From: Brett Paatsch (bpaatsch@bigpond.net.au)
Date: Sun Aug 03 2003 - 23:46:18 MDT
From: "Sébastien" <p_chikara@hotmail.com> writes:
> >That would be my guess too. Adding "ism" seems to
> >be a way of caricaturising a set of ideas thereby making
> >it easier to attack. But it's one thing to be caricaturised
> >by those who one would naturally expect opposition
> >from and another to have one's confederates encourage
> >such caricaturisation by adopting their language.
> >
> > Actually, I think Robert was simply continuing to use
>> the term used by Sebasti[e]n Chikara.
> >
> > Alas, I think we have not seen the last of such 'own
> >goal' terminology as extropes talking of extropianism,
> > or critical thinkers professing their 'beliefs'.
>
> Euh... As pointed out by Freematt:
>
> http://www.extropy.org/ideas/principles.html
>
> Extropianism -- the evolving transhumanist philosophy
> of extropy.
Yes point taken. Perhaps the philosophy will yet evolve
beyond such unfortunate minor 'toe shootings', perhaps
not.
But there is a reason for the version numbering, its to
indicate that the principles are not a matter of dogma
and that constructive criticism is welcome.
There is also a reason for branding and I am not speaking
on behalf of ExI now just stating my own opinion. Brands,
like flags, serve as rallying points around which likeminded
individuals may gather. When likeminded individuals wish
to influence policy and the lawmaking process that will
crystalise particular futures from a range of possible ones
it helps to have some set of principles around which to
gather. Branding is therefore not merely about novelty for
novelty sake it is about utility. Personally I would rather
explain the simple principle of extropy as opposed to that
of entropy (which is pretty widely understood) and point
that someone in the direction of this mailing list and the ExI
principles then to have to wrestle with that someones
perception and possible misunderstanding of a variety of
other viewpoints and philosophers that may or may not
have contributed to the principles that are espoused now.
A relatively new brand, like ExI, has the opportunity, at
least for a while, to manage and minimise the baggage it
carries. But against this minimisation of negative historic
associations there is the burden of establishing a recognition
of the brand in its own right.
Regards,
Brett Paatsch
[Ps: Sorry if I've crossthreaded here and I didn't read all of
what you wrote in other threads but I think I've caught the
gist of some of it.]
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