Technologists, Mystics 1/2

In this video I discuss Michael Chorost's book, World Wide Mind

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People & Blogs

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• michael
• chorost

[delerium2k]

Where to draw the line? Humans are technology

[thepathlesspath]

@delerium2k Are humans the technology? Technology, as I see it, is closer to an activity. It's something we do. Heidegger broke down this word to its origins in Greece. "Techne" is a technique, almost like an artist's technique. And "poeisis" is a bringing forth. So, technology at least *can* be a bringing forth through technique.

[thepathlesspath]

@delerium2k The danger with our culture's "techne" is that it is an "enflaming," or what we bring forth is a violent act of yielding nature and setting it up according to our worldview/perception. In our case, seeing the world as a "standing reserve" of resources to be gained for profit, empowerment and manipulation.

[thepathlesspath]

@thepathlesspath apologies, "enframing* not enflaming.

[problyout]

@delerium2k or worse individuality 

[delerium2k]

@thepathlesspath humans are in a sense the technology... if the Earth is an entity and its goal is to spread itself around the universe then Humans are the conduit to that end. I agree that our worldview needs to essentially be the worldview of the world versus the non-inclusive worldview of just humans or worse, a particular group of humans

[myndae]

You seem like a nice guy, I hope you are sucessful when you seek employment. Don't forget to consider volunteer work, or community service. Spiritual communities may help, and spiritual seekers may one day become spiritual guides. Do you think EHarmony.com is better than Match.com in terms of connecting people who want to start families?

[delerium2k]

@gerontodon there's not really anything I disagree with you on. Except that barter (at least a modernized form) is the answer. Today we have barter, except it's mediated by centralized institutions (banks) who indirectly control/directly influence human trade through currency. I'm advocating an indirect barter system, ex: John will give you the apples you want if you give Ahmed some of your tomatoes. Instead of direct 1-to-1 trade, its indirect barter mediated by open source tech

[gerontodon]

@gerontodon

Unless we go back to very small scale communities, I personally think we need money. Barter just cannot work for complex infrastructures. Though I think money technically *could* work, it's obvious that the world's in a mess, and we'd all have to be much more awake and vigilant than perhaps ever before.

[gerontodon]

@delerium2k

I've heard it said that abuse and manipulation is inherent to the use of money. I don't know if that's true, but the system is definitely prone to abuse. Since it has worked relatively better in the past, I don't see why it can't be better managed in theory, and would probably need to be tied to the gold standard (which I know is arbitrary, but seems to be fairly universal for some reason).

cont

[gerontodon]

... for one thing, without money, our infrastructure would collapse, and its too large, complex and anomynous for us to maintain it on a goodwill basis. For another, there are too many people willing to help maintain the current paradigm for the benefits that it brings them- eg, politicians, the police, and military. If you're suggesting a new system where each individual decided on how much they owe, I just can't see how that works, if that were possible we just wouldn't need money.