How Would You Vote?

In English class right now we are discussing the future. More specifically- Transhumanism. If you don’t know what that is I will fill you in. But be prepared because it is one scary thought.

Transhumanists basically believe that through the advancement of technology and science we will manage to become posthumans. Posthumans meaning beings with vastly greater capacities than present human beings have.

How will they be greater you may ask? Well…here comes the creepy part. Basically what it is is a game of Sims. Anyone ever played? What it comes down to is that we all will be robots. What transhumanists want is for humans to download their minds onto a computer disk so that there would be a back up copy of you. And after this you will then be able to change and mold yourself into a newer/better person.

Do you want to be smarter? Have a better memory? Be able to control your metabolic rate? What about better your sense of smell? Or perfect your eyesight? What about a better taste in music, or a better sense of humor? Would you want to have more energy? More will power? Do you want to be less shy, less overweight, taller or even bigger breasted?

Well…now you can!!! Well..not yet technically, but transhumanists basically believe that we will eventually be this advanced in as short as fifty years. What they say is that you would be able to get rid of the habits that you didn’t deliberately choose for yourself in the first place. Also…(wait there’s more) these people believe that along with transforming ourselves we will be able to clone ourselves, repair all cells in a deanimated body, and freeze ourselves so that they will be able to bring the dead back to life or basically extend the average life expectancy of humans to say…oh…about 700 years!!!

It’s crazy!!! There are a group of people who actually believe all this is possible. They say that they can defy human nature and that in a mere fifty years we’ll be able to upload our minds onto computers, turn ourselves into robots, and live forever. Wouldn’t that be sweet!! Can’t wait!! Sign me up!! I mean…don’t you want to be exactly the way you want to be?

Now, to actually have this happen it would have to be a collective decision of the people in the world. (Not to mention a hell of a lot of science/technology research and expiraments..and money) After the decision to go through with this has been made you, you (as an individual) will be able to decide if you want to go through with the process and become a posthuman.

There is one drawback however…minor detail really…there is the possibility that with such technologies evolution to the point of oblivion may occur. The risk of the annihilation of Earth’s intelligent life or to permanently limit its potential is a chance.

Hmmm…interesting….but is it all worth it for the distinction of human life? Let’s weigh our options…On one hand I could be taller, skinnier, smarter, healthier, funnier, more outgoing, I wouldn’t be obsessive compulsive and..I’d have bigger breasts. But on the other hand I’d be a 700 year old robot and quite possible extinct. Choices..choices… I’m going to have to go with….NO!! HELL NO!!! I’M HAPPY JUST THE WAY I AM THANK YOU!

This is just too crazy of an idea and if I live to see this idea of posthumanism put through in my lifetime I will probably shoot myself. But enough about my views…how would you vote on the ballot of robotic destruction of the human race?

I will leave you all with a quote from William Grey, a philosopher who attended the Transhumanism Conference. “Overall, I’ve never seen such a collection of highly intelligent people whose views are just barking mad”

Thank you for you time..and please..think sane thoughts. For my sake and for the sake of the whole human race.