Alex Future Bokov wrote:
>
> <DISCLAIMER>
> Again, don't get all wierded out. This really is a hypothetical
> question, that just happened to wander into my head. I doubt it will
> ever be a practical one for either myself or anybody else on this
> list. Remember what I said earlier about survival at any cost-- my
> self-preservation drive is doing just fine thank you. It's just that
> it's good to know the answers to certain hypothetical questions
> well ahead of time, so one doesn't have to waste precious seconds
> deliberating if such questions do suddenly become practical.
> </DISCLAIMER>
>
> One's effectiveness in accheiving overarching goals is sometimes hobbled
> by self-preservation. If one knew that one was going to die soon (and for
> whatever reason cryosyspension was not an option) then self-preservation
> would not longer influence one's decisions. How could one's strategy change
> in response to this fact?
>
> Responses such as "I'd liquidate all my assets and go on a cruise" or
> "I'd spend my last days with my family" are obvious and pre-emptively
> declared to be out of scope. This question is aimed at people who have
> such an intense sense of purpose that they want maximize the value of
> even their demise toward their chosen goal. Or people who can imagine
> themselves in such a mindset and extrapolate how they would act.
>
It depends. I do have some obligations to dependents that I would spend
a part of the energy and time left attempting to resolve. But for the
most part I would stop doing everything BUT putting into words, code,
images and communicating to others every thought and idea and viewpoint
that I believe is most important and that I want to see continue and
grow in the world. These things range across a gamut of technological,
philosophical, sociological, pieces of unifying visions and so on. In
other words I would use all the time remaining for the actual Work
rather than for making a down payment on life.
Self-centered viewpoints are very interesting things. A lot depends on
the size of one's definition of "self". The continuation and ultimate
success of what I believe is most important is "self-centered"
regardless of whether this body/personality/mind unity personally
survives or not. I would definitely prefer it did but myself includes
that personal self rather than being limited to it.
- samantha
- samantha
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon May 28 2001 - 09:50:17 MDT