Re: Transhumanist Kids

Dan Clemmensen (Dan@Clemmensen.ShireNet.com)
Sun, 22 Nov 1998 11:12:13 -0500

Erin Jones wrote:
>
> Hello. I would just like to say I'm 15 years old. My parents are
> Christian but I'm athiest. Also, they don't even know what extropy is.
> Never have talked to me about transhumanistic ideas or anything of that
> sort! :) I found this list on my own. And I do concider myself an
> Exptropian, the whole thing facinates me. I try to show my parents but
> they don't even pay attention. LoL. Anyway, I just wanted to say that
> nothing or no one has really influenced me... I set my own paths, my own
> directions in life. :)
> -Erin

I'll try hard to restrain my genetically-mandated imperative as a parent to immediately hassle you with gratuitous advice. :-) Instead, I'll ask for some: What advice can I offer my kids about ethical behaviour? I can't tell them to follow the golden rule because God told them to, but I'm not really comfortable with "I've got mine, tough luck losers" either. Mostly, we go with the concept that helping society as a whole is worthwhile because we are going to have to live in it, So being good citizens is appropriate in the same sense that not polluting is appropriate.

Other people's answers are appreciated, but I'd really like to hear fom Erin.