>Thank you, Waldemar, for bringing up these questions. I can
>add a couple of 'dangers':
>
>1. I agree with the 'delegation' concern.
>
>2. There is a sort of 'guru' or 'genius' mentality that we need
>to resist. Some are trying to bill themselves as 'geniuses',
>and some are actively annointing others as 'geniuses'. None
>of us has the last word on this area of thought. I think that
>we need to reach out to each other to do more mentoring and more
>collaborative work. I see far too little nurturing of young
>thinkers and far too much competing with them. (Or, if it is
>happening, it's happening among the men, but see number 3)
Indeed, I am trying to nurture the younger generation in the Swedish Transhumanist Association (GAAAAAAASP, the younger generation, we've become old, old men Anders;-)
>
>3. It is nearly the year 2000. The world's populations, by
>any measure, are increasingly linked and racially mixing. Gender
>power is shifting to a more 50/50 balance. Look around at your
>groups, however, and ask yourself if we reflect that. Ask yourself
>what you are doing to reach out to and support the few women
>who show interest, or someone who is racially different. Just
>having them around means nothing if they are not fully engaged.
>
>Kathryn Aegis
I do not agree with you, Kathryn. Let me explain.
Is the above really interesting? We should be looking out for good prospects in general, without looking for a specific gender (what are genders going to be in the future, probably intersexuality or serial gender), race (hey, I am a mix of Swedish, Italian and Norwegian), age (we should have more 500 year old members, agree to that).
Otherwise we will lock ourselves up in a way of thinking that prioritizes these things. And they simply are going to have problems keeping up the stereotypical cathegories that political correct builds itself upon. Really, having served as a PC "house nigga'" in the Liberal Party I say that being specially treated is no fun at all, its a form of racism.
Isn't it better to honestly, and in a well packaged way, present the ideas to people and treat everyone that's interested like a person? If that means that we are going to be composed by 110% male (MUY macho) or 93% WASP or perhaps 89% portuguese, lesbian, gun-crazy libertarians- so be it!
I think people come to us because they are not cathegorized or stereotypized, eventhough they may be even ostracized in mainstream society.
Sincerely,
Waldemar Ingdahl