WORLD TRANSHUMANIST
SOCIETY
FREEDOM
AND PROGRESS THROUGH REASON, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
WTS
“Nothing is ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
at last…
the natural home for
mainstream
transhumanists is here
The World
Transhumanist Society and forthcoming associated magazine, THE TRANSHUMANIST,
offers a new, sensible, pragmatic voice for those who believe in individual
freedom and human progress, and recognize reason, science & technology to
be positive tools for enhancing the human condition.
The
following is a preliminary ‘statement of beliefs and values’. If you find
yourself in broad agreement, please join the WTS, and offer your support,
encouragement, ideas, and assistance for the development of this brand new
outlet for mainstream, moderate transhumanists.
THE WORLD TRANSHUMANIST SOCIETY STANDS FOR
Human evolutionary progress through reason, science &
technology
(We can be better than we are)
The mutual encouragement of personal self-development
(Helping one another be the
best we can be)
Peace on earth and goodwill to all men
(Live and Let Live)
Individual freedom from control by state, media or commerce
(No to ‘Eugenic programs by a
World Government’/ a Big Brother society)
Freedom
Progress
Peace
Positivity
Passion
Reason
Science & Technology
* * *
INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM AND EVOLUTIONARY PROGRESS
HUMAN PROGRESS THROUGH REASON,
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The WTS is
for free-thinking individuals who believe that the human condition may
gradually be improved through reason, science & technology, and look
forward to the future expansion of medicine from the prevention and cure of
disease, to the voluntary enhancement of minds and bodies to ever-higher levels
of survivability and well-being.
EVOLUTION NOT REVOLUTION
The WTS is
for those who believe that such a process should be allowed to take place
naturally, as an evolutionary phenomenon, through the actions of free
individuals in free societies, not through the attempted control over future
minds and bodies by national or international authorities. The WTS opposes the
establishment of universal eugenic enhancement programs by a world government
(the policy of WTA Executive Director James Hughes) as both a naïve fantasy and
a recipe for a ‘Brave New World’.
POSITIVITY
AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
FOR: A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO LIFE
AGAINST: CYNICISM, FATALISM,
NIHILISM, NEGATIVISM
The WTS is
for those who believe in a positive attitude to life, and reject doom-mongering
and cynicism towards ideals and enthusiasm.
FOR: THE MODERN WORLD
AGAINST: WESTERN HAND-WRINGING
The WTS is
for those who believe in celebrating the technowonderland of the Modern World
as the product of reason, creativity, and hard work. Supermarket shelves loaded
with food, the Internet, cell phones, ipods…such things should be celebrated as
Wonders of the Modern World, not derided because everyone on earth has yet to
share them. The WTS is for those who believe that poverty, hunger, and disease
will gradually be alleviated worldwide by the expansion of democracy,
technology, free enterprise, private-public co-operation, and resultant
prosperity. The way to feed the world is not to bash the rich nations, but
to encourage them to expand their success story to the poor. Wearing sack cloth
and ashes won’t feed the hungry. Increasing economic prosperity will.
FOR: EXTENDING
A PASSIONATE LIFE AS FLESH, BLOOD AND NEUROTRANSMITTERS
The WTS is
for those who value passion as much as reason, love this life of flesh, blood
and neurotransmitters, and seek to expand life as much as possible, by
supporting the development of new technologies by which to cure disease, delay
the aging process, enhance the body, and improve the power of the mind.
FOR: THE BELIEF IN PERSONAL
SELF-DEVELOPMENT
The WTS is
for those who reject the idea that a belief in personal self-development is
somehow ‘selfish’ or incompatible with social concern. The ideal society is one
in which free individuals encourage one another to be the best they can be. The
use of future Eugoics (pharma, gene, cell, cyber and nano self-enhancement
technologies) to improve one’s body and mind is no different to joining a gym
or an adult education class. There is absolutely no contradiction between the
belief in self-development, and concern for the disadvantaged.
AGAINST:
SEEKING TO IMPOSE ONE’S OWN BELIEFS ON OTHERS
The WTS
respects those who utterly reject the use of science and technology to enhance
our bodies and minds beyond the level of the human condition. The WTS is for
those who have no desire to coerce others into their own, personal belief in
self-development aided by future enhancement technologies. ‘Live and let live’,
‘Each to their own’, ‘Horses for courses’, ‘You do your thing, I do mine’ –
these are the mottos of the WTS.
The WTS is the natural home for sensible,
moderate Transhumanists who reject extremist politics and bizarre ideas, for
the simple belief in using the human capacity for reason and the continuing
development of science and technology, to help us be the best we can be.
The
four goals of Transhumanism
Eradicate Disease
Postpone Aging
Enhance Mind and Body
Feed the World
The WTS is for those who fully recognize that
such goals will not be attained overnight, but believe in patiently working
towards them, with an attitude of positivity, purpose, and good-will to all
men.
* *
*
The World Transhumanist Society is a brand
new voice for those interested in Transhumanist ideas. A formal website and
magazine will follow soon. So if you’ve never been a member of a Transhumanist
organization before, or just think it’s time for something new - join us.
The WTS is fresh, new, and open to ideas. The
best time to get involved if you want your own views to be heard is NOW!
JOIN THE WTS
Membership is entirely free.
It can be instantly cancelled at any time.
It comes with no obligations whatsoever.
And it entitles you to an advanced, pre-publication
copy of the
forthcoming WTS magazine
THE
TRANSHUMANIST
TO JOIN THE WTS
Simply email “I’d
like to join the WTS” to
membership@worldtranshumanistsociety.com
For more info, or to offer suggestions, comments, help and
support:
info@worldtranshumanistsociety.com
Be part of something new
Be part of the Future
WTS
THANK YOU!
Simon Young
SECTION 2
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CURRENT, POTENTIAL, OR
EX MEMBERS OF THE OTHER
TRANSHUMANIST ORGANIZATIONS: THE WORLD
TRANSHUMANIST ASSOCIATION,
AND THE RECENTLY DISBANDED, EXTROPY INSTITUTE
The
World Transhumanist Society has been established in direct response to two
recent developments:
1/
January 2006 saw a strong, vocal protest by current and ex members of the World
Transhumanist Association (‘the January Renegades’) against the increasingly
authoritarian attempt by Executive Director and Secretary of the WTA, James
Hughes to gain control of the organization as a vehicle for the promotion of
his own, fringe political beliefs. (extropy-chat, from Jan 12 2006)
2/
May 2006 saw the dissolution of the Extropy Institute, the main alternative to
the ‘World Transhumanist Association’, leaving no outlet for moderate,
mainstream supporters of Transhumanism who do not wish to be associated with
the Hughes dominated WTA.
It’s
important for both current and potential members of the WTA to be aware of the
politically extreme, often bizarre, publicly stated beliefs of its Executive
Director, James Hughes:
These
include:
Votes for elephants (Don’t believe it? Read this Hughes quote…)
“'We have the same responsibility to enhance the
intelligence and communication abilities of great apes, and possibly also of
dolphins and elephants, when we have the means to do so. Once they are
sufficiently enhanced, they can make decisions for themselves.” 1
‘Morality chips’ implanted
in the brains of all citizens to ensure good behavior 2
“Class-based social policy”
3
"Global
governance" through "world
law" enforced by an "International Army"
UN “Power to tax nations
and corporations"
State controlled eugenic
enhancement programs
“the US government would subsidize eugenic programs…The
purpose of this book is to argue for precisely such a movement.”
(all
quotes from Cyborg Democracy by James Hughes, except 1/2/3: Cyborg Democracy
blog, May 3, 31, Feb 10, 2005)
Hughes and other members of the
WTA Board of directors were recently castigated for supporting a Russian member
who openly praised the policies of totalitarian mass murderer, Stalin.
(extropy-chat,
from Jan 12 2006)
“His prescription of "democratic
transhumanism" in which a future World Government would pay everyone on
the planet to genetically redesign themselves and their progeny to assure equal
access to posthumanity seems utterly
ludicrous.”
For more on the political control of the WTA
Board of Directors by James Hughes, and to read the shocking truth of exactly
what disgruntled members of the WTA say about his authoritarian, politically
motivated control of the WTS:
info@worldtranshumanistsociety.com
* * *
As the world media becomes ever
more interested in Transhumanism, the extreme beliefs of Dr Hughes will become
public knowledge, and the WTA will increasingly be ridiculed and condemned as a
fringe cult controlled by a political extremist.
The message from the WTS to all
sensible, rational members of the WTA is clear:
‘Get out now, before the boat goes down!’
The WTS offers a haven for
moderate, mainstream supporters of Transhumanism who reject the attempt to seek
power in order to impose extreme, minority political beliefs on the world.
The WTS
is not for those seek to divide themselves from the majority of humanity by
forming a cultish political pressure group, divorced from mainstream society;
rather, it seeks to provide a friendly focal point for ‘ordinary’, sensible
people everywhere who recognize the value in reason, science and technology as
positive tools to enhance the human condition, and simply believe in being the
best they can be, without being told what to think, say, or do, by state,
media, commerce, or political pressure groups.
The WTS is for people who believe
in individual freedom, not control of the world by wanabee Transhumanist
politicians.
The WTS is for those who look
towards the future, not the discredited, failed politics of the past.
If you agree – why not publically
announce you’re leaving the WTA, to become a supporter of the WTS.
After all, if the lunatic fringe are eventually kicked out
of the WTA in a ‘popular democratic uprising’ by its members, you can always
re-join…
And for ex members of the recently disbanded Extropy Institute: Join us! The WTS is the natural home of
moderate, reasonable, sensible, mainstream transhumanists everywhere.
* * *
JOIN THE WORLD TRANSHUMANIST SOCIETY
TO JOIN THE WTS
Simply email
“I’d like to join the WTS” to
membership@worldtranshumanistsociety.com
Be
part of something new
Be part of the Future
Not the Past
WTS
THANK YOU!
Simon
Young
2006
www.designerevolution.net
www.thetranshumanist.blogspot.com