[extropy-chat] Humanity 2.0

[Greg Burch]

How to write an article about transhumanism for the mainstream press:

1.  Attend a WTA or ExI meeting.
2.  Make note of how geeky the attendees are, especially that most of them are young, male, lack tans and seem to be socially maladroit.
3.  Mention Eric Drexler and Hans Moravec.
4.  Describe the most advanced ideas you hear at the meeting, with special emphasis on the fact that the speakers don't spend a lot of time explaining how weird the concepts are.  Mention idea futures and Ted Williams as examples of how transhumanists are out of touch with the way most people react to their ideas.
5.  Be sure to note the religious overtones of the Singularity, uploading and cryonics.
6.  Sneer at the Silicon Valley libertarian politics of many in attendance.
7.  Get a quote from a credentialled academic that dismisses the ideas as foolishness.
8.  But end by saying that the transhumanists might be on to something after all and maybe someone ought to pay attention.

GB, http://www.gregburch.net/burchismo.html

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org]On Behalf Of Jose Cordeiro
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2003 9:16 AM
To: extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
Cc: wta-espanol at transhumanism.org; wta-venezuela at yahoogroups.com; fastra at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [extropy-chat] Humanity 2.0


The Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2003 v27 i4 p13(8) 
Humanity 2.0: transhumanists believe that human nature's a phase we'll outgrow, like adolescence. Someday we'll be full-fledged adult posthumans, with physical and intellectual powers of which we can now only dream. But will progress really make perfect? Carl Elliott.