[extropy-chat] Luddite Leadership: The New Atlantis

[Samantha Atkins]

On Sunday 09 November 2003 17:53, Adrian Tymes wrote:

>
> If this is the best our enemies - and I use the term
> deliberately, even if the immediate battle is for
> hearts and minds rather than lives - can muster, as it
> seems it may be, we have little to worry about.  (We
> can't slack off, of course, but this is a level of
> opposition we can handle.)


If the battle was only on rational ground with common assumptions of what the 
"good" consists, then I would agree.  Unfortunately that is not the case.  
What this source does is give legitimacy and facts to back up what the 
majority of the people are strongly predisposed to agree with.    We have not 
to date been able to "handle" the opposition even when their arguments are 
blantantly irrational and full of errors as to the facts.    The explicit and 
implicit conclusions also feed those who fight to continue the status quo as 
that is where their relative wealth and power is.   

It would be good to find that which motivates the people at large much more 
strongly than their predispostions are proof against.   I am not at all sure 
it is possible to do so on a large enough scale to dislodge the established 
interests who wish to slow and control innovation.


- s