mainstream immortality: forwarded from exi_bay

From: Spike Jones (spike66@attglobal.net)
Date: Mon Aug 13 2001 - 21:05:18 MDT


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert B [SMTP:blaker4@attglobal.net]
> Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2001 1:13 PM
> To: exi-bay@extropy.org
> Subject: You know Extropian ideas are going mainstream when...
>
>
> Hi Extropes,
>
> I've been lurking on various 'trope mailing lists for the past 6
> years since I discovered the Extropy Institute and philosophy.
>
> I recall that there have been several discussions on the main
> mailing list about Extropian ideas going mainstream. On that
> topic, I just came across more evidence of that.
>
> I'm going to venture to guess that few Extropes read
> <i>Maxim</i> magazine, so it's likely that few of you have
> seen this (from the August 2001 "Editors Letter"):
>
> "Has it occurred to anybody yet that ours may be the last
> generation to die? What a gyp! But think about it. We know
> what makes cells die, we know of cells that resist death
> (example: cancer), and we're learning fast how to manipulate
> cells. How long can it be before some bright MIT dork strings
> all that together and produces the line-edit in our genetic
> code that lets us theoretically live forever? Could be less
> than a generation away. Amazing. Our immortal descendents
> will be fascinated by us, will wonder what it was like knowing
> your story would have an end, what it was like to have to
> squeeze your entire life into just 100 years." [more edited...]
> "Then again, it may be the very imminence of death that
> forces us to step up the pace." [more edited...] "One thing's
> for certain: In such a future, murder will become an infinitely
> more profound act. How do you begin to compensate a widow
> for 50 million years of lost conjugal bliss?" [more edited...]
>
> --Keith Blanchard, Editor of <i>Maxin</i>
>
> I don't normally read <i>Maxim</i>, but I never would have
> expected to read something like the above in a publication
> like that. Ah well, I guess Extrope ideas *are* going mainstream...
>
> I'm not currently subed to the main list due to time constraints,
> so one of the regulars on both lists (Spike?) might want to
> forward this to the main list.
>
> Robert B



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Oct 12 2001 - 14:40:08 MDT