I have found in some dictionary and in some e-dictionary those terms
*eversion* and *eversive*. I suppose that these terms come from the latin
*ex-vertere*, which has not
the same meaning as *sub-vertere* (subversion, subversive).
In Italy we use so much the term eversione and the term rivoluzione
(revolution).
Revolution is, in principle, or in theory, linked to freedom, while
eversione (eversion) is linked to some subtle, hidden oppression, or to
fascism.
In the '60s and in the '70s we had both. We had *eversive* bombs and we had
also the revolutionary Red Brigades (still existing). Now we have a sort of
unabomber (we too).
But the very point is: do the extropic themes *appear* (in EU *catholic*
countries) linked to freedom? I do not think so.
In my modest opinion, (EU) extropians have to do every effort in this
direction.
Regards
scerir (Rome, Italy)
----- Original Message -----
From: Damien Broderick <d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au>
To: <extropians@extropy.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 5:55 AM
Subject: Re: 'reactionary'
> At 06:52 PM 11/07/00 +0200, "scerir" <scerir@libero.it> wrote:
>
> >Yes. But what is the right english term?
>
> For extropians/>Hs? `Transformative'? `Progressive' should seem
> appropriate, but it has a freight of dismal 20th century baggage, ranging
> from marxism to slam-bam-pave-over-the-universe.
>
> >In a catholic-socialist regime are the extropic
> >(extropian?) principles *revolutionary*?
> >On the contrary, do they rather
> >suggest *eversion*?
>
> Not a term in common use in US or UK-style English. See below.
>
> >*In Italy*, and in the opinion of those hurried
> >writers, extropic principles
> >(or the genoma project, or the singularity concept,
> >or the mind loading, etc.)
> >*appear* (at the present time) *eversive*,
> >not revolutionary.
>
> In English, `eversion' is turning something inside out. I don't know how
> this could be applied as a metaphor to politics.
>
> `Revolution' implies a drastic rotation that upends a hierarchy, putting
> peasants in charge of aristocrats, say. I believe the metaphor derived
from
> the Copernican model of the solar system - which was, of course, also
> revolutionary in our sense.
>
> Since transhumanists expect almost total reorganisation and re-creation of
> technologies, sciences, economics, social order, the very structure of
> conscious agents, I don't think a pallid term like `revolutionary' is
> suitable let alone sufficient. :)
>
> Damien Broderick
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