From: Dan Fabulich (dfab@cinenet.net)
Date: Sun Mar 23 1997 - 14:23:16 MST
Two quick points:
Recently I've started using a program called Cornix. It totes itself as
Machine Assisted Reading Software. Basically, the idea is to display
each word in large print, one at a time. This allows the reader to read
much faster than she/he could normally, as it eliminates the need to
move your eyes to find the next word, simultaneously training your eyes
and your mind to read faster. After only a few days I was reading 1000
wpm, and I'm considering buying Vortex, the commercial version. (Cornix
is free, but Vortex is $80. Ouch.)
Anyway, with this software, I can regularly get through the whole list,
without skipping any articles, in half an hour or less. I'd reccomend
it for anybody who reads a lot on their computer. Plus, it's free.
Take a look at: http://www.halcyon.com/chigh/cornix.html
(I know, I sound like an ad. I'm not affiliated, I just really like the
software.)
In regards to spreading the memes, I've been dreaming about possible
ways for us to improve our tactics. Political groups and television
advertisers figured out long ago that by using sample test groups and
trying out various advertising techniques, they could figure out exactly
which message worked best, and which didn't. This information allows
democrats and corporations alike to deliver an optimally effective
message to the nation.
We need to do this if we want to spread powerful extropian memes to the
public. We can't just work from experience and secondhand guesses.
We've got to try out our slogans, fine-tune our images, become
hypersensitive to the public's technological desires and fears. As that
happens, we can use our information to spread our memes further, recruit
more people, spread memes further, recruit more people... It's a
positive feedback cycle which we need to tap if we expect to be a
significant memetic force.
I realize that all this takes funding which is in obviously short
supply... But if we start out with volunteers, we could eventually
receive a regular stream of donations to support the project. Who'd be
willing to volunteer time to help fine-tune the extropian memes?
-He who laughs last thinks slowest-
dAN
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