[ExI] H+ Census- why it matters to know if you matter.

[spike]

>... On Behalf Of Eugen Leitl
Subject: Re: [ExI] H+ Census- why it matters to know if you matter.

On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 12:01:03PM +0100, Anders Sandberg wrote:

>>... Ideally we should be able to calculate backwards: given some 
> assumption (for example based on other movements) of how many 
> "lurkers" there are to active people, one could make an estimate based 
> on (say) sales of Humanity+ Magazine.

>...I would estimate that some 0.1% of the general population in a typical
industrial country would qualify to be called tranhumanists. Some particular
locations (say, Bay Area) would run much higher (perhaps as high as 2-3%).

_______________________________________________

Ja, and people self-select to form groups of similar individuals, so it may
skew our estimates.  For instance, when I look at my own world, I realize
why I never get to serve on a jury: the prosecuting attorney asks some key
questions that I always fumble.  I invite you to look at your own world and
contrast it with the real world.  For the sake of this exercise, exclude
relatives, and look at the world you have chosen.

Here's a description of mine:  last night I went to a memorial service for
the wife of a friend from work.  There were perhaps 100 people there.  Even
if I include spouses of colleagues, I would estimate a good 80% of those
present have college degrees, and at least a quarter have advanced degrees.
I don't think anyone there has ever been to jail or has ever been charged
with anything serious.  I look at my regular social contacts.  Nearly all of
them have college degrees, and of those rare ones who do not, it isn't
because they were insufficiently bright or were too poor.  The attorney
figures this out, and I never get to serve on a jury.

Of the people that form my world, transhumanism and general sympathy with H+
notions may run to as much as a third or more.  Support for the concept of
cryonics for instance is broad, even if tepid.  The majority generally
believe in a Star Trek future where humanity eventually solves the biggest
problems.  The question for a H+ census is in identifying who to include and
on what basis.

Regarding Eugen's comment about the Bay Area having a high H+ concentration,
I would have to agree, and that does make this neighborhood a fun place to
live even if it is crazy expensive.  {8^]

spike