Comments on Transhuman Goodness: Will becoming a yokel improve your life and save t...

If one looks at OSE as a total belief system, it d...

2009-07-25T01:18:35.752+01:00

If one looks at OSE as a total belief system, it does seem rather delusional. However, the individual technologies decouple easily. One can do the permaculture but not the digital fabrication, or vice versa. One can be on the electric grid, but not the water grid, or vice versa. Try to look at OSE as a toolbox, and take away from it whatever will work for your situation.

The conquest argument I believe that I myself used...

2009-07-06T16:11:22.805+01:00

The conquest argument I believe that I myself used to state that an anarchic society couldn't last, unfortunately the guy I was arguing with seems impervious to reason. I will say that self-sufficient farming communities would probably be recommended for deep space colonies (how far exactly would depend on how fast space travel is). Like O'Neil cylinders with terraformed interiors that could be used for dirt farming or arcologies on Mars with vertical hydroponics farms.

I mostly get bothered by the eco-folk pulling the ...

2009-07-05T19:02:29.664+01:00

I mostly get bothered by the eco-folk pulling the wrong way when they actively interfere with development.

However, "Open Source Ecology" looks relatively harmless to me. As does the GW infatuation - though maybe that could get around to causing problems if people get around to actually doing anything.

Using land inefficiently is kind-of self-limiting. As land prices rise, people won't be able to afford to waste what they can buy.

Re: 30 by 30 meters to feed yourself all year roun...

2009-07-05T18:52:03.671+01:00

Re: 30 by 30 meters to feed yourself all year round? I'll believe it when I see it!

That might happen one day. The key would probably be fusion power - eliminating dependence on the sun. Then we can live on top of each other more.

@Tim: because relatively clever people like Edwar...

2009-07-05T18:35:18.114+01:00

@Tim:

because relatively clever people like Edward Miller are wasting their time building tractors instead of worrying about real solutions, such as rationality, intelligence enhancement, philanthropy for risk mitigation, etc.

The story of civilisation is one of increasing cen...

2009-07-05T18:07:01.934+01:00

The story of civilisation is one of increasing centralisation. "Open Source Ecology" looks like harmless fun to me, though. So: some people want to live that way. If they can afford it, why not let them?