[extropy-chat] the most modern conception of wizard as transhumanist

[Dirk Bruere]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Reason" <reason at exratio.com>
To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>;
<wta-talk at transhumanism.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 3:32 AM
Subject: [extropy-chat] the most modern conception of wizard as
transhumanist


> Those of you who delight in items of esoteric cultural interest might like
> this one. I was reading a very engaging campaign log from a game of
Dungeons
> and Dragons (D&D):
>
> http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=58227&page=1&pp=25
>
> It's long, and makes we wonder why I can no longer find smart people to
game
> with who are interested in character, story, conversation and whatnot over
> the roll of dice. Full of nice, witty stuff relating to the role of
religion
> and faith, nature of power, character driven conflict, etc, etc, and has a
> strong underpinning of transhumanist ideals in regards to the motivations
> and actions of its mages.
>
> I can't say I've given a lot of thought to transhumanism vis a vis the
very
> modern concept of the fantasy mage that has become widespread in the last
> half decade or so, but it fits very nicely within the rarified limits of
D&D
> canon. In a way, it's very amusing that the pulp culture fantasy mage is
now
> a concept completely informed and based upon D&D, itself initially lifted
> from Vance (who may yet be able to lay claim to being more influential
than
> Tolkien); the most widespread pulp fantasy novels (like Eddings) started
the
> avalanche, and the rocks are now mostly composed of computer
"role-playing"
> (in quotes for a reason) games that individually outsell all of Eddings
> works. The occasional movie too. The tropes and cliches for the modern
> fantasy mage concept are set in stone, but very open to reinterpretation.
>
> (Personally, I think it's a bit of a loss when compared with, say, The
King
> of Elfland's Daughter, or even Greg Stafford's Glorantha, but what do I
> know? I'm outvoted by readers of pulp. In a way, I suppose it's
encouraging
> that human nature is to take the mystical and apply rules to it, come hell
> or high water. You end up with modern theology, corrupt legal systems and
> other horrors, but you also get science, come hell or high water).
>
> So we have the fantasy mage as transhumanist: recursive intelligence
> enhancement, transcending natural limits, life goals akin to vastening,
> creation of intelligent servants, power and responsibility, etc, etc. All
> quite interesting.

Some 20yrs ago friends of mine rans a business doing D&D 'for real' in a
genuine 200 room castle.
It was quite fun.
However, what did puzzle me was the effort that some people put into
developing their character. They literally spend every weekend (and
presumably most of their spare time) memorizing spells, rituals etc

At the time I wondered why when they could be doing it 'really' for real.
Their activity (commitment, time, energy, money, intellect) did not impinge
upon this world (except to swell the coffers of the business).

I'm doing it for real (sigline).
Far longer odds, but the payoff is not imaginary.

Dirk

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