Month: June 2024

U.S. Transhumanist Party Seeking Electors for Tom Ross in Tennessee and Louisiana, Petition Signatures in Tennessee

U.S. Transhumanist Party Seeking Electors for Tom Ross in Tennessee and Louisiana, Petition Signatures in Tennessee

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Our U.S. Transhumanist Party ballot-access effort is well underway, thanks to the efforts of Micah Redding and his hard-working associates of diverse ages. We stand a realistic chance of getting our 2024 Presidential ticket of Tom Ross and Daniel E. Twedt on the ballot in Tennessee if we can get 275 petition signatures and 11 electors. In particular, we still need electors from Congressional Districts 1, 2, 3 (possibly), 7, 8, and 9.

If you reside in Tennessee, or know someone who does, please help with petition circulation, and if you are in a position to be an Elector for Tom Ross (which just involves signing a form), please let us know! Get in contact with Micah Redding and/or our Candidate Aid, Aida Ćemalović.

We are also in need of eight electors in Louisiana, including one elector from each of Louisiana’s six Congressional Districts and two at-large electors. Contact Aida Ćemalović if you wish to become an Elector in Louisiana. Any costs of notarizing the Louisiana affidavits for Electors will be reimbursed by the U.S. Transhumanist Party.

Together we can make history! Once a Transhumanist Party Presidential candidate makes it onto the ballot in even one State, major publicity and media attention will likely follow. Ultimately, this is a campaign to advance the ideas of transhumanism and their impact upon the public discourse. Unlike the myopic politicians of the two-party system, who keep undermining the American people with one blow after another due to their short-sightedness, we are focusing on the long-term growth of the ideas and networks that will inaugurate the next era of our civilization and extricate humanity from its present quagmire.

 

How Online Imagery Puts Transhumanism in a Negative Light

How Online Imagery Puts Transhumanism in a Negative Light

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Daniel C. Elton, Ph.D.

Author’s Note: a version of this article was previously published as “Transhumanism has a visual aesthetics problem” on my Substack. 

If you do a Google search for “transhumanism”, this is what you see:

Three heads pop up. Let’s take a closer look:

They are all pretty similar. All women, which is curious. All have shaven heads — also curious. Finally, all have weird things sticking out of their heads — curiouser and curiouser.

This sort of imagery is likely to trigger a disgust response. Millions of years of evolution have hard-wired us to find bodily mutilation disgusting on some level.

Disgust is often described as a “moral emotion”. Thus, these images instill in people the idea that transhumanism is morally wrong. A possible exception is people who are already accustomed to seeing this imagery.

In the moral foundations framework, disgust is lumped under the “degradation of the sacred”. So, that is another way of looking at this. Most religious traditions treat the human body as sacred and worthy of respect and awe. Young women are generally considered to be pure and beautiful. Here we see them defiled and degraded.

The internet is flooded with imagery like this. Check out Google images:

Many of these images are some combination of creepy, disgusting, or just plain weird.

Most of these images come from news articles about transhumanism. Some of these articles are clearly against transhumanism, while others appear to be neutral or a bit sympathetic. In many cases here, editors and publishers probably realized that grotesque or weird images will catch eyes and result in more clicks.

Strangely, I’ve noticed that even people who are very aligned with transhumanism can fall into using this sort of imagery. For instance, there is a new biography of Zoltan Istvan coming out in July 2024. (Istvan founded the U.S. Transhumanist Party and ran for president in 2016.) Based on his tweets, the author appears to be largely sympathetic to Zoltan’s work. However, the cover makes Zoltan look creepy and nefarious.

The color scheme is designed to cast Zoltan in a negative light. This is the same sort of color scheme is used by advertisers when they show competitor’s products — dark, drab, and dull.

In recent years it’s been noted that fewer and fewer people want to publicly identify as transhumanists, despite the growing popularity of transhumanist ideas. This is partially due to the poor aesthetics creating a “negative halo” around the term. Another factor is the proliferation of conspiracy theories around transhumanism on both the far left and far right — something I plan to discuss in my next post.

Take a look at this new book by Austrian right-wing agitator Stefan Magnet. The title translates to Transhumanism: War Against Humanity.

Again, we see defilement. It’s interesting that the pattern on the face is similar to the iconography on the cover of the new Zoltan biography.

What might good transhumanist aesthetics look like?

Let’s consider a list of transhumanist technologies: genetic engineering, age-reversal biomedicine, nanotechnology, brain-computer interfaces, friendly artificial intelligence, helpful robots, spaceships, space colonies. I can think of ways to visualize these technologies that are aesthetically pleasing, with the exception of friendly AI.

Let’s consider core values more generally. According to transhumanist philosopher Nick Bostrom, the core transhumanist value is “having the opportunity to explore the transhuman and posthuman realms”. This is very hard to illustrate, because, as Bostrom admits, we don’t actually know what the posthuman realm will look like.

From this core value Bostrom derives a long list of derivative values including “caring about wellbeing of all sentience, diversity (many forms), saving lives, peace, international cooperation, pragmatism, engineering, science.” These are easiest to visualize, although they are quite general and not specifically tied to transhumanism.

The art of Robert McCall

The art of Robert McCall (1919-2010) holds a special place in the hearts of many transhumanists and futurists. If I recall correctly, for several years his work “The Prologue and the Promise” was used by the Foresight Institute on the webpage of its “Existential Hope” initiative.

Here are a few other of his works:

“2001 Space Station” by Robert McCall, 1968.

“The Solar-Powered City of Tomorrow” by Robert McCall, 1975.

“Hypersonic Airliner” by Robert McCall, 1996

While not showcasing any transhumanist technologies, this image depicts forward progress.

Other good art I stumbled upon

Much of this is not explicitly transhumanist, but is provided to be food for thought.

“Keeping Away Death” by Julian Hoke Harris

“Keeping Away Old Age” by Julian Hoke Harris, likely created in the 1940s or 1950s.

A famous painting of an O’Neill cylinder space habitat. This image is part of a large series of artworks by Rick Guidice that were commissioned by the NASA Ames Research Center as part of a 1970s study on space habitats. This version has been color corrected.

A toroidal habitat – by Rick Guidice, commissioned by NASA in the mid 1970s.

A large toroidal habitat. Artwork by Don Davis, 1975.

A 1976 painting by Chesley Bonestell, the father of “space art”

By Joshua Mays (@joshuamaysart on Instagram)

Bryan Larsen, 2022

I like what Vitalia did here, borrowing from the solarpunk aesthetic.

Simon Denny, “Blockchain Visionaries”, 2016. This is not transhumanist, but I can picture this style could be used by transhumanists.

Daniel C. Elton, PhD, is the Director of Scholarship for the U.S. Transhumanist Party. Learn more about him here. 
Pros and Cons of the Serum Institute of India’s Success from an African (Nigerian) Perspective: Citing Religious, Cultural, and Political Bias – Article by Victor Urhefe

Pros and Cons of the Serum Institute of India’s Success from an African (Nigerian) Perspective: Citing Religious, Cultural, and Political Bias – Article by Victor Urhefe

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Victor Urhefe


Author’s Note: This article explores the multifaceted implications of the Serum Institute of India’s (SII) success from a Nigerian perspective, emphasizing religious, cultural, and political contexts. It discusses the affordable and accessible vaccines provided by SII, their impact on Nigeria’s public health, and the diverse reactions to vaccination influenced by religious beliefs, cultural practices, and political dynamics. The article also suggests strategies for SII to effectively navigate these complexities, including engaging religious leaders, employing culturally sensitive communication, and collaborating with governmental authorities. It is important to note that this is an opinion piece and the perspectives and recommendations herein are subject to adjustments based on evolving circumstances and further insights.

~ Victor Urhefe, June 14, 2024

Serum Institute of India (SII)

Since its founding by Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla in 1966, the Serum Institute of India (SII) has developed from a small experiment into a major player in the world of vaccine production. With a desire to guarantee that everyone, irrespective of financial situation, has access to life-saving vaccines, SII has remained true to its goal of providing high-quality, reasonably priced vaccines worldwide. The institute has grown to be the biggest vaccine producer in the world in terms of volume, driven by an unrelenting commitment to eradicating infectious illnesses and improving public health. Over the years, SII has manufactured approximately 1.5 billion vaccines annually, covering illnesses including polio, diphtheria, tetanus, Pertussis, Hib, BCG, r-Hepatitis B, Mumps, and measles. This is due to its unwavering pursuit of innovation and excellence. As the top biotechnology business in India, Serum Institute of India produces highly specialised biologicals that can save lives, such as vaccines, using state-of-the-art genetic and cell-based technologies, antisera, and other medical specialties.

One of SII’s greatest achievements is its important role in the COVID-19 epidemic. Collaborating with multinational organizations such as AstraZeneca, the institute manufactured millions of doses of the Covishield vaccine, which played a pivotal role in combating the virus in numerous low- and middle-income nations. The immunization gap in underserved areas has significantly decreased thanks to its effective production and delivery methods. This achievement demonstrates SII’s commitment to public health and embodies a legacy of resiliency, creativity, and unwavering determination to provide vaccines to every region of the globe.

Nigeria

Nigeria, also referred to as the “Giant of Africa,” is a nation rich in diverse political, religious, and cultural traditions. It is the most populated country in Africa and the ninth most populous worldwide, with a population of over 200 million. Nigerians are mainly divided along religious lines between Islam and Christianity, with Muslims being concentrated in the north and Christians in the south. This split in religion has an impact on social interactions, politics, and education, among other areas of life. A small percentage of people also follow indigenous religions, which are a reflection of the deeply ingrained cultural beliefs of the nation. Although there has occasionally been tension and conflict between various religious groups, their interactions have also promoted a special kind of coexistence and mutual impact in day-to-day living.

Nigeria is a linguistic and ethnic collage in terms of culture. There are more than 250 different ethnic groups in the nation, with Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo being the largest. The unique customs, dialects, and cultural practices of each ethnic group enrich Nigeria’s rich cultural legacy. This diversity is reflected in festivals, music, dance, and artwork from different regions, resulting in a vibrant cultural tapestry. The Yoruba, for example, are well known for their talking drums and ornate beadwork; the Hausa, for their leatherwork and horse festivities; and the Igbo, for their elaborate ceremonies and masquerade dances. Despite this diversity, Nigerians have a great sense of pride in their country and identity, which is frequently expressed through national celebrations and shared cultural experiences.

Nigeria is a federal country with 36 states and Abuja as the Federal Capital Territory. In addition to providing representation and governance that take into account the many interests and demands of the nation’s residents, this structure is meant to serve the country’s heterogeneous population. Nigeria has gone through several eras of government, including military dictatorships, colonial control, and the current democratic republic. Major political parties are frequently positioned along ethnic and regional lines, creating a dynamic political scene. Although this alignment occasionally makes things worse, it also makes sure that different groups are heard in the national conversation. Political variety is both a strength and a difficulty because it necessitates ongoing compromise and negotiation to uphold unity and promote growth.

Reaction to Vaccination

Nigeria’s response to vaccinations is as diverse as the country’s political, cultural, and religious environments. Misinformation and historical hostility have given rise to rare scepticism and opposition in the mostly Muslim north. Historical events, like the 2003–2004 polio vaccination boycott, demonstrate how strongly held religious and cultural beliefs can impact public health measures. The boycott was motivated by false worries about sterilisation and Western conspiracies. However, there has been a noticeable shift in opinions thanks to the combined efforts of religious leaders, governmental officials, and international organisations. Religiously sensitive campaigns have been crucial in demonstrating how culturally aware strategies can improve vaccination acceptance and uptake.

Nigeria’s many ethnic groups respond differently to immunisation campaigns, depending on their own cultures. In the South, where Christianity is the dominant religion, vaccination attitudes have typically been more positively influenced by community involvement and education. Yoruba and Igbo communities host lively cultural festivals and social events that serve as powerful forums for dispelling myths about vaccines and raising awareness of them. Politically, localised approaches that tackle particular area issues are made possible by the federal system. But political unpredictability and mistrust of the government can impede immunisation campaigns, therefore, strong cooperation between federal and state agencies is required to guarantee uniform and broad immunisation coverage. This complicated dance of political forces, cultural customs, and religious beliefs emphasises how important it is for Nigerian public health policies to be specific and sophisticated.

My thoughts on SII’s mission concerning Nigeria and what needs to be done. 

Nigeria’s aspirations in healthcare are well aligned with the purpose of the Serum Institute of India, which is to provide high-quality, reasonably priced vaccinations to every part of the world. SII’s approach needs to be both strategic and compassionate in a nation where public opinion and acceptance of health interventions are shaped by religious, cultural, and political factors. The accomplishment of their goal in Nigeria depends on a thorough comprehension of these many variables and the application of customised tactics that honor and involve local populations. What worked in the South may not work in the North.

First, it can be helpful to form connections with powerful religious figures. Through the inclusion of imams, pastors, and other traditional leaders in advocacy campaigns, SII can address issues related to religion and debunk falsehoods about immunizations. By acting as dependable role models, these leaders can persuade their followers to support vaccination. Cultural awareness is also very important. In order to craft engaging stories about vaccinations, SII should work with regional artists and cultural icons. Through storytelling, dance, and song, the advantages of vaccinations can be conveyed in a way that is firmly ingrained in Nigeria’s rich cultural legacy.

Finally, it is critical to engage closely with both the federal and state governments to promote cohesive and uniform messaging while addressing any potential political mistrust. Building strong, transparent cooperation with Nigerian health authorities will help to ensure that vaccines are distributed smoothly and increase public trust. SII may assist Nigeria move confidently towards greater public health and a brighter future by integrating its mission into the fabric of the country’s diverse community.

Sources:

  1. Paden, John N., Religion and Political Culture in Kano. University of California Press, 1973.
  2. Falola, Toyin. The history of Nigeria. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999.
  3. Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart, Heinemann, 1958.
  4. Falola, Toyin, and Heaton, Matthew M., A History of Nigeria, Cambridge University Press, 2008.
  5. Ojo, Emmanuel O., “Federalism and the Search for National Integration in Nigeria.” African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, vol. 4, no. 2, 2009, pp. 38–46.
  6. Diamond, Larry, and Plattner, Marc F.. Democratization in Africa: Progress and Retreat, JHU Press, 2010.
  7. Falola, Toyin, and Heaton, Matthew M., A History of Nigeria. Cambridge University Press, 2008.