Suffering Abolitionists

[John Clark]

Is suffering an inevitable part of the human condition? Given the rapid increase in genetic engineering and in AI I believe the answer to this question is off practical and not just academic interest. That's why I found an article on Astral Codex Ten to be very interesting, this is a short quotation from it:

"Neurodiversity advocates  insist no neurotype is better than any other. This is, as they say, a postmodernist lie. The best neurotype belongs to a 76 year old Scottish woman named Jo Cameron. The most interesting feature of Cameron’s condition is her total normality. One might worry that a person who couldn’t suffer would be cold and psychopathic, but in fact Cameron was a special education teacher known for her kindness and patience with extremely tough students. One might worry that she might lack the righteous anger necessary to fuel political engagement, but in fact she has strong political opinions (she doesn’t like Boris Johnson) and attends protests. One might worry that she would be unable to relate to regular humans, but she’s been married twice and has two children, who she’s on great terms with. One might worry that she would lack the full range of artistic appreciation, but she reports crying at sad movies just like everyone else."

Pain and the Far Out Initiative

John K Clark    See what's on my new list at  Extropolis

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