From: Hal Finney (hal@rain.org)
Date: Mon Jan 05 1998 - 23:38:29 MST
Michael Lorrey, <retroman@together.net>, writes:
> Well, I think that the number one goal should be working to maximize
> individual human freedoms everywhere.
Are you aware of organizations related to the libertarian philosophy?
They are dedicated to this same principle. As you described, libertarians
support all political rights, first amendment, second amendment, etc.
Are there any ways we would distinguish an Extropian activist movement
from a libertarian one? Both favor individual freedom, laissez faire
economics, and absence of coercion. That's about as far as libertarians
go; that is the core which they agree on. Once people are free of coercion
libertarians are willing to accept whatever they decide to do.
Extropianism goes beyond simple freedom to act. That is a fundamental
principle but there is more to it than that. Extropian philosophy
advocates not just freedom, but using that freedom in certain ways,
for self improvement, for growth, for increasing your personal power
and capabilities.
That doesn't mean that Extropians want to force anyone to behave this way.
In effect, these are recommendations. But Extropians don't want anyone
to prevent others from having the opportunity to work towards these goals.
I would see an Extropian activist movement then as working for the
libertarian goal of anti-coercion, but doing it in such a way that it
targets technologies which give people more power to control and alter
their lives. In distributing its resources, it would work hardest to
eliminate laws which did the most to impede Extropian goals. Rather than
working to eliminate bans on heroin, it would try to eliminate bans on
cloning research. Rather than supporting the right of people to burn
the flag, it would support their right to choose cryonic suspension.
This does not mean that these other goals are wrong, or that no effort
should be expended on them. But given that resources are limited, an
Extropian activist organization should try to find causes which resonate
with Extropian principles. All forms of freedom are good, but those which
especially help people to achieve self transformation, self improvement,
self expansion, are the ones which an Extropian organization would be most
interested in.
Hal
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