> From: hal@finney.org
> Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 1999 12:38 PM
>
> This can be done relatively easily, I think. Any advocate of genetic
> engineering must first begin by denouncing, in the strongest terms
> possible, the racist component of the eugenics movement. He must make
> it clear that all human races are equally valuable and unique, that
> all individuals have a contribution to make. There are no inferior
> races or inferior individuals whose procreation should be suppressed.
> Racism is the sign of a sick, fearful, primitive mind, and has no part
> in modern society. All civilized human beings will shun any hint of
> racism or elitism towards other groups.
I think here you are unfairly equating racism with elitism. Is Mensa, for example, racist, merely because they maintain a minimum IQ standard for membership? Hardly; they're open to individuals of all ethnic backgrounds. Racism and other forms of tribalism are absolutely irrational and worthy of condemnation. But don't make the mistake of assuming that just because one form of assigning relative value to humans is wrong, that all such systems must be. Elitism towards other groups can be completely justified, depending on how you're defining the groups (for example, I see nothing wrong with being elitist regarding career violent criminals).
I would argue that yes, there are indeed individuals whose genetic contribution to the gene pool would be better off left unmade, just as there are individuals whose genetic contribution would be so valuable that it would constitute a "duty" to the species as a whole to make sure it was passed to further generations. But the criteria would be physical and mental, not ethnic.
You were right-on when you said that an association with racism (real and perceived) caused support for the Eugenics movement to shrivel up. That's because Eugenics (or, to use alternative terms, autoevolution or Conscious Evolution) doesn't work when applied to groups. In order to have any meaning or value, it must be applied at an individual level.
Joseph 1 (joseph1@neosapiens.org)
Core Sphere Member - NeoSapiens Combine http://www.neosapiens.org
"NeoSapiens Awaken!"