The Cultist Advantage -- Plan, Soc

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Dr. Win Wenger responded to one comment in my earlier article Gene Therapy vs. the Genetic Superbaby. I had written "I feel the related problem with mind-enhancing tech could be relieved if the most powerful techniques that are also extremely easy to use are made widely available to the public. That won't prevent the brilliant, the disciplined or the obsessed from magnifying their relative mental advantages, but will allow for a wide-enough distribution of effective resources to prevent that gap from growing too wide, while also giving a gentle and rewarding-enough introduction to general society to encourage many people to explore their minds' potential further."

Dr. Wenger replied, "The temptation has always been with such tools as we have, especially in today's national and world conditions, to form some sort of semi-secretive order and exploit matters from there. I think we have to be as open as possible, as accessible with these tools as possible, (make) it a matter of record every minute so to speak that people who are not yet enjoying the benefits of these tools are that way by their own or someone else's choice and not ours, and that they can in the first minutes of becoming aware of these tools take personal and immediate advantage of them. Anything less than that, tempts fate to say the least."

And so I felt compelled to answer, "I think this policy of openness is definitely the way to go. There is one problem, however -- people often seem to do a better job of exploiting resources for their own personal gain, and sometimes being part of a small, self-interested group, motivates them more effectively. Whether that group is a small business, a research lab, a social clique or some kind of esoteric cabal (conspirators, martial artists, criminals, religious devotees, revolutionaries, mystic practitioners or secretive would-be orders devoted to the long term manipulation or dominance of mankind =) ).

"I think we need to harness that impulse in a positive way, or someone else will tap into it, for good or evil.

"It's rather like nuclear weapons, you see. For over half a century, we've had these weapons, and very few dangerous people have had access to them. And those that did were mainly interested in the status quo. But that situation is changing, and instead of whining about how dangerous things have become, we should be thankful that it's taken this long for the bad guys to get ahold of what is, after all, 1940s technology.

"Are we still going to be sitting on our duffs when bad folks realize they can self-train to become de facto superhumans? Not necessarily just terrorists, but ruthless corporate leaders, unscrupulous politicians, relentless generals, secret police, incautious scientists and inventors and so on and so forth? There are plenty of "honest jobs" that could be dangerous in the hands of someone with limited morals or restraint who could draw upon limitless intelligence (and possibly money, talent, people, political power and/or military force). Are you concerned by what these kinds of people could do if there were no one there to stop them? Then it's probably time to act. Unlike nuclear proliferation, we are unlikely to get such a lengthy "breather", if only because there are folks already working hard on human enhancement methods like nootropics and genetic modification. The "supermen" are coming. It's only a question of when and on what terms.

"I think we'd better shape those terms for the better."

Another poster commented, "There was a guy named Silva, who gave his carefully researched system of mind control/mental discipline to the US government (Truman's time I think). Who did nothing. Finally he took it back, put a high price tag on it and sold it to the public. Look how large the organization 'silva mind control method' has become (search on google for evidence))."

And while I could not speak to the historical veracity of this anecdote, I noted, "One point this story brings up is that Silva's organization now generates profits that enable it to attract more users. I think we may need to use this strategy in a distributed fashion -- small clubs, businesses, etc -- each working independently for their own benefit/goals. We sometimes forget that many dedicated, selfless volunteers actually see local benefits to the work they do -- safer or more tolerant communities for their kids, a healthier city environment, cleaner drinking water, fewer street people, etc -- in addition to whatever feelings of personal satisfaction may come from helping others.

"Harnessing people's energies so that improving human beings isn't a mere hobby or indulgence but a vital part of their lives, as a business, profession or development project will magnify the impact of this field. Once again, we come back to the simple fact that almost no one uses the vast riches available for their transformation. Getting people to do so seems to be the most critical overall goal before us. Well, getting people of at least reasonable morals to do so, anyway."

The lesson I draw from observations such as these is that fanatics, cultists and many other extremists will have an enormous advantage over most casual individual hobbyists, warm and fluffy self-development clubs or online discussion groups. Why? Because crazed fanatics can throw all their energies into a particular method or methods and work at them as if their lives depended on it. While ordinary dabblers tend to get distracted -- walking the dog, going to work, watching American Idol or Survivor... whatever.

Aside from disciplined military and paramilitary forces (which obviously do not always serve just and righteous governments) normal society has very few places where people will work on an arbitrary task with the kind of energy and willpower found in a group of zealots who have just been given an order by their Supreme Leader.

One reason I like to encourage people to employ accelerated learning and creativity enhancing methods in their work and businesses is because self-interested groups (such as a board of directors, or the R&D team at a large corporation) can form their own band of "extremists." Though in this case, motivated by extreme success, as witnessed by their own eyes, not ideology.

Future Imperative