I agree.
> There will probably be other uses of technologies
>of extropian interest that would justify them in the
>public opinion: improving the intelligence of military
>commanders in the time of war so that they could better
>protect the average citizens, enhancing physical skills
>of surgeons and empathic abilities of social workers who
>help "disadvantaged individuals", improve sensitivity of
>doctors working with cute babies, extending lives of
>public heroes, etc. And then, among the thousands of
>"good" uses, the technology wouldn't seem that evil anymore...
>Look how little time was needed to make opponents of
>"commercialization of the Net" cool their rage...
>They were so prominent just a couple of years ago -
>and now nobody even discusses the topic. The "Net
>socialists" were not destroyed or out-argued; they
>were just drowned by the practical logic of the Net
>development.
> So if we just come up with some "PC uses" for cloning
>and telomerase manipulation...
I think the only problem is there are neoLuddites and
technophobes. They love to create doomsday scenarios,
such as your hyperintelligent generals turning into Ceasars
and taking over the nation, controlling the disadvantage
with new tech, and the like. Also, the general public
seems to like these scare stories and the images painted
appear to be much longer lived than the pro-technology
ones.
This does not mean we shouldn't try, BUT it will be a
difficult and long struggle. We should not expect
success overnight.
Daniel Ust