From: altamira (altamira@ecpi.com)
Date: Mon Jul 10 2000 - 16:05:35 MDT
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-extropians@extropy.com
> [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.com]On Behalf Of Randy Smith
> >From: GBurch1@aol.com
> >>clear, well-written tutorial on genetic technology that leads
> from a quick
> >overview of the basics, through a description of the current
> state of the
> >art
> >and frontiers of research and development through a near- to mid- to
> >far-term
> >projection of the benefits to be gained from these efforts. This kind of
> >thing needs to be punchy and easy to read, ideally organized in short,
> >easily
> >digested "bullet points."
There are 2 ways this sort of thing could be done--at the corporate level,
which might involve TV ads and full-color brochures; or at the individual
level.
The internet offers an unprecedented opportunity for communication at the
individual level, which is mainly limited by the volume of information
received by each individual and the need to filter out most of what's
received. Even considering this limitation, given the number of people on
this list, we could reach a huge number of people. Remember the Kevin Bacon
game and the "Six Degrees of Separation."
I'm on several gardening and homesteading lists, whose members tend to be
anti-GM, and I've made it a point to mention on those lists some of the good
GM things that are being done. I haven't been flamed outta town, so
apparently it's possible to communicate. IMO one of the most important
things to remember is that there ARE at least 2 sides to the issue, and that
in some instances the anti-GM people are probably right.
When dealing non-coercively with people whose viewpoints are very different
from one's own, a necessary first step is to find a place of common thought.
Pay attention to the anti-GM people. Many of them are just copying what
they've heard someone else say, but some of them have thought things through
and come to their own conclusions. Ask them what their concerns are. And so
forth.
Bonnie
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