[extropy-chat] I don't need an umbrella

[Rafal Smigrodzki]

On 1/16/06, Hughes, James J. <james.hughes at trincoll.edu> wrote:

WTA is an organization that includes extropians along
> with singularitarians, religious transhumanists, independents,
> democratic transhumanists, technoprogressives and so on. So we are an
> umbrella in terms of inclusion.

### As the preceding discussion has abundantly shown, this is not the
case, in at least two meanings. Firstly, "umbrella" implies being on
top or above, if only by reference to the common accessory of that
name, and its usage does imply something more that being ecumenical.
Secondly, WTA is only ecumenical in its charter but not in its daily
practice, since it practices political discrimination among its
members.

I note your choice of analogy, "like mushing together the UN and the
House of Representatives". These are not separate but equal entities
which again gives a glimpse of the true intended meaning of
"umbrella", and explains the basis for WTA's pretense to represent the
transhumanist community as a whole.

I'd rather say that conflating ExI and WTA is like mushing together
the House of Representatives and the Duma.

Rafal