[extropy-chat] Aw Nuts! Bush Wins...

[Hal Finney]

Natasha writes:
> What can our organizations, such as Extropy Institute, do to promote good
> relations between ourselves and others throughout the world?  That is a
> first step.

I think that's a great question.  Of course, ExI is not a major player on
the world stage and can't by itself rehabilitate America's international
image. But just by asking it, we are reminded that we are not our country.
By asking what we can do, as individuals united with common beliefs,
we emphasize that our individual actions must be distinguished from
the collective actions taken in our name by nations and other political
bodies.

Political bodies are not voluntary societies.  The Extropy Institute is.
We choose to join ExI and to affiliate with it and work to advance our
common goals.  If ExI does something we don't like, we can easily leave
the organization and join another one or start our own.

The United States is not like that.  The country is deeply split along
religious and cultural lines.  No matter who won the election, half the
electorate would be deeply disappointed.  But we're stuck with each other.
It's not feasible to split the nation along the lines of the red and
blue states.  And even if it were possible, there would still be many
people who are stuck in a country which is taking actions that they
strongly disagree with.

The direction I would pursue in response to Natasha's question is simply
to emphasize this reality.  We in the United States are not our country.
Neither are Europeans their countries, or their continent.  Likewise with
people in all parts of the world.  We are individuals, with individual
beliefs.  Those beliefs are what should govern our interactions, not
the views which happen to have a numerical majority in the region where
we live.

This is what I would like to see ExI emphasize, that even though
American Extropians are located in a country which is perhaps moving
in the direction of religious conservatism, that doesn't stop us from
still supporting our causes and working to advance our goals.  On the
WTA list this morning, Americans are talking about moving to Canada or
Europe in response to this election.  I think this is at least premature
and at worst makes the mistake of identifying too much with the country
where you live.

You aren't your country.  You aren't responsible for its actions.
Most people have only an infinitisimal influence on its policies.

ExI should continue to work with international transhuman groups and
others with whom we have common cause.  So the country took a further
step to the right. That doesn't change our views or our goals.  We can
continue to work for them, unapologetically and wholeheartedly.

Hal