From: Geoff Smith (geoffs@interchange.ubc.ca)
Date: Sat Dec 18 1999 - 02:47:12 MST
Max More wrote:
> <warning mode>
> I have faced the fact that I may really and finally die. I suspect some of
> you are already utterly convinced of your immortality. That's where
> extropian thinking ends and dogma begins.
> </warning mode>
I'm not sure to whom this warning is directed. In fact, I can't imagine
a rational person being utterly convinced of their immortality. I don't
think I've ever seen a transhumanist suggest it (*maybe* Tipler with his
Omega Point Theory, but even then he qualifies his predictions by
discussing the narrow rangse of cosmological constants, and precise
starting conditions)
I think you may be misinterpreting "extropian zeal" for blind faith --
just as the Wired author did. In fact, "faith" is one of the first
qualities he attributes to extropians. This kind of misinterpretation
is not only unfair, it's stifling! A gung-ho dynamically optimistic
attitude is what differientiates extropianism from the rest of
transhumanism,(and existential philosophies in general) and nothing
kills the mood like a stern unfounded warning -- or in the case of the
author's comment about Robert, a plain old-fashioned put-down.
Now, obviously, I agree entirely with your "warning," but I really think
you're preaching to the choir. If anything extropianism needs more
zeal! Less warnings, more happiness. Show by example the vibrant
living that stems from a transhumanistic lifestyle, regardless of
whether it brings about immortality. Sometimes, an observer to this
list might think we are more interested in bickering over minutae than
changing the world for the better.(or even just living freer, happier
lives)
Since I've already been fairly hypocritical in my critiquing of
critique,(and bickering about bickering) I might as well go all out by
giving a quick illustration of my point:
Two of our founders, Max and Natasha once used the very pleasant and
zealous sign-offs:
"Onward!"
and
"The best defense is a cultural offense!" ( i think i remember that
right)
Anyway, great stuff. They are now replace with "Max" and "Cheers!
Natasha", respectively. It seems to me there is a culture of waning
enthusiasm growing in the extropian community, and no individuals are to
blame -- it is a nonlocal phenomenon. I think the solution is a little
more cheerleading, maybe from the younger/idealistic/ENTP'er crowd [
such as me...] Okay, so I haven't exactly provided any concrete
solutions, but it's something to chew on,(for those who actually dislike
where things are going) and I will giving it some more thought and post
what I come up with to the list. I will also try to come up with an
exciting SIG, now that I've criticized Max and Natasha's!
Maybe it's just the 90's, the 80's were a much more enthusiastic decade
(fueled by coke, maybe?) I think the "naughties" will be different,
part of the problem is the precipitation of millennial fear -- hard to
avoid it when around 20% of Americans(highest percentage in the world!)
believe the millennium will bring about the Apocalypse. Either way,
it's time for things to change.
Right now, Extropianism is nearing the of it's dark and funky
adolescence. The casually-enthusiastic, informed, and happy-face and
exclamation-mark riddled posts of people like Spike and John Grigg show
me that extropian growing pains are coming to their end.
Geoff.
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