From: Michael M. Butler (butler@comp*lib.org)
Date: Fri Feb 27 1998 - 23:17:36 MST
I will go even further.
An an-aesthetic life is not worth living.
Art is what distinguishes "us" from ants.
Absent art, one branch of which is technology (and I'll fight that one to
the _death_, I will), there is nothing worth preserving or enhancing.
<Another branch of aesthetics is ethics. I won't bother fighting that one,
it's self-evident to anyone who's ever really examined hir life. Jumping on
a hand grenade is performance art--the very very highest. (serious :))>
Let me repeat that: absent art, nothing is worth preserving OR enhancing.
Nothing.
Art is human-directed Quality. Love is high art. Building nanomachines to
repair a genome is lower art. But almost everything worth doing other than
survival...
...is art.
Get used to the idea; you might like it!
MMB
At 08:59 PM 2/27/98 -0600, you wrote:
>At 05:05 PM 2/27/98 -0500, DOUG.BAILEY@EY.COM wrote:
>
>>Extropian art? I've just do not get it. What is the
>>significance of art by people who actively strive for
>>transhumanism.
>
>Some transhumans are artists. Their work, as professionals or as hobbyists,
>is very dear to them. Their art provides them with a venue to explore and
>expose ideas -- a means to express their views of transhumanity.
>
>What is the significance of science by transhumans? What is the
>significance of developing technologies by transhumans? What is the point
>of writing transhuman science fiction, or transhuman non-fiction? What is
>the point for designing healthy foods, or working out? What is the point of
>living, for that matter?
>
>>I am not saying it has no significance. But
>>how significant is it in the grand scheme of things?
>
>Extraordinarily insightful -:) What's the significance of a kiss in the
>grand scheme of things? What's the significance of an idea or a moment of
>brilliance in the grand scheme of things?
>
>> Granted,
>>it may have some peripheral value. But does such a concept
>>warrant the allocation of resources it has been afforded?
>
>The value of an idea is priceless.
>
>> I enjoyed my visit to the art site
>>but could help but wonder what other ways the time and effort
>>expended to create and maintain that site could have been more
>>effectively utilized.
>
>Extropic Art site is not a part of Extropy Institute. That is stated on just
>about every page of the site. Interesting that you should comment on the
>cost of labor on this Web site. Frankly, every hour working on it was worth
>every dollar, especially because it came out of my pocket and has brought me
>the greatest reward - a sense of accomplishment.
>
>Regarding your comments on technology and sex; uploads and bio-technological
>fashion; the Singularity and creativity:
>
>The future of sex is integral to our future. Technology and sex are
>intertwined and becoming more so. Fashion (bio-tech bodies) and technology
>are intertwined and will become a major domain for engineers/artists.
>
>By the way, the transhuman.org site is co-sponsored by FM-2030. He is very
>interested in sex and technology. Style, and art. Also, the fashion of
>Bio-technology. He is also very interested in culture. He also loves
>glamour and the idea of avatars. He should also be credited for being the
>strongest advocate of transhumanity. He did author the first book about
>transhumans, explicitly, which I consider to be the foremost book about
>transhuman values. He is also my colleague who I respect.
>
>(I'm not offended by your post. Frankly, I'm a bit amused that someone
>could be so inflexible about what is and isn't transhuman, that you, sir,
>make me want to rally around all creative thinkers who dare to produce
>creative projects that reflect transhumanity.)
>
>Art and the Singularity? I think Vernor Vinge would strongly disagree with
>your assumed notion that the Singularity is not affiliated with the
>creative. He is an artist, you know.
>
>Oh, and by the way, Eric Drexler himself is quite stylish and frequently
>displays the art of humor.
>
>What use is humor, in the grand scheme of things?
>
>
>
>Natasha Vita More [fka Nancie Clark] - natasha@extropic-art.com
>Transhumanist Art - Extropic Art at www.extropic-art.com
>**NEW: Transhuman Culture InfoMark at www.transhuman.org**
>PRESS RELEASE: "We are transhumans ..." Meme Orbits Saturn in 2004!
>
>"The best defense is an aesthetic offense."
>
>
>
>
>
"The highest love [is] uniquely human,
the product of compassion and liberty;
not one at the expense of the other."
-- L. A. Chu and M. M. Butler
(RU a bot? If not, be advised *s are flagged as 'net address ERRORS;
MY address is thus munged. Kindly hyphenate. "Go team, beat SP*M.")
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