[extropy-chat] Youthful characteristics

[Adrian Tymes]

--- BillK <pharos at gmail.com> wrote:
> I know some people claim that they will redesign
> themselves to remain
> young in body and outlook, but you can't design out
> the many years of
> experience which stop you doing the 'daft' things
> that young folk do.

Ah, but you can design back in the outlook that can
lead you to try "daft" things even with said years of
experience.  I can offer some RL examples from my own
life:

A certain research project I'm working on is far
outside the bounds of what's been tried before, and
has certain similarities to widely discredited
experiments.  The stereotypical inventor in my case
might be one who disregards or is ignorant of the many
reasons why something like this couldn't work.
However, I am well aware of the reasons - so I looked
them up and make sure I'm not in conflict with them.
Indeed, my original idea would not have worked, but by
seeing what's failed, I managed to make some changes
such that the current model stands a chance even when
judged by those with experience in the field.  (And
I've asked quite a few of them.)  Of course, no one -
not even myself - is willing to say for sure that it
will work until I can produce a prototype and see if
it does work, so that's what I'm working on now.  If
it works, great; if not, figuring out why and
explaining it should provide a bit more illumination
into the relevant scientific field (quantum physics).

On another, less theoretical project (Web e-commerce),
there was a certain job to be done, and the one who
could do it fastest and best would get the significant
prize.  All-nighters were one possible tactic to speed
up work, though at the cost of quality if it really
went *all* night.  I certainly put in late hours in
moderation.  In the end, I pulled it off, beating all
the competition - and although I'll never know for
sure (having never met my competitors or otherwise had
a reason to discover their approximate ages), I would
not be surprised to find that some of my competitors
were half my age or less.  (Maybe I don't do "daft"
things, but I do make use of tactics that work, even
ones that stereotypical adults leave behind as they
grow older.)

> An immortal civilization will be much quieter, much
> more careful, very
> cautious about changing anything.

Perhaps.  But being immortal, we'll have more time.
Just so long as caution about change doesn't get
confused (as it often does) with refusal to change.
Even when it does, pressure for change will build over
long periods until the confusion is torn away: a
certain change is understood as well as it can be
without doing it, so is one for allowing people to try
it if they want, or against allowing anyone to try it?
(Requiring everyone to try it before a few people test
and the results become known is almost never
acceptable, even for changes that everyone wants
eventually.)