X-Message-Number: 17142
Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2001 12:31:47 -0700
From: Olaf Henny <>
Subject: The World We Aspire to Join
References: <>

In Message #17134 Gary Tripp <>
wrote in part:

QUOTE:
However, I speculate that the unique characteristics and beliefs that
differentiate pre-nanotech individuals would disappear or merge
in post-nanotech individuals.
Once these super beings have developed a basic philosophical perspective
then all of the disagreements on fine detail that separate individual views

would be eliminated as their almost infinite computational capacity will resolve
arguments clearly. Liebniz can be heard to say "gentleman, let us calculate".
Thus there may be as many unique individuals as there are fundamental,
consistent philosophical perspectives up to closure under the operations of
logical inference - perhaps two, three ...  unique individuals (?)
Perhaps, after ruminating for a few seconds all super beings would conclude
that there is only one consistent, general philosophical foundation and
deduce from this that there is only one optimal method of conducting
one's affairs in a given situation. There may be only one unique post-nanotech
individual. Perhaps the truth is one but the ignorant have multiplied it.
UNQUOTE

If I believed this, I would join the "Fanatics Squad" in the
"Deathist League" in the flick of an eye.  In a world full of
Marilyn Monroes, the one Phyllis Diller will be the most
cherished woman.  We need diversity to thrive.  Just look at
Secondary School students.  They are all compressed into
absorbing the essentially same curriculum, with the result, that
only a few excel either scholastically or athletically by the set
norm, with the rest condemned to languish anonymously in the grey
majority.  The kids try desperately to break out of that mould by
the only means they are capable of *at that stage*, by assuming
outrageous hair colours, tattoos, dress and body piercings.

The adult world is quite different.  Pick out at random 100
people in an airport and you will come up with 98 different
occupations (providing you avoid ticket clerks and don't run into
a dentists' convention).  Most of them will tell you, that they
like what they are doing, and that they are good at it.

But back to our future world:  As our capabilities expand, so
will our horizons.  There are about 30 to 50 solar systems for
every person on our planet in our own galaxy alone.  Some to
explore, some with planets to terra form (should be easier than
hitherto thought with nanotech) and others, at least for a long time
to come, only to observe from a distance.  Interstellar travel, even
without worm holes and restricted to the speed of light should be
feasible, due to our longevity, as well as amenable, since with
nanotech the size of the space ship(s) and its capacity to
provide for comfortable lifestyles is only limited by the amount
of available materials in the asteroid belt.

Just as we have now a huge increase of diversity in occupations
and lifestyles as compared to a couple of centuries ago we will
have an exponential growth in such diversity over the next two
centuries.  I can foresee a time, when we will have a greater
number of possible occupations due to grows in divergence and
expanded horizons than we have now people living on earth.  We
will be literally living "worlds apart" and develop a new slate
of cultural and ethnic variances.

Many of us will physically adapt to new environments and our
image of beauty an desirability will divert from the present to a
much greater degree, than it does now from Rubens' concept of
the ideal female form.  So a mass adaptation by "thawed geeks"
to the "ideal form" of Adonis is not going to happen,-
IMOEO anyway.

Best,
Olaf

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