Nonsingularitarian America and us

From: Diego Navarro (the.electric.me@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Aug 15 2007 - 18:04:53 MDT


http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0207GREETINGS

>From a singularitarian POV, I find two things about Pierce's concept
of Idiot America interesting:

1) Can we even get to the Singularity as the war against reason
advances? Yes, I'm not in America and I know many cultures are less
backwards by now, but between the rise of Islam in Europe and a
possible global recession to result from the dollar crash, does the
Singularity scenario stand in face of short-term dystopia?

2) Idiot America is based on the idea that authority derives from
popularity. Charles Stross develops this concept of "reputation
markets" -- which very much excited me and made me want to live in
this agalmic hyperrational economy -- pushing progress forward, but
according to Pierce, the reputation markets have already failed us.

It's a great read, and I don't feel it's off-topic at all.



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