On Thu, Aug 02, 2001 at 04:37:55PM -0400, Brian Atkins wrote:
> Eugene Leitl wrote:
> >
> > On Thu, 2 Aug 2001, Brian Atkins wrote:
> >
> > > Actually it may be possible to escape this paradox via technology.
> > > Ever read about the Sysop Scenario?
> >
> > I personally much prefer the Santa scenario, reindeer, elves, sleigh, and
> > all.
> >
> > Really, changing people's attitudes is hard work. By mentioning
> > implausible magic fairy dust scenarios you're not helping.
>
> I don't see what's implausible about it. It's a pretty well accepted
> future solar system scenario.
AHOOGA! AHOOGA! Groupthink warning!
It has been considered here on this list and in Extropy, perhaps in a
few sf novels, but thats it. It is 'well accepted' by a very small group
of people, who of course spend much time talking to each other. So to
them it seems that many more people hold that view than really do.
If you ask a representative cross section of (say) american citizens or
intellectuals about the scenario, you will get mainly blank stares,
quite a few laughs and some explaining to you that it must be wrong
because computers cannot think or similar arguments. To most people a
future just like today but with a few more toys is a well accepted
scenario, anything else is out.
Basing one's interactions with the public on what one believes to be
rational or likely rather than what *they* consider to be rational and
likely (even if you think they are utterly wrong) will simply not work.
To communicate you need to understand how to express things in other
people's realities.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
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