The War Room

Yak Wax (yakwax@yahoo.com)
Mon, 11 May 1998 10:32:49 -0700 (PDT)


Stop me if this idea has already been done (I think someone had a
similar idea on this list a while back, I don't know if anything came
of it) but:

It's now common practise among governments to build future scenarios
to see what dangers may exist. I propose a list to do the same but
with an extropian edge (of course). If no immediate practical purpose
can be found it will serve as both an intriguing view of the future
and something to laugh about in 10 years time. The list would work as
follows: To join the list an application would have to be approved,
the number of members will be kept low, occasionally a detailed
scenario will be posted by one of the members, the other members will
then respond with brilliant ideas and sharp wit.

Things to be discussed could include:

Nanotechnology
Artificial Intelligence
Crypto Anarchy
Augmented Intelligence
Genetic Engineering
Etc

Replies would not be opinions on whether these are good, bad, or
neutral but of what threats they present, what social changes they
could bring, and how they could come about. For the purpose of good
reading scenarios could also have a fictional element (i.e. Not just,
"what happens if we upload", but how and when it happens in this
scenario). Each scenario should be given the appropriate amount of
time before we move on to another scenario.

Comments, opinions, criticisms, lynchings, beatings, slappings,
pinchings, whippings, and general kink much appreciated :-)

--Wax
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