[ExI] YES! to Transhumanism

[Eschatoon Magic]

Damien: it is not a bug, it is a feature!

The term "Order"  is, as you say in the last paragraph, a
tongue-in-cheek allusion to medieval epic tales, Templars, Papal
Knights, Illuminati, Masonic Orders, WoW guilds, etc. Of course most
journalists and commentators will make comments exactly like yours. So
what?

We thought of terms like Institute, Society, Association, etc., but
they looked too much pompous and mainstream. I prefer the current
name, transhumanism is meant to be fun.

Don't worry, all Cosmic Engineers love and admire you, and take your
criticism in a constructive spirit.

The Appleyards, McKibbens, Horgans, and the like will of course hate
and criticize us. What else is new? I would be much more concerned if
they did not criticize us. If there is one thing that I have learned
in life, is that trying to appease the enemy is never a good strategy.

G.

On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 11:57 PM, Damien Broderick <thespike at satx.rr.com> wrote:
> At 11:25 PM 1/4/2009 +0100, Stefano wrote:
>
>> Damien Broderick:
>> > Is it only me, or does "Order of Cosmic Engineers" sound like something
>> > 8-10
>> > year old boys would be avid to join by clipping the coupon on the back
>> > of
>> > their Kellogg's packet? (Free plastic raygun with every 20 packet tops!)
>>
>> Yes, this is the idea.
>>
>> And at the same time it is also a deadly serious initiative, to which
>> I am honoured to participate...
>
> I've ruffled the feathers of more than one Cosmic Engineer with my blunt
> question, but it was meant constructively. To my ear and eye, the
> organization's name is so self-defeatingly ridiculous that there'd be no
> point in disguising my reaction. If some are offended--despite my own long
> transhumanist sympathies--brace yourself for the gales of derision from the
> Appleyards, McKibbens, Horgans, and the like.
>
> The worth of the program is irrelevant to this PR point. Nobody laughing
> scornfully at the name is going to get as far as the website.
>
> The inner cognoscenti might see it as a humorous gag aimed at Papal Knights,
> Illuminati, Masonic Orders, WoW guilds, etc, but most journalists and
> commentators will make comments exactly like mine, above (which is the point
> I was making). Remember that sf fans and Trekkies routinely get called
> "anoraks" and worse by mocking journalists.
>
> Damien Broderick
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>



-- 
Eschatoon Magic
http://cosmeng.org/index.php/Eschatoon
aka Giulio Prisco
http://cosmeng.org/index.php/Giulio_Prisco