Do Singularitarians feel claustrophobic?

by phil on Thursday Jan 29, 2004 4:47 PM
Singularity

Many say that if there was no death, then their life would have no meaning. There would be no rush and no "import" to their actions, as they could be undone or recuperated later.

Just as those who look at death as a deadline to make stuff happen, us Singularitarians have a different kind of deadline.

I believe in the Singularity, or some point in our future, like within the next 20 years, when technology will ramp up so fast that life will be like the Matrix or some other unimaginable techno-fantasy. After which point, we will live forever, but the ramifications of that will not be the same as if we were to live forever otherwise.

Personally, believing in a Singularity does reduce the meaning of things that I do. By knowing that march of technology is unceasing and inevitable, I don't get excited to become a scientist. I also don't get excited by building "big foundations" for posterity. Like if offered the opportunity to do what Ghandi did to India, I'd say screw it, that's so temporal.

To answer Peter's question, do I feel claustrophobic, then? Quite the opposite, more like I'm in the desert waiting for the party.