[extropy-chat] Extropy, Political Viewpoint and the Future of ExI's List

[Brett Paatsch]

I sometimes wonder if things progress more slowly because folks that
have made intellectual contributions in the past are reluctant to make
only lesser contributions in the future. For instance I wonder if Max is
less willing to right speculative stuff that might be wrong because it 
might be used against him. I wonder if he's sort of resting on his laurells
with the Extropian Principles because to write something else might be 
used against him or might work to diminish what he has written. 

This would be a pity if so because it would mean that incremental
improvements and synergies don't get a chance.

If smart people could get in the habit of feeling comfortable about
sayings something like, "yes I did say that then, but I've changed
my mind since", then I think we might see more progress. 

I think not just transhumans but the world is ripe and ready to be 
receptive to new ideas about politics and society. 

I think the thing that transhumanists have done very badly in the past
is appreciate how much politics slows things down. 

I see transhumanists as a group as not being particularly savvy or
knowledgeable about politics (not party politics, but just what happens
when groups of humans interact) or history and this gives me the
strong sense that they will actually be amongst the majority within
democracies that causes a lot of historical mistakes to be repeated. 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Greg Burch 
  To: ExI chat list 
  Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 7:09 AM
  Subject: RE: [extropy-chat] Extropy,Political Viewpoint and the Future of ExI's List


  Oh, how I long to write about this subject!  Somehow, though, I never seem to have the time I KNOW the subject demands and deserves.  But I'm working on it.  It's not that I don't have things to say on the subject, but I have become EXTREMELY cautious about putting half-thought-out ideas into the sphere of discussion.  Among other reasons, for those that are being discussed in the "Futures Past" thread.  But perhaps before too long I will write something here on my political ideas.
    -----Original Message-----
    From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org]On Behalf Of Brett Paatsch
    Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2005 10:46 AM
    To: ExI chat list
    Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] Extropy,Political Viewpoint and the Future of ExI's List


    Natasha wrote:
      Our Vice President, Greg Burch, said recently that ...we need a new
       political viewpoint -- one that far outreaches what we have known in
       the past - on that is more futuristic for a society that will find its place
       in the future and help others along into that future.  
    I'd like to hear more about these thoughts on the need for a new political
    viewpoint.

    I do wonder what sort of futurist society Greg in particular envisages. 

    What will make this future society a society, how would it be envisaged
    to cohere? Will it be global or national?

    Brett Paatsch
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