I realize that for many Transhumanists it is about what is right and what the best way forward is. (The majority of most humans mean well, including Transhumanists and virtually anyone else. There are, of course, a small minority that have ill intent, but I do believe that people generally mean well—and that includes the Transhumanist Party and most party members.
As many know, I am a Transhumanist. I strongly believe in using technology to improve humanity, making that technology available to others, and otherwise making our universe a better place. That being said, for a moment let me set aside my humanity and look at this from a coldly logical grounded position—that is, grounded in facts, realism and possibility. My thinking may be full of errors, as humans are known for fallacy and bias… however, I’ll do my best to stay away from that frailty.
First, the conditions in United States politics is not the same as other countries. Third parties have failed to gain any reasonable ground (“reasonable meaning effective change or impact). I’ve been told the Green Party is a great example of what the Transhumanist party can be—however, as far as I can tell they have neither won a majority anywhere in any election, held any major seat, nor affected any major policy change. Nevertheless, while one might argue the Green Movement is a great example, I would counter that it is a great example of corporate American embracing the idea to steal it, twist it and make it their own to improve margins and growth… so it would seem that this argument basically says that the Transhumanist Party endeavors to be an abstract failure with no impact other than making corporations more powerful. This does not strike me as being in line with the philosophy of a Transhumanist…rather, in the United States if you are going to play politics and win you have to follow the rules, which means setting ideals aside, embracing the two-party solution, and playing dirty—or you will not win (excluding revolution and social disorder, which I am against).
Second, the term “Transhuman” and all related words have significant social stigma and many candidates with no experience who are already arguably fringe, thereby making Transhumanism even more fringe by running for president. They don’t have experience, money, or political capital, and are not willing to play the game as they are idealistic. The effect is to make Transhumanists seem like a fringe religious group.
A Transhumanist “Party” is not tenable and overall has a negative impact. Therefore, voting for a Transhumanist candidate without experience of any kind (meaning never having held a political office of any significance) or being edgy is nothing more than hurting Transhumanism as a movement. While everyone means well—and I keep getting tagged and do admit being philosophically a Transhumanist—keep in mind that I’m neither voting for a Transhumanist party member nor supporting the Transhumanist Party, and I would encourage other Transhumanists to do the same.
Help us normalize Transhumanism socially by not doing fringe things and instead attacking the problem more like, for example, say Alcor Life Extension Foundation (cryonics), book writing or other positive contributions. I want to see a “real” grass roots movement—not a political one but a philosophical one.
That is where the idea of Transhumanism has some glimmer of hope in the United States.
August 11, 2019 at 9:44 pm
As an older person who watched and verbally participated in the notion of transhumanism, I would like to share my impressions and thought.
Originally there was debate about transhuman as a new word.
Many thought it too easily connected to transsexual and transgendered.
I think back on the easiest days of the LGBT movement.
I thought saying I’m a gay man from the deepest South was bold.
But some, perhaps many, were offended by my privilege.
August 22, 2019 at 10:45 pm
I agree. But transhumanism may well be a sort of general inspiration for political parties which may define themselves as transhumanist somewhere in their names without compromising the whole movement, just as the Christian Democrats define themselves as Christian without implicating any particular Christian Confession. Of course this could be only possible in Europe, Canada, Australia…, but not as it goes so far in the USA, in this I totally agree with David.
August 22, 2019 at 11:28 pm
so now there is an idea… Transhuman Democrats or Transhuman Republicans… I think in the US it is possible to have someone say run in one of the parties and be a Transhumanist and if they got into say a senate seat or something that would really make ‘transhumanism’ visible… and possibly having a real impact.
August 22, 2019 at 11:34 pm
what I mean to say that would be possible to get a seed of actual party or political organization that isn’t mucking things up for us.. 🙂
September 14, 2019 at 9:24 pm
Will Transhumanism be forever linked with Eugenics? That’s a damning question, but forward the world will go.
September 17, 2019 at 12:57 am
that is sort of a non-question. My article above and my issues with the USTP have nothing todo with Eugenics. the fact that some people confused eugenics with transhumanism. There are not really related topics and therefore irelevant.