[ExI] "Is it time for a transhumanist Olympics?"

Adrian Tymes atymes at gmail.com
Thu Nov 7 18:48:19 UTC 2013


On Nov 6, 2013 10:16 PM, "Rafal Smigrodzki" <rafal.smigrodzki at gmail.com>
wrote:
> I never watch sports, and I find it difficult to relate to those who
> do but it looks like for many paying viewers participation may be
> driven by a need for affiliation, rather than interest in what
> actually is going on. No-holds barred enhanced sport would have to
> cater to this need if it is to attract an audience and advertiser
> support.
>
> My intuition is that it could, as long as the enhancement part was
> narrated as a struggle, similar to training. In this story, the
> sportsman, one of us, through perseverance and skill, with the help of
> trainers, surgeons, pharmacists and genetic engineers, reaches new
> heights of power, and steamrolls the opposition - maybe it could sell.
> But then, my intuition in these human affiliative matters is rather
> tenuous, so YMMV.

I suspect it would be easier to sell if the enhancements were clearly not
part of the athletes.

For instance, I suspect the sci-fi visions of mecha might be more easily
realized as a form of motorized sport and entertainment before seeing much
use on actual battlefields.  This might also be a path to more quickly get
personal-scale enhancements, in powered armor that could (in some cases)
translate to implanted systems, into general public use.
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