Probably the solution to the cluster of emergencies that we’re going through right now.
That was the assessment of Future Surge given by Humanity Unshackled co-host Rusty Burridge.
As this discussion between Rusty and David Wood explains, Future Surge is a new name, a new focus, and a new surge of activity for the movement that was previously known as the Transhumanist Party UK.
Future Surge exists to help us all to “manage the surge of change which is upon us”. We can’t manage that surge just by effort at the individual or even organisational level. We need to manage it at a social and political level.
The conversation covers a lot of ground, including:
- Why the route to a better future necessarily involves improving politics
- Why Future Surge describes itself as “Neither right nor left but up”
- Avoiding being dominated or distracted by present-day political debate; the rise of technology means there are bigger debates coming soon
- How the name “Future Surge” was agreed
- The need to “take back control of technology“
- The need to “take back control of the concept of the Singularity”
- Dangerous ways in which present-day AI systems are being trained
- Options to clarify the meaning of “beneficence” – and why that could be the most important project of the present time
- Learning from the project to create the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – and why that statement needs to be revisited
- The Future Surge worldview
- If we really believed alien superintelligence was coming, how should we prepare?
- Anticipating major risks from genetic manipulation
- Growing a coalition of the willing
- The Vital Syllabus educational initiative – “Education fit for a new future”
- The importance of connecting to communities where there are people who can support and reinforce our better tendencies
- Initiatives to boost the healthy lifespans of dogs – and how this will change human attitudes toward the feasibility of extending human healthspans too
- The case for forging links with many different kinds of partners – so long as these partners avoid closed-mindedness
- A new “enlightenment”, in which many items that we use are lighter than before, containing less material, and requiring fewer resources in their manufacture
- How collective intelligence can help individuals to counter their latent biases and misleading semi-conscious narratives
- Science – good, bad, and vital – and the limits of science
- The UK mayoral election elections in 2024, and the opportunities they provide for Future Surge
- Drawbacks of the First Past The Post electoral system
- Future Surge compared with the Green Party
- The process to become a member or a subscriber of Future Surge
To listen to this episode, click on the audio player at the top of this page.
Alternatively, listen to this episode on Soundcloud, or visit the corresponding Radio Hydrogen page.
To dig more deeply into some of the ideas in this episode, watch this recent Singularity.FM conversation between Nikola Danaylov and David Wood:
Consider also exploring the top-level table of contents of the Vital Syllabus:
For a complete listing of Humanity Unshackled episodes, see the Future Surge Media page.
Credits:
Technology, Legals, and Australian FM Radio Network Liaison: Chris John Doe.
Music: “Far Away 6,” written and performed by Sean Anthony Brennan
Radio Hydrogen Artwork: Eleanor O’Donnell
Thanks also to Bob Evans and all at Tribe FM 91.1 Willunga.
Published on 22nd October 2022.
Future Surge 