[ExI] insanity plea

[spike]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Eugen Leitl


On Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 12:49:24PM -0800, spike wrote:

>> >...Keep describing this dystopian future with a positive outlook.  It
> doesn't make it any less dystopian, but it's good to be positive about
it... Mike
> 
>>... Ja.  Irrational exuberance is better than no exuberance at all.


>...Here, irrational exhuberance prevents you from doing the Right Thing and
preventing the worst, leading to stark, unmitigated disaster.
_______________________________________________

Ja, and it was written with a point.  We in the states are currently
debating once again gun rights, after a spate of recent cases where crazies
went and shot up strangers for no apparent reason.  Some have suggested
making most guns illegal, but the constitution doesn't allow that.  Others
have suggested restricting violent video games and movies, but the
constitution doesn't allow that either.  It does allow laws to require
universal registration of firearms at the state level, but this comes at a
price: it takes away privacy from a segment of the population, which carries
new risks.  It takes away privacy from not only gun owners, but from non-gun
owners as well; the criminals can look up and see who owns the stuff they
want to steal and also who is not armed, so they know who they can rape and
kill safely.

After I look at all the choices, I am in a position of reluctantly agreeing
with those who say leave the laws as they are now, hire more armed guards.

I have gone full circle on this at least four times.  Privacy has its value,
openness has its value.  What I hope to do is if our society makes any
changes, we fully understand the many unintended consequences of our
actions, and we are ready to pay the price.

spike