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Let's be honest - people were even more freaked out by the idea of "test tube babies" a few decades ago. Then, when the world didn't end, and they started meeti

by whack 10y ago

Let's be honest - people were even more freaked out by the idea of "test tube babies" a few decades ago. Then, when the world didn't end, and they started meeting people who were actually conceived in-vitro and seemed perfectly normal, they changed their minds. This is exactly the same way "Enhanced Humans" are going to play out as well. The public is going to be freaked out, but some people will do it anyway. Either locally, or in some foreign country. With time, people will realized that these "Enhanced Humans" are their friends, neighbors, co-workers, and perfectly good people, and their barriers will start dropping. And when the time comes when they have the opportunity to enhance their baby's health/intelligence/fitness, they'll think it's plain irresponsible of them not to do so. Unless you're worried about regulatory bans, "public fears" are pretty much meaningless. If you can build it, show that it's safe, and demonstrate compelling benefits, the public will change their minds soon enough.

AndrewKemendo 10y ago
I'm not so optimistic about a positive or even neutral response. I say this as a rabid transhumanist who desperately wants to see BCI and WBE come to reality. My fear is that, an "enhanced" human will significantly outperform it's peers and thus will gain advantage in all aspects of life, that is the point after all. Those advantages will be seen as unearned and thus the "losers" will become jaded and blame the technology - or rather the person's access to it. Someone who was conceived in vitro doesn't pose a threat to it's peers from the perspective of abilities by virtue of being in vitro. Just like you see jealously now for disparities in abilities, I worry it will be magnified once people start upgrading. That's without even getting into the "who can afford to upgrade" part of it.
- whack 10y ago
  I agree. You're going to see a lot of jealousy/envy when this technology is first rolled out. But what are people really going to do? Even if you ban the technology locally, people will just go overseas and get it done. And if you're going to make that an illegal offense and screen for all babies at airport terminals, what about immigration? Is the country really going to ban all immigrants from countries where the procedure is legal? Once the genie is out of the bottle, people will realize they can only fight it for so long. At some point, people will realize that if you can't beat 'em, they might as well join 'em.
  - AndrewKemendo 10y ago
    But what are people really going to do? Target the people enhancing for discrimination. I mean just look at the state of transgender relations now with targeted bans and targeted murders etc... That's not even someone gaining an advantage - it's just latent fear about differences. Imagine instead if a trans-HUMAN is threatening your livelihood. I don't think it's going to be pretty honestly - but in the end I think the upgraders will win.
    - whack 10y ago
      If transhumans are easily identifiable, then I agree. But imagine a GATTACA-like future, where genetically-enhanced humans look just like regular humans - they just happen to be at the 90th percentile in intelligence/fitness. There is very little that people can do in such a scenario.
  - aussieguy123 10y ago
    It will never be possible to stop transhumans competing with normal humans, no matter what laws are passed. A transhuman could start a start-up and make a better product than a team of normal humans. Which product will the customers buy?
- Retra 10y ago
  If a human significantly outperforms their peers, and they've done so simply by spending money, then you can bet everyone else will be jumping on that band wagon so long as they can afford it. That's how almost all technology has played out so far. That's why we all have computers, even though people make snarky comments about people living in their phones; They still have phones regardless.

by whack 10y ago

AndrewKemendo 10y ago

I'm not so optimistic about a positive or even neutral response. I say this as a rabid transhumanist who desperately wants to see BCI and WBE come to reality. My fear is that, an "enhanced" human will significantly outperform it's peers and thus will gain advantage in all aspects of life, that is the point after all. Those advantages will be seen as unearned and thus the "losers" will become jaded and blame the technology - or rather the person's access to it. Someone who was conceived in vitro doesn't pose a threat to it's peers from the perspective of abilities by virtue of being in vitro. Just like you see jealously now for disparities in abilities, I worry it will be magnified once people start upgrading. That's without even getting into the "who can afford to upgrade" part of it.

whack 10y ago
I agree. You're going to see a lot of jealousy/envy when this technology is first rolled out. But what are people really going to do? Even if you ban the technology locally, people will just go overseas and get it done. And if you're going to make that an illegal offense and screen for all babies at airport terminals, what about immigration? Is the country really going to ban all immigrants from countries where the procedure is legal? Once the genie is out of the bottle, people will realize they can only fight it for so long. At some point, people will realize that if you can't beat 'em, they might as well join 'em.
- AndrewKemendo 10y ago
  But what are people really going to do? Target the people enhancing for discrimination. I mean just look at the state of transgender relations now with targeted bans and targeted murders etc... That's not even someone gaining an advantage - it's just latent fear about differences. Imagine instead if a trans-HUMAN is threatening your livelihood. I don't think it's going to be pretty honestly - but in the end I think the upgraders will win.
  - whack 10y ago
    If transhumans are easily identifiable, then I agree. But imagine a GATTACA-like future, where genetically-enhanced humans look just like regular humans - they just happen to be at the 90th percentile in intelligence/fitness. There is very little that people can do in such a scenario.
- aussieguy123 10y ago
  It will never be possible to stop transhumans competing with normal humans, no matter what laws are passed. A transhuman could start a start-up and make a better product than a team of normal humans. Which product will the customers buy?
Retra 10y ago
If a human significantly outperforms their peers, and they've done so simply by spending money, then you can bet everyone else will be jumping on that band wagon so long as they can afford it. That's how almost all technology has played out so far. That's why we all have computers, even though people make snarky comments about people living in their phones; They still have phones regardless.