[extropy-chat] Group Hug

Fri Jun 11 22:16:28 UTC 2004

Mike,

Thank you for your kind note.  I hope you have seen ExI's Vice President
Greg Burch's recent post to the extropy-chat list (which should have been
forwarded to John Grigg to the wta-talk list), as I hope this clarifies
ExI's position (or lack thereof) in any of the current going on in WTA. 
Greg states that ExI does not have any relationship with the internal
affairs of WTA.  ExI has refrained to comment on or participate in any of
the current issues within WTA's framework.  It would be highly
inappropriate for ExI, or any organization, to interfere with the internal
business of another organization.

To respond to your concerns and best wishes, ExI is currently addressing
the past, recent and future issues that have and could occur in our
transhumanist community. 

We are in the process of scheduling a "TransCooperative Colloquium" virtual
meeting for more than a dozen transhumanist organizations.  It is currently
scheduled for June 15th.

The organizations that participate in the TransCoopertive Colloquium will
also chair and moderate the meetings. The chair will rotate for each
meeting, making sure that each organization has the opportunity to chair.
The chairing organization will not, at the same meeting, moderate the
meeting; as the moderator will be from a different organization.  For
example, if Foresight Institute chairs the meeting, WTA will moderate (and
visa versa); or if The Singularity chairs the meeting, Betterhumans will
moderate (visa versa). 

No one organization will "run" the colloquium, as it will be a cooperative
and collaborative effort.

The letter inviting organizations will be delivered early next week.

I think the TransCooperative Colloquium will offer a wonderful opportunity
of transhumanist organizations to meet and greet, show and tell, discuss
and debate, calendar events, and clear the air.

Thank you Mike for your email and I send my best to everyone,

Warmly,

Natasha Vita-More
President, Extropy Institute
Founder, Transhumanist Arts & Culture

http://www.extropy.org
http://www.transhumanist.biz
http://www.natasha.cc

Original Message:
-----------------
From: MIKE TREDER iph1954 at msn.com
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 16:44:45 -0400
To: wta-talk at transhumanism.org, extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
Subject: [extropy-chat] Group Hug

As an original and current WTA Director, and as a member of the Executive 
Advisory Team for the Extropy Institute, I’ve been dismayed and
disheartened 
by the recent unpleasantness between people within the two organizations.
It 
is unnecessary, unseemly, and counterproductive. In a silly fight like
this, 
there are no winners, only losers.

It seems patently obvious to me that we have so much to gain by working 
together and so much to lose by defeating each other – why can’t we keep
our 
eyes on the prize? The tendency of some to be offensive and provocative,
and 
the tendency of others to be defensive and destructive, can only lead to 
ruin for us all.

I can easily find fault on both sides, although I prefer to focus on our 
common and complementary strengths instead of dwelling on what divides us. 
I’ve urged James Hughes and Nick Bostrom to exercise leadership by being 
inclusive and conciliatory; I’ve counseled Harvey Newstrom and Bruce Klein 
to show restraint and to seek compromises that satisfy everyone’s primary 
needs. But my efforts to be a calming influence seem to have had little 
effect.

Still, we must try. Let’s remember that none of us are transhumans yet; we 
are only imperfect humans dreaming of and working toward a better future. 
Our leaders, representatives, and fellow members are subject to flaws and 
failings, as are each of us. But there are no monsters running loose, no
one 
is trying to become a dictator, and those who issue criticism are not crazy 
or evil. We’re just folks (at least until the Singularity).

I appeal to everyone – WTA members, Extropians, transhumanists of all 
stripes – to refocus on our highest priorities. Let’s begin by making 
positive statements about what we must stand for; remember why we came 
together in the first place; stand in a virtual circle, hold cyber hands, 
sing a couple of inspiring songs, have an Internet group hug, and then get 
back to work.

See you in the future!

Mike Treder
Executive Director, Center for Responsible Nanotechnology - 
http://CRNano.org
Director, World Transhumanist Association - http://transhumanism.org
Founder, Incipient Posthuman Website - http://incipientposthuman.com
Executive Advisory Team, Extropy Institute - http://extropy.org
KurzweilAI "Big Thinker" - http://kurzweilai.net/bios/frame.html

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people 
always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can
become 
great." - Mark Twain

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