Harvey Newstrom wrote:
>
> Eliezer S. Yudkowsky wrote,
> > I AM TIRED OF SEEING EXTROPIANS CALLING EACH OTHER NAMES.
> > We're supposed to be smarter than this.
>
> The above factor has been one the most depressing considerations in my life
> for the last few years. I have fantasies that a group of higher
> intelligence can form and accomplish great things. However, the history of
> this and other groups seems to prove otherwise.
>
> While some people have manic/depressive moodswings, I have
> optimistic/pessimistic mood swings. Sometimes I think my pessimism is
> winning. If we can't even hold discussions civilly without resorting to
> name-calling, I doubt we can ever accomplish some of our more advanced
> goals.
>
> Internal politics seems to be the biggest threat to all our plans. Even
> with the current terrorist threats, I see petty bickering as a more
> immediate threat and more likely to destroy my future plans that the larger
> but rarer events.
I wholeheartedly agree. The future is something I am passionate
about creating. I came here to talk with others about what I
believe can be done, challenges along the way, the effect of
current events and attitudes and so on. Lately I seem to spend
most of my time fighting off people who wish to attack and
vilify me personally because they do not agree with my opinions
and consider my concerns baseless on the post-911 situation.
What on earth or beyond it is the point of that? It is not what
I am here for. I am not here to have it assumed I am some evil
manipulative bitch if I try to express my opinion reasonably
well. I am not here to have it assumed I am a member of some
never-to-be-considered group or other if my opinion does not
match someone elses on any matter. And I am most certainly not
here to be vilified, slandered and silenced by schoolyard
bullying that has absolutely no place among those who say they
are for creating a vibrant future.
- samantha
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat May 11 2002 - 17:44:20 MDT