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100 transhumanists demanded immortality researh in the center of Moscow

6 Post author: turchin 24 September 2011 05:43PM

More photos here: http://ru-transhuman.livejournal.com/384043.html

This was first legally approved political action of Russian transhumanists. Symbolically it was near Karl Marx monument which is opposite to the Big theater.

Main slogans:

"Stop aging - it is main goal for the state".

"Live 150 years!"

"Immortality!"

"Right to live!"

"We are against death"

 

The main cognitive bias that played here was that we will be crashed by police. Nothing happened.

Comments (14)

Comment author: JoshuaZ 24 September 2011 06:26:19PM 7 points [-]

I'm not sure I understand the point of this sort of protest. Research is ongoing in medical fields. Lobbying to direct research funding from some areas to others might be helpful but I don't see what a general protest like this does.

Comment author: [deleted] 24 September 2011 06:49:11PM 5 points [-]

Not only that, but to the uninitiated a protest against death looks as bizarre as a protest against the changing of the seasons. If you've never heard of transhumanism before, your reaction to something like this isn't going to be "Yes, let me rally behind this cause!", it's going to be "You're against what?"

Comment author: [deleted] 24 September 2011 07:50:12PM 7 points [-]

"You're against what?"

To be fair it might lead the curious to asking more about what they are about.

Comment author: fubarobfusco 25 September 2011 01:05:49AM *  14 points [-]

"You're against what?"

"Well, you know how some people are activists against cancer, and raise money for cancer research and treatment? And some people are activists against Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's, or HIV/AIDS, or other things that kill people? And other people are against drunk driving or shaking babies or unsafe working conditions or other causes of death? Well, we don't discriminate — we're against all causes of death."

Comment author: [deleted] 24 September 2011 07:50:30PM *  7 points [-]

A good excuse for them too meet and socialize irl.

Comment author: turchin 25 September 2011 08:37:56AM 6 points [-]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHYPf42GHw0&feature=colike Video of meeting with me - I speak about global risks from 4.30

Comment author: Vladimir_Nesov 25 September 2011 08:49:59AM 3 points [-]

OK, this gives a different impression than the photo/description in the post, which suggested a rather more passive event.

Comment author: Yvain 24 September 2011 05:51:28PM *  16 points [-]

Nothing says "We are high-status members of mainstream society and not just a bunch of out-of-touch geeks" like a Segway!

Comment author: pedanterrific 24 September 2011 07:07:39PM 2 points [-]

It's an offroad Segway. Because that makes it so much better.

Comment author: prase 24 September 2011 09:56:56PM 2 points [-]

Taking the photo in front of inscription "proletarians of all countries, unite" was intentional?

Comment author: turchin 25 September 2011 08:33:07AM 6 points [-]

The place of the meeting was suggested by authorities and was not intensional. But many jokes followed. The main point of the meeting was antiaging research - which is clearly underfunded.

Comment author: prase 25 September 2011 02:17:49PM 3 points [-]

Is this the official way to organise meetings in Moscow - you report that you are going to organise a manifestation and police / city council decide where you can have it? Or was it some informal advice, such as "police will likely not harass you if you meet at Teatralnaya ploshchad"?

Comment author: turchin 25 September 2011 06:31:51PM 3 points [-]

It is the official way

Comment author: PhilGoetz 25 September 2011 06:01:13PM *  2 points [-]

Getting broken up by the police would have given them public legitimacy as a practical cause. The police don't break up meetings of crackpots.