[extropy-chat] Death Toll

[Dan Clemmensen]

Damien Broderick wrote:

> At 08:52 PM 7/10/2005 -0400, Dan wrote:
>
>> Why are we more upset by the loss of lives in London than by the loss 
>> of lives in Iraq?
>
>
> Because we are tribal animals.
>
> If 50 Iraqi scientists were being `executed' by fanatics every day or 
> week, I think we'd* be more angstish.
>
> *those on this list
>
I think you are correct.

If we are Anglophones, we identify with the London dead in the abstract. 
We abstract the Iraqi dead as "them" and the London dead as "us."
But is this valid? Some percentage of the Iraqis dead are Anglophone. 
(Certainly, the US dead US troops.) Some of the London dead are Sunnis, 
even if you exclude the perpetrators.

As Extropians, we should presumably be beyond nationalism and racism. 
Why is a London life more relevant than a Baghdad life?