[ExI] Free will was: Everett worlds

[spike at rainier66.com]

> On Behalf Of William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat
Subject: Re: [ExI] Free will was: Everett worlds

 

>…OK, I give up.  You are taking this seriously and I am not (exceptions at the end).  The point is not what is affordable, doable, ,or anything else.  It's what people think they are entitled to and do not have now.  A high school teacher I know says that the kids now have an incredible sense of entitlement - Uncle Sam will provide…

 

They have a right to feel entitled to it if they wish.  But at some point they may suddenly realize that Uncle Sam isn’t providing.

 

 

>…One serious example:  the right to say anything they want to anyone they want without consequences…

 

When I encounter that, I point out that it is true: they can say whatever they want without legal consequences from the Federal government.  Your employer may fire your ass, the locals may harass until you leave town, but the Fed will stand down on that.

 

>…Another serious example:  should internet access  be a right?

 

We treat it as one.  I don’t recall having to ask anyone for access to that.  We even give students a free connection (it is limited in speed and scope.)

 

>…It is getting hard to function without it.  It could be another form of welfare.  "provide for the general welfare" - wow.  That can mean just about anything.  bill w

 

Sure can.  I can definitely see giving away internet and food.  Around here we are doing that now: every grocery store checkout machine offers the prole an opportunity to donate to the food bank.  I kick in ten bucks each time.  It isn’t much but evidently it is working: volunteers box it up and hand it out twice a week.

 

I have been involved with the food bank for years because of scouts.  That is one community service that is perfectly safe, there is no one complaining it is taking away jobs, it works great.  Welfare is “eat well.”  Promoting the general welfare is seeing that people eat.  So… OK, give food to the hungry.  Don’t give em money, give em food.  We can afford that, states can run it if they want, counties, cities can run it.  It wouldn’t really compete with those offering minimum wage jobs, it wouldn’t destroy minimum wage earner’s ambition.

 

Internet is a great deal: it doesn’t cost much to give away, and the educational resources available there are unlimited, mind-blowing.  You should wander over to Khan Academy and look that over.  What you and I wouldn’t give to have something like that in our own misspent youth, oh mercy.  With all that, we wouldn’t even really need school, or if so, for nothing more than a great place to scope out the girls.

 

spike

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