[extropy-chat] Maximising Human Potential : Education :

[Adrian Tymes]

Sorry for the late reply...

--- Daniel Matthews <dan at 3-e.net> wrote:
> Thanks for the ideas. The PDA idea is very cool ( I
> was thinking about 
> solidstate MP3 audio books myself at one point) but
> I don't have 
> $250,000,000. 

I doubt it'd cost that much.  Maybe 1% or .1%,
easily raisable.  But, your call what you pursue.

> The materials and production processes MUST be
> low-tech and sustainable so 
> plastics etc. may have to be replaced with things
> you can grow, such as wood.

Anything you can grow, you can burn.  Anything you
can burn, can be usurped for use as fuel.  (Not just
wood.)  But what about thick (and thus hopefully
sturdy) glass from sand poured into molds, with
electric melters powered by manual cranks or
wind/water power?  Sure, it'd require a bit of
metalworking and some magnetic materials to build the
manufacturing units, but this is not beyond the
capabilities of a blacksmith using only simple hand
tools.

> Imagine if you could apply all the annoying "viral"
> like human behaviours, 
> such as pyramid selling, to an altruistic purpose
> and that purpose was to 
> propagate ideas that were readily applicable in the
> third world and resulted 
> in a significant benefit to the intellectual
> development of children.

Many of the viral behaviors come because of a
(frequently falsely) perceived benefit to the
practictioner from the behavior.  E.g., pyramid
selling: they think they'll get a profit (and the ones
at the top of the pyramid often do).  Many of those
who are infected with the meme of furthering their
child's development at their own expense tend to
migrate to industrialized countries where this is more
readily possible.  (Indeed, one might claim that
versions of this meme, whether improving the child or
improving the self, account for the majority of
migrants.)  Unfortunately, this involves removing the
infected one from areas where they would spread the
meme to others who need it...but to stay is to risk
squelching the meme in the one.