From: Jeff Bone (jbone@jump.net)
Date: Wed Sep 13 2000 - 12:51:22 PDT
> Screw godwin.
Well, it was worth a shot. Hey, I didn't invent that play (mention Nazis, invoke Godwin
in same message) but after some genius put that one on the books a couple of weeks ago,
I'm happy to use it. :-)
>
> If you see humanity as selfunits wrapped in techmortality and I see it
> going the propogateion route weve had for a few years now (with some mods
> to decreas preventable illnesses (yes another debate on definitions
> ensues)) then i think we are basicaly talking about Monster Trucks and
> WWF.
Don't put words in my mouth. Here are some very human things, I think we would both
agree on: backpacking across Southeast Asia. Having beignets at a little cafe off
Bourbon Street. Diving the caves off the cost of Belize. Working for a week on the
Frito-Lay hotline. Doing the Route 66 thing with somebody you love. Peeling the
underwear off somebody you've just fallen hard for, the first time. Dancing 'til you
can't feel your body anymore and they turn on the lights and tell you to go home.
Hiking around in the mountains near Taos. Chatting to 4am with totally insane but
interesting new people on IRC. Landing a big-daddy trout with a fly you made yourself.
Filling notebooks with poetry. Writing a book. Reading a book. Seeing your SO's eyes
light up when you surprise them with something, just because. Seeing one of those
movies that really makes you go "huh." Hearing a really cool new band / song for the
first time; you outta know that one, I'm talking about the "vinyl orgasm" effect.
Working hard, putting your time and sweat and blood and money into something you really
love. Winning. Losing. Coping with your parents / grandparents getting older. Making
a new friend. Breaking up. Seeing a sunrise over Austin. Watching the sunset off the
coast of Mexico while sipping margaritas at a little dive in Zihuataneho. Hiking the
pyramids down in Mexico. Staying up all night having one of those "solve the world's
problems" conversations with somebody you've fallen in love with. Falling *out* of
love. Having a baby bat land on you and just, like, hang out while exploring caves in
central Texas. Skiing the fresh powder in Vale. Learning to play the harmonica.
Getting totally wrapped up in a stupid TV show like Survivor, for no good reason at
all. Going through financial hard times. Losing somebody you love to illness.
Breaking up. Posting to FoRK. Being the first human being to stand at the highest
point on Olympus Mons and survey the Martian landscape. (There's more "firsts" like
that available in the future than the sum total of *all* human experience to date.)
The list is for all intents and purposes infinite, even today, even contrained to this
planet and 70 year lifespans.
There's a huge world of "human experience" that doesn't require parenting. The facile
equation of "human" == "interested in breeding" is totally unfair, misguided, and
downright wrong. It's quintessentially judgemental. So is the implied statement "only
irresponsible people choose other experiences over parenting."
It's all a matter of what you want from life. And, btw, I don't think I ever stated
what that was for myself, so please don't go making any assumptions about that.
jb
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