Re: Eurocracy (was Re: Immortality and Resources)

Eric Watt Forste (arkuat@pobox.com)
Mon, 10 Feb 1997 10:16:30 -0800


Max M Rasmussen writes:
>BTW i dont think that the spaceprogram is very important right now.
>It really ought to wait some decades before the technolgy is more
>refined. There's a huge conscience-implosion going on right now
>with most of the world focusing on the internet, multimedia,
>comunication, simulators, cad etc. All of wich will probably lead
>to some kind of singularity. So sometimes later we probably can
>fly to space in small private spacecrafts powerered with Drexler-like
>diamond engines. why not wait and let the explosion happen then?

What if the "Singularity" gets out of control and messes up Gaia?
I don't worry about it *too* much, but it's certainly a possibility.
I don't just mean technologically, I also mean politically, and in
the effects that the new technologies will have on the political
structure. With no more Cold War, there's no telling what bored
and powerful politicians will do. I would prefer to see at least
some Diaspora before anything much like what people have been
predicting for the "Singularity" gets going.

Also, what about the hundreds or thousands of Amor, Apollo, and
Aten objects that cross Earth's orbit? Or even better, a high energy
comet? We are on the edge of being able to buy ourselves insurance
against the fate of the dinosaurs... I don't like keeping all my
eggs in just one basket.

--
Eric Watt Forste ++ arkuat@pobox.com ++ http://www.pobox.com/~arkuat/