From: den Otter (otter@globalxs.nl)
Date: Thu Feb 05 1998 - 07:37:58 MST
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> From: Paul Hughes <organix@hotmail.com>
> You may have much better luck if you add "gay" to the description.
> There are very few extropian women out there, and chances to recruit
> more anytime soon do not seem great. I think we need to clone some
> female
> extropians.
>
> - Sasha, who avoids dating the mundanes, and stays single.
>
> My Response:
>
> I love when I get the oppurtunity to play devil's advocate,
Me too!
>and such an oppurtunity this is.
Indeed.
> Has anyone ever wondered *why* there are so few extropian females? What
> does this say about extropians?
Or: what does this say about everyone else?
> What is it, either about our
> philosophy (basically sound) and our communication (needs work), that is
> a turn off to so many women who would otherwise be sympathetic?
>
> I can think of at least 4 women who I personally know who want to live
> forever, increase their potential and explore the greater cosmos as much
> as all of us. So why do they feel so uncomfortable when I have given
> them extropian writings?
<barnyard speculation mode engaged>
Because:
--women are generally more modest & less assertive/self-secure (arrogant)
than men. This is almost certainly a genetic (ooops!) trait later reinforced by
society. Extropianism is partially about "taking control of your life", "breaking
away from the herd", "being independent, assertive and self-confident", and
these things go directly against the female nature/reinforced role-model of meek,
altruistic nurturer. People in general don't like to go against the flow, and
of those who *do*, most are men. The more agressive and egocentric nature
of men (generally speaking, of course) makes it easier for them to reach the
sky and touch the stars, so to speak. If women join a "radical" group, it is
usually out of loyalty to (or fear of rejection by) a boyfriend/husband/father etc.
who has joined first. Only few join out of personal initiative.
--also, it must be noted that women usually consider clubs/associations/
organizations as childish boy's business.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think these are the main reasons why we see
so few women in transhumanism/extropianism/cryonics etc.
By the way, it's not just the women that are underrepresented in transhumanism.
*Everybody* is, except relatively young, white, higher educated middle class males.
> --> A true extropian philosphy is one that should appeal to both sexes
> equally- a transexual philosophy.. Since it isn't, perhaps we need to
> re-asses how it can. IMHO, a future without a womens touch is no future
> at all.
As technology advances, and becomes a part of everyday life, the (present)
extropian ideas will slowly loose their SF image and become mainstream.
Then the women, and the rest, might finally join in greater numbers. Then
again, the extropians of the future will probably be 20-200 years ahead of
*their* time (unless a singularity makes this impossible), so extropianism
might by definition never be able to become mainstream. As long as there
is diversity, there will always be entities with some more foresight than others:
the extropians.
DdO
-Satan's legal resource of choice
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