[extropy-chat] Managing risk (was: The Consensus)

[Matus]

> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Robert J. Bradbury

>  But one would have to ask why any intelligent
> transhumanist
> would be doing in areas that potentially pose such high risk factors?
> Living or working in such high risk areas seems to be
counter-productive
> to the idea that one wants to extend ones potential lifespan.
> 

Similarly, shouldn't any intelligent Transhumanist make an effort to
reduce the risks to themselves by others?  You go the first step by
avoiding high risk areas, but all areas have *some* risk, and if, as a
transhumanist, you believe you will be around for a while, the longer
you are around, the more likely that *low* risk area will cause you
harm.  The longer you are around, the more likely *someone* will pull a
gun on you.  

I live in rural CT, and just last week someone held up at gun point the
gas station that is in walking distance from my house, a gas station I
frequent at odd hours of the night.  Last year while driving home I at 4
am on a Tuesday, I came across a police roadblock.  I was the only car,
and four police cars where out, two on either side of the road, the
police were busy swarming about.  Suddenly I realized they all had their
guns drawn, and two other were busy removing shotguns from the trunk of
a cruiser.  A cop motioned to me to turn around and get the hell out of
their.  

What will you be able to do when someone pulls a gun on you?  One could
start by wearing some lightweight body armor, try hiding, or running
away.  But these are all passive forms of defense.  The question of the
continuation of your existence may reside one day solely in the mind of
some thug pointing a gun at you.  The question you must ask yourself is
are you safer to have a gun and be able to protect yourself, or to rely
solely on another party to either get there in time(police) or choose
not to kill you (the thug).  

So why do you think an intelligent transhumanist should move away from
high risk earth quake areas yet not minimize risk by giving themselves
the ability to counter a threat?  How many people are killed by
earthquakes, and how many by homicide?

Regards,

Michael