[ExI] A Transhumanist Terrorist Manifesto

[Anna Taylor]

Thanks Samantha, I enjoyed the civilized way you
answered the writer.  

I was a little disappointed that the writer tried 
get his point accross in such an aggresive matter. 
I always feel overwhelmed by people that try and push
there ideas on me yet find it fascinating when they 
try and get there points accross using rational 
tone and ideas.
I enjoy reading good debates, I always end up 
learning something as well as I leave the table 
with strong opinions and ideas.  
In my opinion, this Manifesto could have been written 
in a completely different way and maybe I would have
understood what the writer was really getting at.


Just my thoughts.
Anna:)


--- Samantha Atkins <sjatkins at mac.com> wrote:

> kevin.osborne wrote:
> > Not genuinely trying to be dystopic/cataclysic
> here, but:
> >
> > Surely the thought that the
> political/academic/cultural transhumanism
> > of today may one day be adjuncted with a
> military/security wing has
> > been posited previously?
> >
> >   
> Sure.  But not in a way that advocates burning down
> anything and 
> everything perceived as being in the way or opposed
> to transhumanist 
> goals. 
> 
> 
> > And If not, why not? As altruistic and
> peace-loving as we may be, we
> > seem ripe for xenophobic suppression as a
> minority. It may well be
> > that the majority of H+ are pacifists, but do not
> count all of us
> > among your number. None of us like war and
> bloodshed. All of us know
> > that it will mean children dead by the sword. But
> surely a posthuman
> > holocaust is a real and cognizable risk?
> >
> >   
> If you have been around for very long you know that
> a great number of us 
> are not pacifists although we love peace.     Of
> course various violent 
> conflicts are possible, even reasonably likely. 
> This does not mean that 
> it is a good idea to strut around  beating one's
> chest and bellowing a 
> challenge to all who may at all oppose you.   That
> is juvenile and 
> counter-productive. 
> 
> > The defacement of public works and monuments is a
> time-honored
> > tradition of civil disobedience, political unrest
> and revolution.
> > Blowing up a statue - as long as no-one dies -
> doesn't seem beyond the
> > pale to me. It just doesn't. Yes it is a slippery
> slope, but exactly
> > what kind of slope did you think this H+ thing was
> on?
> >
> >   
> Well, if they put up a statue to Jerry Falwell I
> might consider it.  
> Although I wouldn't be attempting a supportive
> action for transhumanism 
> by demolishing such an atrocity.  :-8 But this level
> of action is a far 
> cry from the level of mayhem advocated by the
> "manisfesto". 
> > It seems like some were just hoping to squeak
> through the uplift door
> > without anyone noticing. And if so, why?
> Because one cannot be uplifted if killed in violent
> opposition.  Not 
> fighting when it is possible to avoid a fight while
> remaining true to 
> your values is a sign of wise prudence. 
> 
> 
> >  What the heck does that say
> > about who you are, or who you are going to be? I'd
> rather die now for
> > a cause I'm prepared to stand up for than live on
> as a someone who had
> > to pretend their way into being something more
> than human.
> What do you mean by "pretending"?   Why is standing
> up for the cause 
> only valid seemingly to you if it involves actual
> violence or at least 
> civil disobedience.  I have no trouble with such
> actually in service of 
> a cause.  But to make such the measure of being
> serious or a real 
> transhumanist does not seem justified at this
> juncture.
> >  Is that the
> > humanity you are wanting to preserve? Is that the
> future you are
> > promising? This is your preferred mode of
> operation that finds other
> > methods so distasteful?
> >
> >   
> I think you are getting a bit carried away with your
> argument again. You 
> state assumptions with some emotional prejudice and
> then go on as if 
> your assumptions, your rhetoric is fact.
> 
> > I'm sure it would be better for all of us if there
> were no need to
> > fight in order to attain our future. I just don't
> think we should bank
> > on it. 
> That I agree with.
> 
> > I think the cultural, academic and political wings
> of
> > transhumanism are its lifeblood, engine room and
> conscience
> > respectively. But I think we are going to need
> more than that. I think
> > in your heart of hearts some of you do also.
> >
> >   
> I agree in principle  but it is not time to raise an
> army and I 
> certainly see no reasons to be engaged in terrorism
> purportedly in 
> support of transhumanist goals.
> 
> > I don't want to stand by while some of out
> greatest minds whither and
> > die of old age. I'm a young man, and can fight for
> their cause. I can
> > breathe with forthright vigor and impetus while
> they count down to the
> > last breath they may take.  I don't think they
> want to go, and yet
> > with our dawdling and bumbling we tacitly accept
> their demise.
> >
> >   
> I do agree that many of us tend to spend too much
> time, precious time 
> this side of radical life extension, in unproductive
> activities to our 
> goals.    I sure know that I do.
> 
> > Fighting for the future doesn't have to mean
> violence. But we should
> > be fighting, yearning, reaching. Transcendence
> should be a blaze of
> > glory upon a pyre of our achievement, not a pained
> and delayed excuse
> > carried over the line only by its own momentum and
> apologized for
> > throughout.
> >
> >   
> Yes!  Well said.
> 
> > Posthumanity and the singularity will be the
> pinnacle of human
> > achievement. We should achieve it in a manner of
> 'arete', not in a
> > manner of conflict avoidance and procrastination.
> >
> > It is -our- future. We should fight for it. We
> should protect those
> > who matter to us from harm. We should resist
> suppression and
> > persecution.
> >
> >   
> I agree we should do everything we can to achieve
> the future we desire.  
> But I don't see how a "Terrorist Manifesto" does any
> good.
> 
> - samantha
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