On 10/24/06, Russell Wallace <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 10/24/06, Ben Goertzel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Do you think that De Garis's scenario of a massive violent conflict
> between pro and anti Singularity forces is not plausible?
>
When was the last time you saw ten geeks marching in formation, let alone
ten million? Seriously, there's a better chance of massive violent conflict
between likers of chocolate versus strawberry ice cream.
I'm not trying to be cliche, but there's certainly been violent
conflict over technology in the past:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite#History
"The movement began in Nottingham in 1811 and spread rapidly
throughout England in 1811 and 1812. Many wool and cotton mills were
destroyed until the British government harshly suppressed them. The
Luddites met at night on the moors surrounding the industrial towns,
practising drilling and manoeuvres and often enjoyed local support.
The main areas of the disturbances were Nottinghamshire in November
1811, followed by the West Riding of Yorkshire in early 1812 and
Lancashire from March 1812. Battles between Luddites and the military
occurred at Burtons' Mill in Middleton, and at Westhoughton Mill, both
in Lancashire. It was rumoured at the time that agent provocateurs
employed by the magistrates were involved in stirring up the attacks.
Magistrates and food merchants were also objects of death threats and
attacks by the anonymous King Ludd and his supporters. Some
industrialists even had secret chambers constructed in their
buildings, which may have been used as a hiding place.[1]
"Machine breaking" (industrial sabotage) was made a capital crime
(Lord Byron, one of the few prominent defenders of the Luddites,
famously spoke out against this legislation), and seventeen men were
executed after an 1813 trial in York. Many others were transported as
prisoners to Australia. At one time, there were more British troops
fighting the Luddites than against Napoleon I on the Iberian
Peninsula. Three Luddites ambushed a mill-owner, Horesfall, in
Crossland Moor, Huddersfield; the Luddites responsible were hanged in
York and shortly afterward old-style 'Luddism' died away."
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