From: Natasha Vita-More (natasha@natasha.cc)
Date: Sun Sep 19 1999 - 10:42:36 MDT
At 04:19 PM 9/19/99 +0100, you wrote:
>Spike Jones wrote:
>
>> Is Business Week on a roll, or what? 27 September issue, p.142, article
>> on directed evolution, lotsa cool extropian stuff. Having that stodgy old
>> publication present the memes makes them seem so much more
>> mainstreamy. I *guess* that is a good thing. (?) spike
>
>It's just proof of stagnation in our little group. We need new, more
>radical ideas and we need 'em fast.
Stagnation vs. Quick Fix: I don't see Business Week's article as a
possible stagnation for extropians. It is a realization that society has
been catching up.
Regardless, it is a good reminder to keep ahead, do our research, gain
more knowledge, reexamine and expose information in unique and riveting
ways, rather than trying to be radical - creating a quick fix - which could
boomerang. What we can do is create a spin on our ideas and future
possibilities that keeps pricking up the public ear. If we see ourselves
as a little group, we can easily feel threatened. We are an orgainzation of
people with big minds and big potential and we are spreading throughout the
World. We are also addressing one of the most important topics for the
World: biotechnology and molecular engineering.
Taking a look at the concept of stagnation, I've given this subject a lot
of thought after someone close to me said, "You've been taking about these
ideas for 20 years and now I see them on the covers of magazines,
Scientific America, Time Newsweek, etc. The world is catching up and where
are you?"
It was a realization.
The point is that memes are spouted and the either flourish or they die
out. If the goal is to spread memes, then certainly they will infiltrate
culture and take on their own life. This is what has happened with many
extropian memes. And, this is good. We should be toasting ourselves for
our successes as memetic engineers.
The other side of the coin is -- what do we do now?
Do we try every so hard to get more memes out - rush them out- exploit them
- even create ones that are sloppy -- just to make sure we are on top and
still the most radical meme-makers? *Or, do we use this very precious time
to communicate effectively and claim our hard work in the pubic arena.
Extropians are radical. But radical doesn't mean the we have to caused
havoc on a perpetual basis. We fought hard for where we are now, and this
is the time to be sensible about our ideas. We should be in the mainstream
*while* maintaining our daring and original character. Society has caught
up, indeed, but we need not feel downcast about this, we should celebrate
and claim our position.
Natasha
Natasha Vita-More: http://www.natasha.cc
To Order _Create/Recreate: The Third Millennial Culture_**
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