GeoffCobb@aol.com responded:
>I dare to think that Extropians have gone beyond this kind of limit teaching.
>This very meme is what I encounter expicitly when i speak of Extropy.
>I was really surprised to see it on this list. Dynamic Optimism does indeed
> mean getting a REALISTIC view, so astronaut or athlete or artist would not
>be an easy task, I need to tell a child it entail lots of work; a true
>talent; perserverence of great magnitude... but to call it a 'long shot' is
>to *discourage* them from ever trying! ...dynamic pessimism?? Its a kindly
>meme parents often use to protect their kids from failing -and terrifying to
>me, yikes!
Are you claiming that these are not in fact long shots, or that one
should hide such facts from children for fear of discouraging them? I
have no problem with people taking long shots, if they know that's
what they are doing.
Robin D. Hanson hanson@hss.caltech.edu http://hss.caltech.edu/~hanson/