[ExI] reconsidering the Orion's Arm timeline...

[samantha]

Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
> 2009/1/7 Keith Henson <hkhenson at rogers.com>:
> 
>> This is my attempt on humans being seduced into cyberspace in a short story.
>>
>> http://www.terasemjournals.org/GN0202/henson.html
> 
> Is "seduced" a good word? Sometimes I talk to people the possibility
> of a human future in cyberspace and they are horrified. I counter that
> no-one will be forced but instead they will undergo the change
> voluntarily, because once they understand it or experience it they
> will see its advantages. Comes the reply: "So people won't be forced,
> they'll be seduced! That's just as bad!"
> 
> 

Wow.  Such a victim mentality some people have.  You offer them 
unlimited life span and they are the victim of your "seduction" if they 
say yes.

They will be "seduced" about the same way most people were seduced to 
finally buy one of those computer thingies or more universally, to get a 
cell phone.  When the advantages are large enough to overcome objections 
and the price becomes affordable people move.  Rationality demands that 
they move in such circumstances.  It is called "opportunity" and 
"choice".  The day we think those things are bad is the day we pack it 
up as completely incompetent to live, learn, change and grow.

- samantha