[ExI] Be nice to leftists

[Samantha Atkins]

On May 15, 2014, at 9:48 PM, Rafal Smigrodzki <rafal.smigrodzki at gmail.com> wrote:

> Some time ago I posted here about what my understanding of "leftism" - that it is a current manifestation of the age-old human obsession with status. A leftist is a status-obsessed (i.e. envious) hypocrite, predictably attracted to the hierarchies of government bureaucracy, academia and mainstream journalism.
> 
> Given this unflattering opinion I expressed, one might expect me to inveigh against leftists, to urge their expulsion from the corridors of power in order to build a better world without them. However, as a realist I know that this notion is a mirage: How could normal people, who are not obsessed with status, beat the obsessed ones at their own game? For better or worse (well, mostly for the worse), status-obsessed jerks are here to stay, at least until advanced personality-design tools arrive some time late this century.

Actually I would hope you would advocated abolition of some of those corridors of power.  Government has much too much power over nearly all aspects of our life today.    What is and is not to be sought is not a mirage.  Reality concerning man made institutions (government) is subject to change, right?      This is not a question of status or of beating anyone.  It is a question to be and live our life as we see fit at all.     I really don't see why you are accentuating status here.

> 
> There is interesting research on the role of economic elites (i.e. the upper 10% of income distribution, highly overlapping with high-status leftists) in our so-called democracy:

I don't speak that language.  I am in the upper 10% of US income earners but it doesn't take much at all to be there.  And so what.  It only takes $313K / year income to be in the top 1% of income earners so that would include many a professional and small business owner.   Not exactly a scary elite.  I hover around the 5% mark for what it is worth.    It really is not relevant to any remotely sane person.  

> 
> http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2014/05/exploring_eliti.html
> 
> Turns out that the electoral masses have essentially no impact on government policy. Only elites control the democratic government.

Unless you include PACs and lobbyists this is complete nonsense.  Even the much maligned Koch contributions are 19th down the list of major contributors and then only on the Republican side.    And all of that is not relevant compared to government being given much too much power in first place.  Give government control over nearly all aspects of life and anyone sane with a bit of money and organization will seek to keep that power from running roughshod over them.   Giving government so much power created the problem, NOT the existence of some people with more money than others. 

> 
> This is a lesson: Anybody hoping to influence the government should concentrate his efforts on changing the opinions of elite participants in the game, and can completely disregard outreach to the masses. Of course, retail politicians will woo the public but this is just the expected part of the political theatre. The real decisions will have been made when the candidates are named by parties and paid for by pressure groups or when issues are framed by the media, not when the general public votes.

Dismantle much of the government.  It is far outside its intended bounds.

> 
> Thus, the rational transhumanist should be nice to high-status leftoids and the occasional non-leftoid power-monger. He should gently persuade them rather than denounce them. They are psychologically dependent on their own self-image as do-gooders and you can use it against them by pointing out the destructive effects of their default recipes for improving the world.  Leftists are always on the lookout for yet another "disadvantaged) group to champion (i.e. to use as pawns in the struggle for status), so cast yourself as a victim of oppression, and make them root for you. Cognitive dissonance might make them tune you out but the seed of doubt you planted will shift their daily decisions a bit, maybe make them slightly more hesitant in their convictions. Social change and the law will follow.

What complete nonsense.  I have nothing to gain by making the State more powerful and everything to lose.  Playing the same game as today is a sanction to the overarching power of the State.   The State has no rights and say whatsoever in legitimate transhumanist goals and concerns.  It would be a losing strategy to act as if it does.    They are not do-gooders.  They are power freaks.   Defang them.  Do not feed their egos.  

Don't try to be "smart".  Be honest and do not back down in the face of real oppression - that of the all powerful State.  People have tried to "play it smart" for far too long.  It is how we got to this very dangerous and disgusting state of affairs.  No more.

- samantha

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