[extropy-chat] The Immortal Class: Admissions Criteria

[Samantha Atkins]

On May 16, 2006, at 7:58 AM, giorgio gaviraghi wrote:

> I understand your comments and agree on main issues
> but we are talking of a high irrational component.
> Nobody would have imagined only ten years ago,
> suicidal attacks by moslem extremists to prove a point
> and keep a political pressure on certain countries or
> societies.

On the contrary, such tactics have been used for centuries including  
by some countries highly respected today.

> But such warfare tactic have  become a mainstay of the
> actual way of life and have caused  extreme terrorism
> prevention measures and other factors that have deeply
> affect our everyday life.

No.  We have chosen some extremes that actually make little sense for  
the real risk or its causes.   Much of the "War on Terror" is not in  
the least about terrorism or preventing it.   The actual risk of  
dying from terrorism is quite small.

>

> With the same rationale, an immortality possibility,
> which by technological, economical or other conditions
> will initially have  effect in a limited amount of
> population, will not only create resentment but will
> be the fuel for more serious class revolutions that
> can affect all of us, and the entire society,
> jeopardizing the whole project and creating long term
> negative effects.

Do you actually believe in "class revolution"?  I thought that sort  
of mechanism was exposed as of no real validity long ago.

> And i am not mentioning the immediate ban by such
> religious groups as the Roman Catholic  Church or
> others, which will still hopefully remain in a
> reasonable cultural environment.

Not sure what you are saying there.  A reasonable culture environment  
includes the RCC or immediate bans?

> For that reason immortality, as a possibility, must
> be, since the beginning a democratic choice, not
> limited to any country, group or association.

Huh?  How does this follow?  It will be a choice, when it exists, for  
those who want ti,  can afford it and get to the clinics that offer it.

> The negative impact of a rejection by the majority of
> the excluded population  can cause a long term class
> warfare and have negative consequences for decades, if
> not for centuries.

Not likely.  It will not be divvied up on class lines at all.

> The day that immortaity,  a potential immortality
> possibility, will be available, it must be accessible
> to everybody.

Or to no one if it cannot be made available for everyone?  Is that  
what you are saying?



> That is the most important and essential condition for
> its acceptance.
> --- Anders Sandberg <asa at nada.kth.se> ha scritto:
>

I have no idea what if any of this was said by Anders.  Please clean  
up your post.

- samantha