[ExI] Social justice and transhumanist

[BillK]

2012/2/20 Giovanni Santostasi wrote:
> Too many transhumanist embrace capitalistic ideals. I think we should be
> associated with social justice and equity. I think these would bring the
> singularity faster than unchecked capitalism and liberalism. Here a nice
> article on how the Scandinavians overcame the 1 % :
>
> http://www.truth-out.org/how-does-1-exploit-america-find-out-1-minute-video/1329436217?q=how-swedes-and-norwegians-broke-power-one-percent/1327942221
>
>


You have to be careful when using words like 'social justice and
equity' when writing to US Exi members.   :)

It immediately makes them think of Mao's legions of people all dressed
in blue overalls, on bicycles, working for minimum wages.

Europeans can see that the 1% are already producing the same effect in
the US, with unemployment, homelessness, people living in cars, 46
million surviving on food stamps, etc. The main difference is that the
US poor wear old Nike t-shirts.

I see social justice more in terms of a safety net. To ensure that
people don't starve and do get medical treatment when needed. If the
poorer people are going to 'get on' then they have to be fit enough to
empower them to better themselves. If you don't then, as your
Norwegian article shows, eventually the numbers of the poor, starving,
unemployed people will become so large that it will lead to a
breakdown in society and a 'reorganisation' of the system.

With 'the end of work' rapidly approaching Western societies, there
will soon have to be a big rethink on how society works.


BillK