Okay, folks. What has happened to the Extropian Principles? I am saddened.
I opened up my ZIA multimedia from 1994 to read an older verion of the Extropian Principles,
because I thought that the new ones looked much much different than I had remembered. All of
these years I was chanting mostly number 1, 3, and 5 of the 2.5 version, that I had engraved in
memory. Now I feel like a fool that they hardly exist anymore.
I suppose I shouldn't complain too much, since I haven't been around for the "PERPETUAL PROGRESS"
you have made here. But these principles sound much more practical and politically correct and
less dynamic than they used to. Perhaps I should try to be more of a "PRACTICAL OPTIMIST" and not
so much the "DYNAMIC OPTIMIST" I have chosen to be all these years.
But I WON'T! By golly, I am a "DYNAMIC optimist"!!
PRACTICAL optimism is not going to get us into space, and that is the focus of my life.
I am sure these principles have been subtly morphing over the years, and I do not wish to haggle
over them, personally. I just urge you all to re-read this older version which I have made a part
of my life for several years now. I find them easy to remember and to chant, and straight and to
the point, without sounding too politically correct or too touchy-feely. They are short and to
the point, and have enough GRIT.
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Extropian Principles 2.5
1. BOUNDLESS EXPANSION - seeking more intelligence, wisdom, and effectiveness, an unlimited
lifespan, and the removal of political, cultural, biological, and psychological limits to
self-actualization and self-realization. Perpetually overcoming constraints on our progress and
possibilities. Expanding into the universe and advancing without end.
2. Self-Transformation - Affirming continual moral, intellectual, and physical self-improvement,
through reason and critical thinking, personal responsibility and experimentation. Seeking
biological and neurological augmentation.
3. DYNAMIC Optimism - Fueling dynamic action with positive expectations. Adopting an rationaL,
action-based optimism, SHUNNING both blind faith and stagnant pessimism.
4. Intelligent Technology - Applying sciency and technology creatively to transcend "natural"
limits imposed by our biological heritage, culture, and environment.
5. SPONTANEOUS ORDER (THIS BECAME THREE PRINCIPLES INSTEAD OF ONE ! ) - Supporting decentralized
voluntaristic social coordination processes. Fostering tolerance, diversity, long-term thinking,
personal responsibility, and individual liberty.
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Extropian Principles 3.0
1. PERPETUAL PROGRESS - Seeking more intelligence, wisdom, and effectiveness, an indefinite
lifespan, and the removal of political, cultural, biological, and psychological limits to
self-actualization and self-realization. Perpetually overcoming constraints on our progress and
possibilities. Expanding into the universe and advancing without end. (FIRST OF ALL, THE TERM
"BOUNDLESS EXPANSION" IS GONE, WHICH WAS ONE OF MY THREE FAVORITE PRINCIPLES THAT I HAVE BEEN
CHANTING OVER THE YEARS...HOW DEPRESSING. THE OTHER TWO WERE "DYNAMIC OPTIMISM" WHICH GOT CHANGED
TO "PRACTICAL" OPTIMISM, AND SPONTANEOUS ORDER, WHICH GOT EXPANDED INTO THREE, SOMEWHAT REDUNDANT
AND BORING PRINCIPLES, THAT RELATE MORE OF AN EVERY COMMON SENSE THAN A DYNAMIC NEW MOVEMENT. WHAT
A LETDOWN.)
2. Self-Transformation - Affirming continual moral, intellectual, and physical self-improvement,
through critical and creative thinking, personal responsibility, and experimentation. Seeking
biological and neurological augmentation ALONG WITH EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REFINEMENT. (ICK!
THIS LAST PART MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THIS IS SOME SORT OF BRAINWASHING CULT, OR LIKE THE EMOTIONAL
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REFINEMENT ARE ALSO PART OF SOME SURGICAL PROCEDURE. SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE ALONG
THE LINE MUST HAVE TRIED TO MAKE THIS SOUND MORE TOUCHY FEELY. OH BROTHER.)
3. PRACTICAL Optimism - Fueling action with positive expectations. Adopting a rational,
action-based optimism, IN PLACE OF both blind faith and stagnant pessimism. (WHAT HAS COME OVER
THE EXTROPIAN COMMUNITY, TO REPLACE THE WORD "DYNAMIC" WITH THE WORD "PRACTICAL"? AND WHY WAS
"SHUNNING" REPLACED WITH "IN PLACE OF"?).
4. Intelligent Technology - Applying science and technology creatively to transcend "natural"
limits imposed by our biological heritage, culture, and environment. SEEING TECHNOLOGY NOT AS AN
END IN ITSELF BUT AS AN EFFECTIVE MEANS TOWARDS THE IMPROVEMENT OF LIFE.
5. Open Society - Supporting social orders that foster freedom of speech, freedom of action, and
experimentation. Opposing authoritarian social control and favoring the rule of law and
decentralization of power. Preferring bargaining over battling, and exchange over compulsion.
Openness to improvement rather than a static utopia.
6. Self-Direction - Seeking independent thinking, individual freedom, personal responsibility,
self-direction, self-esteem, and respect for others. (WHY CAN THIS JUST BE PART OF
SELF-TRANSFORMATION?)
7. Rational Thinking - FAVORING REASON OVER BLIND FAITH AND QUESTIONING OVER DOGMA (REDUNDANT! SEE
DYNAMIC/PRACTICAL OPTIMISM). Remaining open to challenges to our beliefs and practices in pursuit
of perpetual improvement. Welcoming criticism of our existing beliefs while being open to new
ideas.
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