[extropy-chat] Socialism versus Transhumanism

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Jose Cordeiro <jose_cordeiro at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Dear transhumanist friends,
>  
>      I totally agree with Max's point below. We should oppose this
> misuse of the name democracy meaning socialism as proposed by
> leftists. For a long time, I have been making the same critique about
> James Hughes's paper, which should be called "socialist"
> transhumanism as opposed to "democratic" transhumanism.
>  
>      The leftists already "stole" the name "liberal" in the
> Anglosaxon world and that is why the word "libertarian" had to be
> created. Words are important. Another example is how some US sports
> people stole the name football (for a US game with no round ball and
> with not much use of our feet) from the real football played around
> the world, and created instead the silly name soccer.

Well, we didn't quite invent Libertarian either, we stole it from the
more allegedly anarchist socialists, at least according to them, and
they are quite put out about it, even to the point of writing a FAQ
about it and insisting that it be called THE Anarchist FAQ, brooking no
other. Conversely, note that the Progressive movement began with
Republican ex-President Teddy Roosevelt, and is now a more left wing
party than the DNC, and the lower case version of the word is used by
lefties to apply to anything they are.

Stealing of words is not a new phenom. The word tyrant was created to
describe a leader who comes to power with popular support (i.e.
majoritarian) against the wishes of the aristocracy. The term "motor
vehicle" was meant to apply only to vehicles used in commercial
enterprise, carrying passengers or frieght on the roads for hire or
pay. Traffic police are only supposed to regulate such commercial
traffic on the roads, i.e. traffic in goods, transporting goods on
public roads for commercial enterprise. Yet the incrementalists the
world over, starting under the second Roosevelt here in the US, have
been twisting and turning these terms to apply to any and all human
travel.

>  
>      I am a believer in democracy and libertarian ideas, which are
> perfectly compatible, and I strongly oppose the "stealing" of the
> term democracy by leftists to cover up their socialist plot.
> Socialism has been always a disgrace wherever it has been tried. The
> funny thing is that socialists always "steal" words to cover up: in
> Latin American most leftists propose State Capitalism, which is
> nothing but Socialism under another name.

Another word/term: "Agrarian Reformers", i.e. Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong,
Che Guevara, The Sandinistas, etc. Nobody mentions that the reform they
intend is fertilizing the soil with wholly organic human blood and
bodies. Organic veggies, anyone?

It isn't hard to see how they get steered so wrongly. Even Thomas Paine
started veering off into proto-socialism in the latter half of his
Rights of Man. Of course, that is the half tho socialists like most...
;)

>  
>      SOCIALISM IS BASICALLY INCOMPATIBLE WITH LONG-TERM
> TRANSHUMANISM.

True enough. You will only be free to transform yourself when you are
free to wholly own your mind, your body, and the products of your labor
and thoughts. Until then, luddo-socialism will always have a claim to
regulate your transformation.

On that note, I'd like to make a slight plug here. As you know, my home
state of New Hampshire is the Free State Project's designated Free
State. 20,000 liberty lovers, mostly libertarians, will be moving here
within 3-6 years. Some are already here or on the way here. There are
currently 3 extropians and a few more transhumanists here already, and
a number of extropes and >Hists are FSP members. 

One way we can ensure that transhumanism always has a safe haven
somewhere where we can innovate and transform freely is to designate
such a safe jurisdiction and work within that jurisdiction to enact
laws that expand our liberties with other liberty lovers. Dr Jason
Sorens' logic of focusing on such a state with low population, easy
government access, and pre-existing high liberty quotient works
especially well for us.

It is just my opinion, but it seems to me that picking large
population, high regulation, states like California or Arizona (i.e.
where ExI and Alcor are located) only invites restraints on
transhumanist liberty. I would like to suggest that extropians and
transhumanists in general, who have not already done so, to seriously
consider making The Free State their own Free State. Adopt the same
logic that Jason developed and figure out where transhumanists would be
happiest.

Seven years ago I founded a group called Transhumanists of New
Hampshire, whose motto is "To Live Free and Never Die". It has been
rather quiet given most of us live in other areas of the country, but
I'd be happy to get it back up and functioning. I'm going to be
changing jobs within a few weeks or so to a much more professional
setting in Manchester, which is in the southern part of the state
(getting involved in a business another Free Stater is moving here already).

=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
                                       - Gen. John Stark
"Fascists are objectively pro-pacifist..."
                                       - Mike Lorrey
Do not label me, I am an ism of one...
Sado-Mikeyism: http://mikeysoft.zblogger.com

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