[ExI] Fermi's Paradoxical Politburo

[Tomasz Rola]

On Fri, 15 Mar 2013, BillK wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 6:23 PM, Eugen Leitl  wrote:
> > Amish show some selective adoption of technology, and of course
> > not everybody returns back into the fold after rumpschpringe,
> > though most do.
> >
> > No population of agents can be uniform, and no policy can
> > be 100% enforced. As such sustained containment is arbitrarily
> > improbable, especially across population of populations with
> > no common point of origin, across deep time.
> >
> 
> The laws of physics are 100% enforced.

As usual, some people think they can ignore physics. Some people thought. 
Some people will think. In other words, physics is not going to limit us, 
until we crash into the wall at full speed.

> Populations reach size limits where various adventures just become too
> expensive for the group to fund. Even feeding the population in some
> cases. Interstellar travel is one of the most expensive projects and
> requires very large group support.

This is even more true in times when all kind of spending is done, just 
not necessarily the right one.

> The way round that objection is to claim that after the Singularity
> nano-Santa will provide unlimited resources to all sizes of
> populations. But the implications........   Everyone from Hells Angels
> to Al-Qaeda has unlimited resources! The Singularity will be a big
> upheaval, perhaps the destruction of humanity if that route is
> followed.

So? The majority is too dumb to resist having every whimsical wish 
fulfilled. First, everybody will have Jaguar or Ferrari. Then, it's 
nowhere to drive them at full speed. After some time, everybody is bored, 
but due to lack of imagination (which is cloned thanks to tv/multimedia), 
their new car will be some cross of SUV and whoremaster's pink cadillac 
with tiger skins inside and chandeliers on the mask.

There is already plenty of bonobo/lemmings among humans, so they will now 
become even happier. And I can bet the most dangerous feat (to them rather 
than to someone else) will be seeking the most potent thrill (now it is 
jumping from a brigde on a long rubber). As of Dadaists, the "plenty" will 
actually destroy (or severely limit) their recruiting base, I believe. And 
I don't suspect them to be quick enough thinkers to use new abilities 
before barriers to this will be set up (like surveillance, "mind reading", 
advanced profiling etc). Hells Angels, likewise, I don't think they are 
examples of intellectual giants - maybe some of them, but not everyone. 
And since they choose to become Angels rather than banksters, I would say, 
not a danger really. Not as big as some who get bailed out. Good for them, 
dumb people forget quickly.

We have computers since 60+ years, and guess what, Dadaists are not too 
good in using them for their goals, or if they are, nobody told me. But I 
have heard of narcobarons using submarines and advanced data processing 
(back when this term was not known by marketing guys), however, nobody 
seems to be thrilled of them, so I guess they must be kind of friends.

> 
> Survival may only be possible by forming some kind of hive-mind and
> ruthlessly incorporating outsiders.

Oh really. I am fascinated. First eliminate alternative ways of thinking 
(done). Then make people too dumb to remember there were alternatives 
(done). And then... yo, people, stand in the row and upload, you too dumb 
to run free. Actually, I agree, kind of. Of course MS and its acolites 
will be given a mission of maintaining the hardware? And they will need a 
government, so... yeah, politicians will supervise the MS. 

How not amazing at all.

In your free time, you may want to read "The stars my destination" by 
Alfred Bester.

> Resistance is futile!  ;)

BillK, do you really want to know what I think? Would you be happy to hear 
from me how humans are retarded - for the rest of eternity? Judging from 
(non)reaction to my emails, majority is not very happy with it, now if you 
take me to this la-la-land with you (without my consent), you will 
actually resign from having "next"/"ignore sender" button. I will do my 
best to be a worst fraking uploaded hive mind. A nightmare should not be 
limited to just one person, this wouldn't have been just.

Some people might also choose to resist the upload or whatever alternative 
will be forced upon them, if not for a win then for mere joy of good 
sporting game. Resistance may be futile, but if this is the only fun and 
right thing to do... For me, becoming part of hive is equivalent to mental 
castration or worse. So I guess resistance would not be such a bad choice. 
I will cease to exist, one way or another - so let's make some fireworks 
and grill. And more fireworks. And million years from now, a hive will 
freeze with terror upon recalling my name. ;)

Regards,
Tomasz Rola

--
** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature.      **
** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home    **
** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened...      **
**                                                                 **
** Tomasz Rola          mailto:tomasz_rola at bigfoot.com             **