Nowhere Man, please listen, you don't know what you're missing,
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command.
As you consider the radical ideas discussed here and elsewhere, you will adopt an attitude toward them. We all have to choose. "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice" (Neil Peart).
The attitude you adopt toward the mind-boggling concepts that comprise transhumanist thought and activity will determine the course of your personal future.
Where are you on the continuum of choices offered above?
Ignorance
Unless you happened by complete accident to strike the keys that led you to this page, you have already surrendered the option of being ignorant. There are, of course, billions of people in the world who are genuinely ignorant of the incredible changes soon to come, but you are not one of them.
There are also many people who will be exposed at some point to these concepts or to persuasive evidence of what the future holds, but who will choose to ignore the ramifications for themselves and those around them. This is not truly ignorance, but instead passive indifference—a sad and dangerous attitude to take.
Those who remain ignorant in years to come (people, for example, who are illiterate, who live in extreme poverty, or who are mentally handicapped) will nevertheless be affected by exciting events going on around them. Eventually even they will become aware that their lives are improving in remarkable ways, some of them because for the first time they will have acquired the faculty for awareness.
Antipathy
Among the scientists, academics, and political leaders who are aware of the risks and benefits associated with emerging technologies, there are a few who have taken an extreme conservative stance, preferring to forgo the potentially spectacular benefits in order to avoid the very real risks.
Most transhumanists are troubled when persons in positions of power and influence actively oppose continued research in fields such as stem cell therapy, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. It is alarming and sad to consider that millions of people who might be spared or relieved of pain, disease, poverty and hunger could be condemned to continued unnecessary suffering.
To forgo the powerful technologies that genomics and molecular biology are bringing would be as out of character for humanity as it would be to use them without concern for the dangers they pose. We will do neither.
Gregory Stock, Scientist
Given that a technological singularity is probably inevitable and unavoidable, it behooves us to prepare for that event and to pursue methods of influencing the factors that will determine its character. Trying to prevent it altogether seems to me akin to stationing little boys with buckets all along the oceanfront as a means of stopping the tide from coming in. It is not only impossible, but also ludicrous and a dreadful waste of time and energy. Moreover, the very effort of attempting to limit scientific investigation or technological progress can lead to a perilous concentration of governmental power.
To control dangerous technology, you must control all technology.
To control all technology you must control everything.
Jerry Pournelle, Author
In addition to those who are outwardly hostile, there are serious and thoughtful people who are still skeptical about the possibility and/or the desirability of pursuing rapid technological progress. That is to be expected, and it is welcome. Only through a rigorous and forthright critical examination of these ideas will we discover the truth and be ready to act upon it. Transhumanists in general take a pro-technology stance, but insist that our deployment of emerging technologies ought to be done in a judicious and ethical manner.
Can our efforts guarantee a positive outcome for humanity? Of course not. By definition, it is impossible for us to know for certain what our future will be beyond the Singularity. (For that matter, it is impossible for us to know what our future will be without a Singularity. The only thing certain is that there are no guarantees in life.)
If the choice, then, is between fearing the effects of and seeking to prevent technological development, or acknowledging the inexorability of change and using our power to shape it as best we can, I opt for the latter. I choose to face the future with eyes wide open, with all the knowledge I can gather, with strength in abeyance, and with comrades allied to a common goal of goodness for all.
What attitude will you choose?
Indifference
Why would a person who has become aware of these concepts choose to remain uninvolved? Some people, of course, face serious and urgent problems that must take priority in their lives, and this is an understandable choice. For others, however, nothing but apathy can be offered as an explanation. Taking this attitude is both sad and dangerous.
It is sad because there is so much suffering in the world and with even minimal involvement, every person can make a real difference. It is dangerous because grave issues are at stake, and it will take the commitment of many thinking people to steer history in a direction that will benefit humanity to the greatest extent.
Investigation
Are you ready and willing to examine the evidence, to consider the opinions of experts, and to search within yourself to find what you believe? If so, you are encouraged to take your time: do a thorough and critical investigation, follow up on your skepticism, and listen to arguments from all sides. Only then will you know that the conclusion you reach is one that is right for you.
Begin by exploring all the pages on this website. On many pages you will find links that lead to other valuable and informative sites.
A great place to visit is the official website of the World Transhumanist Association.
Another excellent source of relevant information is KurzweilAI.
Read the online magazine Transhumanity.
You will also benefit from exchanging your ideas, your questions, and your concerns with others. One of the best ways to do that is by participating in the discussions taking place online every day at the WTA's "Talk" site.
Participation
Once you become convinced that the ideas you are reading about and hearing about here and in other places are real, and not just science fiction...once you realize that the time frame is not in the far future, but very near...once you accept that your life and the lives of those you love will unquestionably be affected...then it is time to take action.
Become a full voting member of the World Transhumanist Association.
Join one of the local chapters of the World Transhumanist Association. Active groups are springing up in cities around the US and throughout the world. Some of the strongest are in New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Washington DC. At the latest count, there were WTA member organizations in 19 different countries.
Become a member of the Extropy Institute.
Join the Foresight Institute.
Participate in one of the many organizations supporting science and technology, health and education, freedom and democracy, or another issue of interest to you.
An attitude of active participation will give you confidence and strength in facing an uncertain and potentially tumultuous future. It will provide you with resources offering ideas, solutions, and support. Most significantly, it will connect you with like-minded individuals who are committed to helping all of us achieve the greatest destiny that humanity can experience.
The biggest person with the biggest
ideas can be
shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind.
Think big anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
Some people really need help but may attack you if you try to help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
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