From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!cs.utexas.edu!usc!rpi!bu.edu!dartvax!Jeremiah.Blatz Fri Sep  4 09:41:25 EDT 1992
Article 6739 of comp.ai.philosophy:
Xref: newshub.ccs.yorku.ca comp.ai.philosophy:6739 rec.arts.sf.misc:3007 alt.cyberpunk:1462
Path: newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!cs.utexas.edu!usc!rpi!bu.edu!dartvax!Jeremiah.Blatz
>From: Jeremiah.Blatz@dartmouth.edu (Jeremiah Blatz)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,rec.arts.sf.misc,alt.cyberpunk
Subject: Re: _The Turing Option_
Message-ID: <1992Aug31.035245.4205@dartvax.dartmouth.edu>
Date: 31 Aug 92 03:52:45 GMT
References: <1992Aug26.192343.1144@kbsw1> 
 <1992Aug27.160940.6008@auto-trol.com> 
 <1992Aug28.040259.2038@leela.cs.orst.edu> 
 <1992Aug28.140813.3399@sfn.ORG>  <1992Aug28.151754.16221@inesc.pt>
Sender: news@dartvax.dartmouth.edu (The News Manager)
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Lines: 42

In article <1992Aug28.151754.16221@inesc.pt>
usenet@inesc.pt (USENET News System) writes:

> In article <1992Aug28.040259.2038@leela.cs.orst.edu> mcbeeb@atlantis.CS.ORST.EDU (Brian Mcbee) writes:
> [...]
> >In general, there are more people living in prosperity and freedom than there
> >have ever been throughout human history.
> 
> 	WHAT ??? WHAT !?!!?!?!
> 
> 	I can name some examples of your prosperity and freedom... How about
> Somalia, Ex-Yugoslavia, East-Timor, etc... Or freedom & Prosperity for u
> means that Iraq is not attacking Kuwait ???
> 	Prosperity ??? FREEDOM ?? Don't give me that Bullshit...

Several hundred years ago people were forced to build large forts
around their cities/homes to protect themselves from others with
castles who wanted to kill them and steal their possetions. Around the
previously mentioned fortifications hundreds of people huddles around
in their houses made of mud, straw, and manure. Families needed to have
lots (say, 5 or so) kids in order to continue their bloodline. Hardly
anyone could read. Famine and epidemics were rampent, and no one had
medical care.
This was how the most wealthy cultures lived.

Today, this more describes the least well-off cultures.

I think Mr. Mcbee has a point.

Several hundred years ago, people were watched by almost no one. There
were no databases holding information about who you were. A person
could dissappear without a trace and hardly be noticed. There weren't
enough people do do widespread damage to the ecosystem. There were no
nuclear weapons. there were few chemical weapons. There were no long
range weapons of any kind.

I think Mr./Ms. USENET News System :-) has a point as well.

"Can we just get along?"
      --A f'ed up Rodney King

Jeremiah


