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Greetings -<br><br>
This is my reply to a journalist who wants to pierce our brains and make
us look like "real" body modifiers. :-) <br><br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><font size=2>Mr. Larratt,<br><br>
It is unfortunate that I am not able to post this response to your
article on the website it was printed. Nonetheless, I will send
this to you and hope that you print it on your site where it accepts
comments. Thank you.<br><br>
It seems that you skipped over any level of finesse in understanding that
my presentation was intentionally shorted to fit the evening's scheduling
(after tech problems during my formerly scheduled time),and in deference
to Stelarc, who graciously invited me to share the stage with him.
<br><br>
However, even if I had the full 1/2 hour to give my talk, I would not
have taken the audience through the metal wires of posthumanity, but
reveled in the level of collaborative thinking and cross-technological
boundaries. Unlike you, I am not overtly impressed by dribbling
three syllable words from the lips, but find much more
"brilliance" in sharing ideas with those whom I value.
This type of "Enigma" intellectual output—aproaching ideas from
varied angles and backgrounds—fom designers is far more honest.
Exploring emotions of designs, however simplex, is often more refreshing
than listening to designers pontificating about their tools.<br><br>
Just as there is a big difference between human and transhuman, there is
a big difference between a transhuman and a posthuman. In the case
of the posthuman, no one knows how it will be actualized. To assume
otherwise would be erroneous. Thus, the best we can do now is to
envision and conceptualize the possible futures and to allow our minds to
wander, outside the restrictive controls of technology, as practiced
today. But we must keep in mind that convictions for body
modifications are more than piercing, tattoos, skin carvings, cosmetic
surgery, which do not make one futuristic. Nor does a cyborg make a
transhuman.<br><br>
It is puzzling that men or women looking at a woman provokes such
resentment in you. Further, the fact that my biological chromosomal
heritage, whether I carry the gene or not, includes large breasts should
not warrant such crude commentary. Further, I have no idea what
"extreme" cosmetic surgery you are referring to, since I
believe the best way to have cosmetic surgery is moderately and over
time. Perhaps you have me confused with the artist Orlan who uses
extreme measures to alter her body, something that I have little interest
in at this point in time. Or perhaps you came to the conference
looking for a gothic freakishness, which is sorely missing from the
transhumanist culture, much to my delight.<br><br>
In 1986, Honda's engineers set out to master the "principles of
walking." Such early robotic mechanics is primitive compared to
current technological leaps in mobility and sensory adaptations.
Just as the early biplane glider designed by the Wright Brothers (1899)
is primitive compared to a Boeing 747 jetliner, which will in turn be
primitive to X-planes (RLVs). The early Asimo is certainly a
primitive but important "step" toward the future of robotics
not because it is weak, but because it is a primal and original
step. It leads the way for later generations of assembled body
parts and much greater advances that will come into play. And such
understanding is not so foolish when one considers the fact that robotics
has made extraordinary advances in skin manipulation, facial expression,
vocalization and mobility in recent years.<br><br>
Perhaps you were not listening when I announced, more than once, that the
engineering (the science and technology) of Primo would be featured and
elaborated on in that evening's Video Fest. Both "Primo's
Technology" on Canadian Cultural TV and the film
"Precipice" which details reasons for the science and
technology of Primo prototypes.<br><br>
What disturbs me about your type of commentary is that it lacks insight
or shared interest with transhumanism. This is not a bad thing, but
the angst that you expressed to all other than Stelarc and Mann is
curious and one would think that perhaps you identify with what Mann
represents, although I would not put Stelarc in the same genre as
Mann. Stelarc is a highly sophisticated artist.<br><br>
Lastly, and this is a side observation: I have often heard comments that
transhumanists should have more fun at conferences rather than portraying
an imbalance of science/technology over culture. Alternatively, if
we have "fun" we are questioned about not being serious enough.
Such protests are far too loud and could be better addressed in
conversation than pointed at unwilling targets.<br><br>
Toward progress!<br><br>
Natasha Vita-More<br><br>
<br><br></font>
<dl>
<dd><font face="Viner Hand ITC" size=4 color="#000080">Natasha
Vita-More</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" color="#0000FF">
<dd><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/" eudora="autourl">http://www.natasha.cc</a><hr>
</font>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times">President, Extropy
Institute
<a href="http://www.extropy.org/" eudora="autourl">http://www.extropy.org</a>
<dd>Founder, Transhumanist Arts & Culture
<a href="http://www.transhumanist.biz/" eudora="autourl">http://www.transhumanist.biz</a></font>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times"><a href="http://www.transhuman.org/" eudora="autourl">http://www.transhuman.org</a>
</font></blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<dd><font face="Viner Hand ITC" size=4 color="#000080">Natasha Vita-More</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" color="#0000FF">
<dd><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/" eudora="autourl">http://www.natasha.cc</a><hr>
</font>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times">President, Extropy Institute <a href="http://www.extropy.org/" eudora="autourl">http://www.extropy.org</a>
<dd>Founder, Transhumanist Arts & Culture <a href="http://www.transhumanist.biz/" eudora="autourl">http://www.transhumanist.biz</a></font>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times"><a href="http://www.transhuman.org/" eudora="autourl">http://www.transhuman.org</a> </font>
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