[extropy-chat] The Immortal Class: Admissions Criteria

[Metavalent Stigmergy]

Hope this is an appropriate branching of this particular thread.

On 5/15/06, spike <spike66 at comcast.net> wrote:
> What bothered me far more was Bill McKibben's talk.  Since I haven't the
> exact quote, I will need to approximate or paraphrase.  McKibben thought we
> need to cut the libertarian notions and acknowledge the propriety of
> subjugating our wildest transhuman ambitions to the greater human community.
> Did I get that about right, summiters?

I don't think that's too far off the mark.  Although I do have to
admit, it's a pretty messy proposition to begin thinking about
guidelines for the Admission Board to the Immortal Class of 2029.

What are the criteria for admittance into the emergent class of
immortals?  Just money?  There are lots of rich idiots out there and I
don't know if conventional market economics -- which have worked GREAT
for the most recent centuries of advancing and distributing Good Stuff
in general -- are the right way to let the market decide in this case.

I'm right with Hal in terms of finding ways to make a profit off of
observed tendencies and I think that *some* kind of market should
decide, but I wonder if the same market that moves everything from eye
bolts to iPods is the right kind of market for the Immortality
Commodity.

Perhaps college and university admissions are an interesting model.
Most are needs-blind, not based (solely) on economics; rather based
upon the aptitudes, interests, and general direction of the applicants
life.  Not every psychology will adaptive to greatly extended life
spans.

Returning to the rich idiot scenario, perhaps idiots an important part
of a diverse, posthuman or extropian society.  In any case, who
defines "idiot"?

What if I'm a relatively harmless, fairly well-read, and happy hermit?
 Do I lose points for lack of face-to-face interaction?  Who do I have
to impress and what norms do I have to comply with?  Is it enough to
contribute the occassional provocative thought, demonstrate authentic
respect and interest in the provocative thoughts of others, and
periodically prompt interesting, original, or compelling discussion?
Or do I need to exhibit the advanced bureaucratic organizational
skills of a PhD, and nothing less?

What are the Guidelines for Admission and who is on the draft commitee
to create them?  Whoever it is, it's probably time to get rockin' ...
that is, if work is not already well underway.

RFC: Guidelines for Admission to the First Posthuman, Potentially
Immortal Extropian Class. Welcome, Class of 2029.