: Thu Oct 10 2002 - 13:47:34 MDT
My life seems progressively freer. I think if you look at the large trends
freedom increases. If we define freedom as the ability to do more of the
things we want, then freedom increases in some areas and decreases
in others. We gain freedom from the elements, from concern over getting
food, feedom from diseases, freedom to watch movies, etc. We live longer
and better I think. I expect this trend to continue but it is a bumpy road,
with uncertain turns and a need to pay attention.
I think the more people you get in an area the trend is towards more
controls
but there is also the ability to interact with more people, have access to
more
activities, etc. Also, although I think the trend is towards greeter
freedom
overall there is enough variation that in a given time and place freedoms
may
be greatly curtailed. As an individual it is good to be aware, move around
and
sometimes just lay low and wait it out.
Think about the competitive effect of limiting freedom in a population.
Consider
the pros and cons of religious beliefs on their own survival. Most things
mellow
over time and those that do not tend to be self destructive. So what I
worry about
is the wobble in the system, if civilization goes below zero it can't bounce
back.
I currently see that as unlikely. I don't think any group or set of groups
could wipe out
civilization but someday maybe. I would say you may (but probably will not)
go through
some sort of dark age but if you live through it, there will probably be an
even better age
on the other side.
I'm not to worried about severe limits on technology because I think it
would take
to much technology to do that. A technological elite that regulates access
for
a while is possible but unstable (and better to be one of the elite if such
a group
must exist). I could be a Muslim or a Christian or a Communist, etc. if I
had to be
and still live an okay life I think. I doubt they would outlaw all my
pleasures. There
is danger if you become part of an oppressed group but a "good nigger"
usually gets
by, etc. Much better to see it coming and move elsewhere.
Anyway, what I worry about is aging. I know it will be solved in time
(assuming
life is not wiped out on the planet) but that is small comfort to me at 40
and to my
60 year old friends. First things first. I could be a Muslim and be happy
I can't
be happy if I die.
I don't have time to think this all through clearly right now but I hope it
gives you
some food for thought. Your concerns are valid but I think a bit
exaggerated. Real
problems but probably not the end of the world or the end of your freedoms
if you
play it smart.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Samantha Tennison" <xytrope@yahoo.com>
To: <extropians@extropy.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2002 9:52 AM
Subject: Coming Trends: Fading Extropy?
> Hi everyone,
>
> Here are some trends that I've been noticing that have
> on the whole turned my head upside down from the
> direction I perceived things to be going. More and
> more I've begun to suspect that I have led an isolated
> idealistic life and somehow imagined that liberty and
> freedom, on the whole, were increasing around the
> world, but instead the opposite has been happening,
> even before 9-11.
>
> I think one of the primary reasons is that there is
> not new frontiers to explore and live in. As the free
> space and wildness of the west got tamed in the last
> 30 years, peoples hopes looked skyward towards L5 and
> beyond. But now, here we sit after 2001, still
> grounded. Will nanotubes and sophisticated
> sustainable space living technologies arrive in any
> remotely timely manner?
>
> In the meantime, all of us grounded to this planet are
> continuing to get encroached by increasing regulation
> of all aspects of our lives both in physical and
> digital space. I see no trends in the opposite
> direction. I think it can be safely concluded that
> there has been a substantial reduction in overall
> liberty in the last 30 years - from political
> correctness on the left to conservative
> "family" values on the right, and mostly from
> a "public safety" standpoint. More people,
> less resource = more regulation. A classic result of
> a diminishing frontier.
>
> And here is another surprise from Europe: If present
> demographic trends continue, Europe will become
> muslim. Recently at an Ecunumerical conference in
> England, the head of the Anglican Church called for
> assistance in assimilating Muslims into the
> communities. The leaders of the Muslim church said
> that Muslim's *do not* assimilate, and they they will
> in fact assimilate Europe, and that the majority of
> Europe will be subject to conservative muslim law!
>
> So unless we escape into the space frontier, the world
> will continue to become more repressive, not to
> mention the increases in one-way surveillance, digital
> lock-downs (DRM), biometrics, massive dataveillance
> and GPS tracking (i.e. chip implants), and Minority
> Report style societies.
>
> Unless New Frontiers are opened - the end result will
> be the world becoming a giant hyper-controlled
> microprocessor, with ever minutia of our lives being
> regulated in the name of public safety and
> conservative (muslim and Christian values).
>
> Anyone care to counter any of this?
>
> ~Sam
>
>
>
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