[ExI] Off topic

[Ben Zaiboc]

Kevin G Haskell <kgh1kgh2 at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Oct. 7, 2012, Ben Zaiboc wrote:
> 
> >>"So, no more talk about robots, space-based solar
> power, uploading,
> M-Brains, space elevators, existential risk, maths, physics,
> biology,
> philosopy, politics, sociology, bees, ants, computing,
> fiction, futurology,
> psychology, religion, logic puzzles, cosmology, and frickin'
> laser beams?"
> 
> OK, gotcha.
> 
> Ben Zauboc<<
> 
> <<It depends.  How directly are you applying
> those subjects to the the
> advancement of cryonics or to the beauty of the
> future?  How esoteric are
> they to what Max and Natasha are most interested in?


Max and Natasha don't define what this group is about.  Their current interests are but a small subset of the total range of topics covered here.  If this group did, by some freak chance, become solely about those two things, I for one would not spend nearly as much time (if any) on it.

That's not to disparage what they do, by any means.  I'm just pointing out that the things they do are far from the only things that are important to extropians/transhumanists.

As someone once said, "let a thousand flowers bloom".  If you think that is a recipe for diluting our efforts, you must also think there is an effective way of forcing people's interests and efforts in a particular direction.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who would vigorously fight efforts to divert, for example, Keith's interest and efforts in space-based solar power into something he has much less interest and expertise in.

While you have every right to champion and participate in cryonics and art, you have no right at all to attempt to prevent others from pursuing their own preferred interests.

Ben Zaiboc