Re: We're stuck with each other

From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Tue Jan 22 2002 - 16:07:16 MST


On Mon, Jan 21, 2002 at 10:00:08PM -0800, Spike Jones wrote:
> Anders Sandberg wrote:
>
> > Given how fun we had at Spike's place at Extro 5, I look forward to the
> > appearance of us as a community of first generation immortals.
>
> Wasn't that a hoot? I still laugh out loud in my office when I think about
> that. My coworkers are growing suspicious.

I just tell my coworkers I'm practicing my mad scientist laughter, and
they ignore it.

> > I think Harvey has an interesting point with that immortality may not
> > immediately become a hit. If there is some cost or trouble involved
> > (like a training regimen, or keeping a sufficiently dynamic mind)
>
> I see where he is coming from, but I suspect the actual problem
> may be the opposite. There could be wild chaos as the proletariat
> scramble for the treatment.
>
> I guess we have a precedent of sorts in the AIDS patients. There
> is a treatment available but it is very expensive. We haven't seen
> riots or anarchy in that group. But with immortality the stakes are
> turned up about 40 dB. spike

Yes, but people are usually more eager to get a cure from something they
consider bad than something that makes them feel better. Of course, most
of us regard ageing as a serious disease, but we are not a majority.
Quite a few people might simply decide to wait and see or procrastinate
getting the treatment. Much will depend on how strong deathist ideas are
in culture. A bit of rioting among the true enthusiasts is to be
expected, of course.

BTW, it is often assumed that there will be a single cure. A more likely
process is a series of increasingly effective treatments, but the
efficacy will be hard to estimate. It may take a very long time before
we actually know if ageing has been conquered.

 

-- 
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Anders Sandberg                                      Towards Ascension!
asa@nada.kth.se                            http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/
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