Grinder Thought - Why We Are Here And What We Do
Hello All,
As you've probably noticed the Grinder community is getting a lot of press. We've already been faced with tough questions. It would not be unreasonable to assume that as our augmentations become more and more functional and extreme that many more people will begin to take notice. The people that I work with have their own ideas about what Grinding is - but we don't want to put words in the mouth of the biohack.me community.
Instead of a manifesto in the style of the old school transhumanist movements I will take the posts in this thread and frame it. It seems like the most fair and democratic way of doing things. If you don't want your name mentioned in the final documents you can just send me a PM and let me know, or just mention it before you make your post.
Now on to the most important parts. Here is my current conception of a Grinder:
- Open source augmentation and citizen science
- Body autonomy (avoiding carbon copy augmentations)
- Anti-coercion in favor of or against human augmentation (“The means may be likened to a seed, the end to a tree; and there is just the same inviolable connection between the means and the end as there is between the seed and the tree.” Gandhi - Hind Swaraj, (1962), p. 71)
- Working towards preventing a divide transhuman divide by making augmentation inexpensive and accessible to everyone that wants it
- Realistic augmentation today instead of waiting for the future
- Augmentation may not always be safe, but we (must) understand the risks and act accordingly. We must also not be pursuaded to do nothing because there is a risk.
- The future may not be utopian - it's up to us to build it
- "We" believe that once a device is implanted in an individual it is them. Thus, no government or corporation can own a device in someone's body
- We may be freaks, geeks, and outcasts but the scientific method is still vital to the development of functional technology and sound science
What does Grinding mean to you?
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Comments
We don't grind with the purpose of oppressing or exterminating "regular humans". Obviously we aren't even capable of augmentations for this purpose at this time. But I believe it's reasonable to expect fear and even persecution if and when we become more successful and commonly known of.
As an example of the type of thing I think we should avoid: @DirectorX has mentioned eventually becoming weaponized. You know I respect you, Director, and I even think I understand your reasoning for wanting to be "cop proof": expect resistance. It is entirely likely that our augmentations will not be understood and may, as I said, lead to persecution. But the cold-war style preparations you seem to be making, and particularly the fact that you express your desire to be weaponized publicly, are not things I wish to be associated with. I do not dispute your right to augment and express yourself however you choose, or any other grinders rights to do so. I simply ask that you consider your words, and the fact that they may be taken to represent grinders as a whole.
Just my $0.02, and not intended as a personal attack on @DirectorX, although I'm sure it came off that way.