[extropy-chat] Eumemics now eugenics

[rick]

Where did so may of you get the idea that eugenics was anything other
than the careful attention to biological parentage? Eugenics is
selective breeding: dog breeders would be dog eugenicists if they were
only concerned with selecting for objectively progressive (super-dog)
traits. For us, this would mean objectively deciding* if our own mix of
inheritable traits are among the very best available and, if not,
getting ourselves "fixed." If we are deemed (by us, or by ones we trust)
to be prime breeding stock our only eugenic task is to arrange to
combine our gametes with other high grade gametes. There may be many
reasons that any government would tend to f__k this up, but today we
just need one very good one: the current mental qualities of current
governmental leaders fits that bill nicely. So, apart from the most
private of actions, practicing eugenicists of our day have virtually no
opportunities to act in support of what we reason is a good thing. If we
had money to burn I suppose we could produce TV commercials containing
gentle suggestions in a spirit of kindness: "The more you know" :-D 

e.g., "dear friend, are you wicked ugly? And not the sharpest tool in
the shed? Perhaps you should consider forgoing the experience of
procreation -- for the love of God!"  LOL

* by this I clearly mean only that one makes an informed and sincere
attempt at objectivity. 

But seriously; how would I as a below average and defective unit, who
should have known that these traits were inheritable, look my teenage
offspring in the eye and claim that I truly love them and have always
wanted nothing but the best for them? Might they not one day regret not
having had the opportunity to select for themselves different parents?
"gee thanks mom and dad for making me, my life really kinda sucks, and
any fool could have seen the probability of THAT coming -- given the
clearly observable phenotypes of you two." 

Wow, I may have stumbled on what could be the only case of true and pure
altruism per my tight little definition*: when one's only reason for
forgoing procreation is out of concern for one's offspring there is not
much chance of any kind of payback for that "gift". Except that you will
know that you did the right thing. But it is only the net/sum effect
that counts when categorizing an act as having no selfish motives -- the
presumed pain of going childless could certainly out-weigh the "I did
the right thing" consolation. Conclusion: the fantasy of altruism is
made real only when the beneficiary is not. 

* my (possibly rare) interpretation of dictionary entries. 

How many think I need "sick puppy" in my signature/tagline? 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Rick Woolley, Closet nudist*, Certified Scientist Type, Confirmed
Atheist, radical thinker, notorious fuck-up, and self-proclaimed
singular authority on the abysmal depths of human stupidity that only we
few lack. 

* Part time comedian and recovering idealist ... now show me yours :)
http://home.centurytel.net/rickw aperick at centurytel.net