I see absolutely no downside to creating a vast planetary superorganism out of our limited minds, and if that means we a) DOn't destroy the universe and b) Get all kinds of nifty problems solved and sci fi toys? So much the better!
Although, having a groupmind would solve most of our actual problems. The big problem we have is that your problems aren't MY problems, so the fact that YOU starve is irrelevent to me (except on a basic empathy level which isn't enough)
]]>Anyone good ideas where to find (mining/coal/energy) industry insider perspectives on this?
]]>just in case they could indeed kill me (not a given, this could all be total BS), Nah. Given even 30 or 40 years more technology development, humans of 2046/2056 could easily wreck the civilization of/destroy humanity of 2016. And we would need to presume that the tech differential is well in excess of that. We all have our favorite how-to-destroy/damage-humanity scenarios, (presumably) not based on experience. Here's my list FWIW. Probably easiest would be a sequence of targeted bioweapons of some sort, depending on goal. If goal is annihilation, then repeat until done. If the goal is threat removal, maybe reduce population to 10% then introduce a virus that dramatically lowers intelligence at the high end then introduce another to get such mod into the germ line. Technology and advanced economies are also pretty vulnerable if the choice is threat removal. Or maybe just watch and wait for humans to do it to themselves, and be proactive only if they somehow fail to remove themselves as a potential threat or the threat becomes imminent. This requires ubiquitous monitoring. (But is better for alien karma. :-)
Sean Eric Fagan @341: OK. I did ask you'll note.
]]>The problem here that I'm trying to highlight is how easily this could be a scam, and how rapidly people into "game theory" talk themselves into taking the bait. That's one of the huge weaknesses of game theory, especially among dilettantes like most of us: we think it makes us smart, even when it renders us weak to scams that assume we're using game theory.
One thing to think about is that anything that has flown interstellar distances has a tremendously thin and long supply line. They may want us to submit to them, but there's no reason to think, whatever their cultural level, that they can force us.
Another thing I'd point out is that I just spent some time in Sedona, which is a hot spot for dubious alternative healing methods. You always have to ask yourself why people would be lured in by such things. One answer (among many) is that they are being taken advantage of by people who know the weaknesses of things like medicine, and are using promises of superior technology to sucker them.
The same thing could easily be happening here.
]]>Some discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/2grjbn/best_nootropic_for_enhancing_creativity/
Easiest thing would be for you to just try some Piracetam. It's about the safest drug I have ever encountered.
]]>To expand a little...
I want immortality but not at the cost of self.
I have no evidence that a group mind is any more likely to produce happy results than a bunch of individuals. (Show me some evidence and I might, I say Might, be convinced otherwise.
I have no evidence that these aliens are honest and trustworthy. Again show me evidence that they are not con-artists or the equivalent of Scientologist or other types of evangelists and I might be convinced otherwise.
I never agree to major changes to my entire species on a first date.
And they might be testing us but not for the thing we think they are: perhaps they have learned not to allow species gullible enough to sign up access to the really useful stuff.
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