Politics, economics, irrationality are real phenomena.

From: Alex Future Bokov (alexboko@umich.edu)
Date: Sat Aug 23 2003 - 11:04:48 MDT

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    I notice that a flaw which clouds a lot of Extropic thinking is the
    sociological equivalent of repeatedly designing perpetual motion machines.

    For example we obviously have the theoretical capability to send humans
    to Mars right now, and probably have had that capability since the 60's
    (some aerospace buff please correct me if I'm off on this). Why has this not
    happened already? Is it because "people" are "stupid"?

    Perhaps, but it's not a useful way of framing the question. If your machine
    doesn't work due to minute impurities in the materials, turbulent fluid
    behavior, moisture due to condensation, or frictional heat... you could by the
    same reasoning say that it's the machine's own fault because it's stupid. But
    that won't get you any closer to a functional design.

    I propose that there's a difference between being
    stubborn/irrational/superstitious/short-sighted... and recognizing that
    stubbornness/irrationality/superstitions/short-sightedness are real phenomena
    that must be factored in when trying to bring about any changes that involve
    the participation of humans. What I'd love to see some social-science people
    (shut up conservatrolls, economics is a social science too) attempt a rigorous
    analysis of human resistance to change. Extrotopia just ain't gonna happen if
    there's ideas but no money or favorable policy climate in which to implement
    them... if there's a destination but no optimal path to get there from here.

    ----
    This message was posted by Alex Future Bokov to the Extropians 2003 board on ExI BBS.
    <http://www.extropy.org/bbs/index.php?board=67;action=display;threadid=56850>
    


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