Perhaps more than anything, "longtermism" and its various associated notions (transhumanism, planetary departure/escape, fear of apocalyptic extermination, etc.) are primarily symptoms of the exhaustion of western civilization and it's flawed, dead end mythology. Namely, the notion that all that is and can ever be is based solely on dead, mindless, matter. Predicated on random chance and chaos, all value is provisional and ephemeral; solely the product of isolated flashes of electrochemical events entombed in the skulls of accidental creatures emerged from blind, mechanistic processes with no higher goal or purpose. But those who choose to turn away from the light of higher truth lose all chance for genuine meaning, and thus must turn and face a darkness in which they find themselves haunted and tormented by a howling void of sheer nothingness.
In a rather abrupt turn of events, mass technology and the superficial success of the cult of scientism have now allowed this poisonous disenchanting belief system to spread to billions. We now witness a great deal of witless folly as a pompous, self-absorbed cabal of credentialed academics, politicos and billionaire elites who picture themselves in the righteous vanguard of the The Great Way Forward seize the mantle of wise and enlightened demigods, ever-striving for selfish gain and egoic gratification even as they claim to know what's best for the great unwashed masses whom they actually hold in great disdain.
And yet, driven by deep, fundamental impulses, they fail to see overarching patterns that have not changed very much over time. Attempts will be made to foist practices and policies upon us all that are actually just egregiously misconceived attempts at purification and sacrifice. In doing so, they seek to impose a mass-scale movement that is naught but the continuation of many sad stories that have previously occurred - things such as the Xhosa Cattle Cult, the Native American Ghost Dance, 19th century Millerism - but now to be writ on a scale that is very, very large, indeed.
In the end, I'm optimistic that this soul-sick phase of evolution will pass, but the cost in unnecessary death and suffering may be incalculable before all is said and done. Please fasten your seatbelts.
Longfascism. Perfectly rational, clearly justified, utterly evil. These people would be able to have a very meaningful conversation with Heinrich Himmler.
Ulrich, thank you for this dispatch.
Perhaps more than anything, "longtermism" and its various associated notions (transhumanism, planetary departure/escape, fear of apocalyptic extermination, etc.) are primarily symptoms of the exhaustion of western civilization and it's flawed, dead end mythology. Namely, the notion that all that is and can ever be is based solely on dead, mindless, matter. Predicated on random chance and chaos, all value is provisional and ephemeral; solely the product of isolated flashes of electrochemical events entombed in the skulls of accidental creatures emerged from blind, mechanistic processes with no higher goal or purpose. But those who choose to turn away from the light of higher truth lose all chance for genuine meaning, and thus must turn and face a darkness in which they find themselves haunted and tormented by a howling void of sheer nothingness.
In a rather abrupt turn of events, mass technology and the superficial success of the cult of scientism have now allowed this poisonous disenchanting belief system to spread to billions. We now witness a great deal of witless folly as a pompous, self-absorbed cabal of credentialed academics, politicos and billionaire elites who picture themselves in the righteous vanguard of the The Great Way Forward seize the mantle of wise and enlightened demigods, ever-striving for selfish gain and egoic gratification even as they claim to know what's best for the great unwashed masses whom they actually hold in great disdain.
And yet, driven by deep, fundamental impulses, they fail to see overarching patterns that have not changed very much over time. Attempts will be made to foist practices and policies upon us all that are actually just egregiously misconceived attempts at purification and sacrifice. In doing so, they seek to impose a mass-scale movement that is naught but the continuation of many sad stories that have previously occurred - things such as the Xhosa Cattle Cult, the Native American Ghost Dance, 19th century Millerism - but now to be writ on a scale that is very, very large, indeed.
In the end, I'm optimistic that this soul-sick phase of evolution will pass, but the cost in unnecessary death and suffering may be incalculable before all is said and done. Please fasten your seatbelts.
Longfascism. Perfectly rational, clearly justified, utterly evil. These people would be able to have a very meaningful conversation with Heinrich Himmler.