The Human In-Group Is Expanding

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

Our conceptual in-group is becoming larger to include more and more humans. National bounderies have never been more porous, rates of international adoption and humanitarian aid are high; the social and cognitive benefits of intermingling are undeniable. The Information Age has laid bare the internal inconsistencies of our natural tribalism. One day a lack of empathy for any human will be an aberration, a social problem treated with virtual reality. And Soma.



Peace.On.Earth. Purity.Of.Essence.

[Gronthaing]

^ mostly agree with that. It's harder now to demonize the others in foreign countries with the information the internet gives us. When we can talk to someone on the other side of the planet within minutes. And get their point of view on almost any topic. Or when we can see the effects of war over there. And the part we play in it. And it's true that there is more cooperation between nations. Civilization is advancing. But other things are getting worse. Incredible inequality. 20 americans now have the same wealth as the bottom 170 million for example. The blaming and shaming of the poor for their situation. The rise of populists and far right parties. Etc. Maybe it is that the improvements on one side are also revealing the other problems. Or maybe making them worse.

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

I'd argue the oldest forms of government were probably strongmen and overbearing tribal leaders. If you stretch out the time frame, the expansion of our in-group is even more apparent.

[Gronthaing]

I'd argue the oldest forms of government were probably strongmen and overbearing tribal leaders. If you stretch out the time frame, the expansion of our in-group is even more apparent.

You're right that the tendency is positive. Don't mean to be a downer. But that doesn't mean we will always be able to overcome all obstacles. And move to an utopian society. We may reach a dead end instead. Where we just don't have the capacity or ability to live in a better world. Where for example if you replace the people now in power with someone else that was oppressed, that person will then oppress others the same way. We are biological creatures. And limited after all. But it's also true that the institutions we create have influence that each person doesn't have. And it has been moving us in a positive direction. Though slowly.

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

I'd argue the oldest forms of government were probably strongmen and overbearing tribal leaders. If you stretch out the time frame, the expansion of our in-group is even more apparent.

You're right that the tendency is positive. Don't mean to be a downer. But that doesn't mean we will always be able to overcome all obstacles. And move to an utopian society. We may reach a dead end instead. Where we just don't have the capacity or ability to live in a better world. Where for example if you replace the people now in power with someone else that was oppressed, that person will then oppress others the same way. We are biological creatures. And limited after all. But it's also true that the institutions we create have influence that each person doesn't have. And it has been moving us in a positive direction. Though slowly.

Most of this is beyond the scope of OP, but: No doubt there are inherent limits to biological brains. And there are no guarantees. Keep your chin up, slog on, be kind to people.

[Fatman3001]

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Hi, BMB!!!

"Since the narrower or wider community of the peoples of the earth has developed so far that a violation of rights in one place is felt throughout the world, the idea of a law of world citizenship is no high-flown or exaggerated notion. It is a supplement to the unwritten code of the civil and international law, indispensable for the maintenance of the public human rights and hence also of perpetual peace. One cannot flatter oneself into believing one can approach this peace except under the condition outlined here." - Immanuel Kant, 1795

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

Hi Chubby!!!!!!!

Virtual Reality, The Empathy Machine

I am standing on a street in Syria when the bomb goes off. My ears ring so loud I can hardly hear the screams as I stumble through the smoke. Looking down, there’s a man cradling a crimson-soaked loved one on the curb. Others run for cover. I pull off my virtual reality headset.

“We’re starting to move out of the technical ‘wow’ phase of this and into ‘what does this mean for humanity?’”

Further readings:
Generating empathy through virtual reality
Virtual Reality, Empathy and the Next Journalism

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

The sun has 6 billion years before it runs out of fuel and eats the solar system; but if humans as species are to survive into the deep-future geoengineering will be necessary long before that.

Look to it.

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

I think we would all do well at this point to consider that there's far more time ahead of us than has elapsed until now. Post-humans will likely remember us, if at all, as a quaint, clannish distant cousin.


Dan Richter on Playing the Ape in '2001'

Be more humble!

[Fatman3001]

The sun has 6 billion years before it runs out of fuel and eats the solar system; but if humans as species are to survive into the deep-future geoengineering will be necessary long before that.

Look to it.

We are already geoengineering. We know what we are doing. We know that the planet is getting crappier because of what we are doing. And we do it anyway.

Hmmm... I just got an idea for a post in your Blockstream Appreciation thread.

I guess one obvious question for the short term (getting some fumes going on Mars) would be to find a way of sourcing and transporting sufficient amounts of pacifier gas to Mars.

Hi Chubby!!!!!!!

Virtual Reality, The Empathy Machine

I am standing on a street in Syria when the bomb goes off. My ears ring so loud I can hardly hear the screams as I stumble through the smoke. Looking down, there’s a man cradling a crimson-soaked loved one on the curb. Others run for cover. I pull off my virtual reality headset.

“We’re starting to move out of the technical ‘wow’ phase of this and into ‘what does this mean for humanity?’”

Further readings:
Generating empathy through virtual reality
Virtual Reality, Empathy and the Next Journalism

I can't be bothered to read the links, but wasn't this covered in A Clockwork Orange?

Edit: Or if you're thinking that people will do this voluntarily wouldn't it primarily attract people who already have empathy?

What you need is journalists willing to get dug in and find genuine stories and tell them to the world. The news are getting so bland and "objective" that I'm just waiting for this headline:

"Bullet slowed down by grey matter, owner of grey matter unavailable for comments."

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

The sun has 6 billion years before it runs out of fuel and eats the solar system; but if humans as species are to survive into the deep-future geoengineering will be necessary long before that.

Look to it.

We are already geoengineering. We know what we are doing. We know that the planet is getting crappier because of what we are doing. And we do it anyway.

Hmmm... I just got an idea for a post in your Blockstream Appreciation thread.

I guess one obvious question for the short term (getting some fumes going on Mars) would be to find a way of sourcing and transporting sufficient amounts of pacifier gas to Mars.

I'm conviced one day in the not-too-distant future some rouge billionaire or nation-state will just up and start seeding clouds in an attempt to reverse the effects of global warming. Things will happen that can't unhappen. The sky will be white!!

[Fatman3001]

The sun has 6 billion years before it runs out of fuel and eats the solar system; but if humans as species are to survive into the deep-future geoengineering will be necessary long before that.

Look to it.

We are already geoengineering. We know what we are doing. We know that the planet is getting crappier because of what we are doing. And we do it anyway.

Hmmm... I just got an idea for a post in your Blockstream Appreciation thread.

I guess one obvious question for the short term (getting some fumes going on Mars) would be to find a way of sourcing and transporting sufficient amounts of pacifier gas to Mars.

I'm conviced one day in the not-too-distant future some rouge billionaire or nation-state will just up and start seeding clouds in an attempt to reverse the effects of global warming. Things will happen that can't unhappen. The sky will be white!!

Jeebus, BMB!!! Are you on this "White Power" train as well? What is it with bitcoiners?

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

I can't be bothered to read the links, but wasn't this covered in A Clockwork Orange?

Edit: Or if you're thinking that people will do this voluntarily wouldn't it primarily attract people who already have empathy.

It'll be totally voluntary. We promise.

Please, have a Soma. Try to relax.  

[BADecker]

You kids are such optimists. Look at the things that Graham Hancock and others like him have found. They have found that there was a worldwide civilization thousands of years ago, one that was advanced beyond ours, although not in the same ways, and one that was destroyed almost without memory in some worldwide cataclysm. We are devolving. In another 10,000 years, we will barely be able to walk upright any longer.

 

[Fatman3001]

You kids are such optimists. Look at the things that Graham Hancock and others like him have found. They have found that there was a worldwide civilization thousands of years ago, one that was advanced beyond ours, although not in the same ways, and one that was destroyed almost without memory in some worldwide cataclysm. We are devolving. In another 10,000 years, we will barely be able to walk upright any longer.

 

[BADecker]

You kids are such optimists. Look at the things that Graham Hancock and others like him have found. They have found that there was a worldwide civilization thousands of years ago, one that was advanced beyond ours, although not in the same ways, and one that was destroyed almost without memory in some worldwide cataclysm. We are devolving. In another 10,000 years, we will barely be able to walk upright any longer.

 

See? It's starting already.   

[BlindMayorBitcorn]

LOL. This thread is awesome.

[Fatman3001]

I can't be bothered to read the links, but wasn't this covered in A Clockwork Orange?

Edit: Or if you're thinking that people will do this voluntarily wouldn't it primarily attract people who already have empathy.

It'll be totally voluntary. We promise.

Please, have a Soma. Try to relax.  

That's the look of someone who just realized that all the crap in his face and those metal tentacles resting on his eyeballs are set up by a prop guy.

[Beliathon]

If you stretch out the time frame, the expansion of our in-group is even more apparent.

Fact

[Dick Trump]

I also came up with Bitcorn. Somebody beat me to it, as the URL was taken. Do you have it? I have friends in Europe's breadbasket - including intel folks who are in IT - who are ready to roll. We have an exchange to make the commodity market (organic, otherwise the Chi Merc works fine) and are working on a legal deep web online market like Silk Road for the currency's introduction.