So I was talking to one of my clients today after a long discussion of her
product-to-be (another obvious-in-hindsight thing that should make a fair
amount of money...there's a lot of startups under the rocks again; next
quarter will be interesting, but I digress) on matters of life, philosophy
and death. She's a very smart 40something, married to a geologist, she's an
objectivist, atheist libertarian who's read enough and thought enough about
her own existence to intelligently talk about identity vrs continuity of
being. She doesn't want to die, and thinks about it a lot.
But she'd never heard of transhumanism. Much less extropianism.
Now I'm a fairly straightforward kinda person; all I want to is to live
forever in a continuity sort of way. If that means clump of nanoware-packed
asteroids in the outer solar system, then that means clump of
nanoware-packed asteroids in the outer solar system, but it's means rather
than an end. So it bothers me that there are people out there in the
immortality marketplace -- potential philosophical customers, as it were,
who are not being addressed.
This sort of sampling doesn't bode well for my chances to live forever in a
continuity sort of way. It needs to change.
So what can ExI do for me? Educate the masses. Move beyond the
philosophical-intellectual circles; I think you have your missive and your
mission down pat. It's good. A bit broad for my taste, but as has been
noted, I'm a little obsessive about the immortality thing. But more people
need to be drawn in, which means coming up with broader ways to spread the
meme. If spreading the net more widely gets the progress you want, then you
have to change the net and change the way you spread it to do so...
So I see nothing wrong with raising money explicity to put ExI thoughtlines
in the sides of buses. Or in local newspapers. Or anywhere else that strikes
our fancy. Transhumanism, extropianism and associated life extension memes
need to become ideas that have an entry in the encyclopedia.
Reason
http://www.exratio.com/
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-exi-bay@extropy.com [mailto:owner-exi-bay@extropy.com]On
> Behalf Of Max More
> Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2001 11:55 PM
> To: extropians@extropy.org
> Cc: transhuman@logrus.org; exi-bay@extropy.org; exi-la@extropy.org;
> exi-east@extropy.org
> Subject: EXI: What can we do for you?
> Importance: High
>
>
> PLEASE GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK
>
> A number of extropians have come together to pursue an unprecedented
> reworking and rejuvenation of Extropy Institute. We are improving
> organizational structure, improving processes to encourage progress in
> numerous projects, and opening up to wider involvement.
>
> This message and survey is an attempt to serve you, fellow
> transhumanists,
> better. Our community would benefit from a more vigorous, resource-rich,
> and active Extropy Institute. We would like to know what prevents many of
> you from getting involved. "Involved" can mean becoming a member and/or
> contributing financially to the survival and growth of ExI, or
> contributing
> talent and energy to furthering one of ExI's projects. (Many of
> these were
> listed in the issue of Exponent that went out last Sunday.)
>
> If you are already a member or if you already contribute financially or
> with skills, please take the questions as asking what would spur
> you to do
> even more.
>
> Q U E S T I O N S:
>
> -- If you have not become a full member of Extropy Institute or
> contributed
> in some other significant way, what would spur you to want to do this?
>
> -- Does Extropy Institute do anything that discourages you from
> joining and
> contributing?
>
> -- What does Extropy Institute not do, to your knowledge, that you think
> would be valuable to the extropian transhumanist community and
> which would
> induce you to join and contribute?
>
> -- What does Extropy Institute do that you find worthwhile, but which you
> think could be done much better? (Bonus question: Do you have ideas about
> *how* it could be done better?)
>
> -- If you really *do* want to join or contribute in some way, but haven't
> gotten around to it, what is holding you back?
>
>
> Please send your responses to me at <max@maxmore.com>
>
> I will share the results with the Extropians list (without names, unless
> you ask that your name be mentioned with your views) if or when enough
> responses are in.
>
> Be direct, bold, and hold nothing back. The goal is to elicit productive
> feedback so we can continue to improve Extropy Institute.
>
> (If anyone has critical comments that are specifically about me and would
> rather I not get them, please send them to E. Shaun and he will pass them
> on minus the names. I will not ask!)
>
> This is a vital time for ExI to function as a healthy, vigorous, and
> influential organization. The rate of technological change continues to
> accelerate. The forces of conservatism, resistance and regulation
> are also
> growing. Issues requiring carefully thought out transhumanist
> positions and
> responses, dealing with potential problems and resistance are
> increasingly
> thrusting their way into public discussion. We need you! Tell us how to
> please you.
>
> Onward!
>
> Max More
>
>
> _______________________________________________________
> Max More, Ph.D.
> max@maxmore.com or more@extropy.org
> http://www.maxmore.com
> Strategic Philosopher
> President, Extropy Institute. http://www.extropy.org <more@extropy.org>
> _______________________________________________________
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