Tag: Brent Ellman

U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Miguel Conner – July 16, 2023

U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Miguel Conner – July 16, 2023

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U.S. Transhumanist Party Logo
Miguel Conner
Gennady Stolyarov II
Tom Ross
Brent Ellman
Daniel E. Twedt
David Shumaker
Art Ramon Garcia, Jr.

On Sunday, July 16, 2023, the U.S. Transhumanist Party invited Miguel Conner to discuss transhumanism from a Gnostic perspective and speak with the USTP Officers to compare and contrast how transhumanism is perceived in parts of the Gnostic community with the reality of the transhumanist movement. In doing so, Miguel Conner engaged in dialogue with USTP 2024 U.S. Presidential candidate, Tom Ross, who also has a significant background in Gnostic thought.

Miguel Conner describes himself as “a garage philosopher, hedge theologian, and general madman across the waters.” His life quest is to take his audience from ancient connections to modern meaning. He is the host of Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio, author of four published books, and writer of hundreds of articles in various publications.

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Timestamps

2:13 – Tom Ross’s opening remarks: why interacting with Gnostics is beneficial for fleshing out transhumanism

4:23 – Miguel Conner’s opening remarks

9:32 – Gnosticism through history

12:45 – Lenses of Gnosticism

17:08 – Gnosticism’s inherent rejection of materialism

20:10 – Humanity’s inherent transhumanism through history (but how we might not yet be ready to merge with our machines)

30:16 – The power of the brain’s control over reality

35:20 – The power of technology to help humanity evolve

38:46 – AI tutors (to help humanity evolve)

42:48 – How the concentration of power has been a recurring theme in human history

45:30 – Tom Ross’s case for welcoming AI to society

48:13 – AI as tool, and mind as both seat of power and source of self-deception

56:39 – How those in power use words to stay in power

1:07:03 – Gnostics’ take on reality

1:12:19 – How humanity might turn the corner

1:27:27 – Transhumanist symbols

1:30:15 – The Trickster as benevolent disruptor

1:33:32 – Miguel Conner’s argument for how Gnosticism is an appropriate approach at this moment in humanity’s development

1:37:57 – Ways to improve transhumanism (“Make humans great again.”)

1:41:09 – What Gnostics believe dreams are (if they already think reality is a simulation)

1:46:56 – Minimum governmental necessities

1:49:09 – The power performers are given, and how they could best use it

1:53:16 – Miguel Conner’s closing remarks

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Find out more about Miguel Conner on his YouTube channel.

Visit Miguel Conner’s website.

Join the U.S. Transhumanist Party for free, no matter where you reside.

The Poverty Crisis and a Case for Universal Basic Income – Article by Brent Ellman in TAFFD’s Magazine

The Poverty Crisis and a Case for Universal Basic Income – Article by Brent Ellman in TAFFD’s Magazine

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Brent Ellman

Editor’s Note: U.S. Transhumanist Party member and long-time USTP supporter Brent Ellman has published a piece in TAFFD’s Magazine on Universal Basic Income (UBI). Our friends at TAFFD’s (https://taffds.org/) were nice enough to give us permission to cross-post the article here in full format. Brent is an entrepreneur with a diverse background and currently serves as director of marketing at TAFFD’s. Originally from New York, he has lived in Colorado since 2008. 

~ Dan Elton, Director of Scholarship, United States Transhumanist Party, December 27, 2020

Excerpt: In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced in his State of the Union Address that, “This administration, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America.” How does one fight a war against poverty, though? What exactly does poverty even mean? As of 2019 in the United States, an individual who makes under $12,490 annually is considered to be living in poverty. A family of 3 earning under $21,330 also falls under the category of living in poverty.

In Denver, Colorado, 15.1% of the population lives below the poverty level, according to a recent Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate. That estimate found that 101,000 out of 666,000 people are living below the poverty line. To put this further into perspective, as of July 2020, according to RentJungle.org, the average price to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Denver is $1468 per month. According to RentCafe only 5% of rentals listed in Denver are priced at less than $1000 per month. We’ve been waging America’s unconditional war on poverty for 56 years, and this is how far we’ve come.

How might poverty actually be solved in the United States? Read Brent Ellman’s full article here.