From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Sun Aug 12 2001 - 16:44:18 MDT
from the worth-posting-to-extropians-list dept.
posted by ziana on Thursday August 09, @07:45PM (lawpoli)
http://www.transhuman.memetree.com/article.pl?sid=01/04/27/2312217
A. Brooks writes "Now that the springtime of the 21st century has arrived,
socialism should be put on the ash heap of history. Like religion and
romanticism, socialism may have some value as 'necessary fiction', but is
lacking in meaning: Gun-toting, drug-wholesaling Leftist guerrillas call
themselves 'socialist'. There exist libertarian socialists & democratic
socialists; (un)scientific socialists and National Socialists (National
Socialists are the most honest 'socialists'-- they truly mean business)."
"Socialists complain that socialism has never been given a chance; has never
been tried, neglecting to mention the reason socialism has never been tried...
it is too flawed.
For brevity, here are a couple of the most salient defects of socialism:
humans obviously differ greatly in physical and mental abilities; there are
robust physical specimens who are retarded, and then there are the Stephen
Hawking, brilliant minds in bodies that hardly move a muscle. Transhumanists
have correctly pointed out that the only hopes are technologies (including
intelligence augmentations).
Another major flaw with socialism is the massive roadblock of our
preoccupation with status. Most humans want not only wealth, but also status;
and there is no mystery why-- our physical and mental inequality makes us so
insecure that we consciously or unconsciously seek status, and use the
government to rearrange our status relative to others. This means that
politics is endless, purposeless maneuvering and argument. From a stagnant
conservative viewpoint this works well, but such turmoil would ultimately
prove an enemy of transhumanism. Transhuman Slashsite News habitues clearly
think there is no invisible force protecting us; humanity survives for many
non-mystical reasons, including the unpleasant fact that some humans are
willing to sacrifice themselves. Certain organisms are generally willing to
let themselves be destroyed for the common good, but not humans; unlike ants,
humans have large brains, and it is rightly accepted that only a fool would be
self-sacrificing; masochism is certainly not transhumanist.
I personally think another reason socialism is unworkable and outdated is that
the positive aspects of interpersonal relations are somewhat overrated. People
constantly lie to each other to smooth things over-- and use their instinct or
intelligence to make their dissembling more undetectable. 'White lies' are
extremely common; an allegedly innocuous example being the lies people tell
when receiving a gift they don't want-- how many persons say "this isn't what
I want"? Rather, a 'thank you' is in order, and the gifts are discarded in
some fashion later on. More serious -- and unpleasant -- examples of
disingenuosness could of course be dredged up; my point here is that
individual honesty and goodwill are exaggerated; I personally pin more
optimism on such as ameliorating race-ethnic-cultural-gender disputes;
reducing nationalist fervor, and so forth. A concrete example is the Civil
Rights movement in America: no one can prove that blacks and whites get along
better today than during decades previous. Yet (partially thanks to the Civil
Rights movement) if U.S. blacks had their own nation today, it would be one of
the wealthiest on earth. So, it cannot be denied that, though individual backs
and whites may not be any more civil to each other, AS A CLASS, blacks are
doing better... i.e. whites now more readily realize the advantages of doing
business with blacks. But socialism implies much more cooperation at the level
of the individual, and what hard evidence exists at this time that such
cooperation will increase? --None whatsoever.
Socialism to one side, I can anticipate a counter-argument to my pessimistic
aspect here. Transhumanists might respond that the political situation may
dramatically improve due to science; 'spontaneous order'; etc; however, though
I appreciate scientific speculation, social/political speculation has proved
quite disappointing and I prefer to avoid such.
Friends, someone is going to have to 'rack their brains'; and we are going to
have to go all-out to spread the word.
(Special thanks to law professor John O. McGiniss)"
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