"The more things change, the more they stay the same" is a common interpretation of a French quote by critic Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr. Yet, as events of the past year and a half have demonstrated, sometimes things change so much that underlying assumptions must be questioned.
Western society has always had its share of extremist, fringe activists, who are generally dismissed tolerantly or not by the mainstream culture.
British journalist and tech blogger Jamie Bartlett points out that successful radicals of the past are now heroes who changed both history and culture. For instance, in the United States: "American revolutionaries, the abolitionists, the civil rights activists, the LGBTQ rights groups."
Radicals Chasing Utopia interestingly, if unevenly, chronicles Bartletts experiences embedding himself in various radical groups.
"In streets, halls, fields, chat rooms and even parliaments, more and more people are trying to change the world. And for the last two years, Ive tried to find them."
Bartletts 2014 book The Dark Net, about underground and sketchy sub-cultures in various corners of the internet, included "transhumanism," and thats where Radicals Chasing Utopia begins.
Transhumanists "believe that technology can make us physically, intellectually, even morally better."
Bartlett accompanied other journalists and fellow travellers on Zoltan Istvans quixotic 2016 presidential campaign, in a bus "redesigned to look like a giant coffin."
Some transhumanists believe even mortality can be overcome by scientific advances and obsessively careful living.
Other chapters cover anti-immigration activists in Europe, psychedelic drug experiences, the Italian Five Star Momentum movement, and a commune in Portugal attempting to establish "a healing biotope, a template of how man could live in harmony with himself, his fellow man and his environment."
Bartletts reports on most groups achieve his stated goal of "assessing them as honestly and objectively" as possible, but retaining "a degree of scepticism."
The chapter Interlude: Prevent examines the U.K. governments difficulties attempting to "deal with the spread of radical ideas that directly seek to undermine or destroy" liberal democracy.
His chapter about taking part in direct action to protest a coal mine in Wales somewhat exposes his own bias, but the rest of the book does not come across as a polemic either for or against the radicals he observes.
That chapter, The Activists Paradox, discusses the tendency of some radicals to turn off the general public, whose participation in the machinery of change is so important to fundamental shifts in cultural or political norms.
Engaging as Bartletts coverage is, reading the book can be frustrating, partly due to the overwhelming documentation. Over 50 pages of endnotes often containing additional exposition or explanation, not just attribution compete with numerous explanatory or illustrative footnotes.
Some passages point the reader to both a footnote and an endnote. Much of that information would be less intrusive if it were included in the text, rather than interrupting it.
Bartletts observations and analyses of particular groups culminate in an especially thoughtful and challenging epilogue, discussing the dilemmas and difficulties inherent in radicals who are trying to change the world.
"Their energy, imagination and passion might save us; but those very attributes might also lead to ruin and desperation. Yet, for all this, radicals remain our best hope."
Whether one agrees or disagrees with this conclusion, Bartletts book is an enjoyable and thought-provoking addition to the conversation.
Bill Rambo teaches at The Laureate Academy in St. Norbert. He adheres to the radical idea that knowledge of Shakespeare could arrest virtually all decay of the English language.
View post:
Fringe movements key to changing the world - Winnipeg Free Press
- Lucid Dreaming & Dreamwork / Sinister Technology & the Paranormal - Coast To Coast AM - January 29th, 2024 [January 29th, 2024]
- AI Up Mi Duck: An Interactive Fiction Game Exploring ... - LeftLion - November 13th, 2023 [November 13th, 2023]
- Double bill: Vis Motrix & Atlas da Boca at Tipperary Dance ... - The Journal of Music - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Can Elon Musk make the human spirit immortal with a robot? - CNE.news - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Artists revved up by Creative Engine grants - Geelong Times - Geelong Times - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- How to face the climate crisis with Spinoza and self-knowledge - Aeon - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- To be human is to be animal | Eric T. Olsen - IAI - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Transhumanism, AI, Singularity - How far is too far? - Fallbrook / Bonsall Villlage News - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- How 'cyborg feminism' confuses technology with women's progress - Washington Examiner - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- Reconnecting With Beans To Take The Power Back Over Our Food ... - ARC2020 - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- The Great Nonsense of The Great Reset - LewRockwell - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- The US Government and Its Military Have Declared War on ... - LewRockwell - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- Tech for Me, but Not for Thee: Psalm 8 Meets Transhumanism - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- What is transhumanism? Can humans and technology meld together? - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Transhumanist politics - Wikipedia - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Should We Fear the Future? The Philosophy of Transhumanism - TheCollector - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Situation Update, Nov 1, 2022 - The transhumanism demonic AI takeover ... - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Dr. Tau Braun and the Health Ranger talk transhumanism, AI infiltration ... - December 18th, 2022 [December 18th, 2022]
- Ancient Wisdom in Medicine / AI & Transhumanism | Coast to Coast AM - December 18th, 2022 [December 18th, 2022]
- Fact check: False claim Biden's executive order limits human rights - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- Transfection to Transhumanism - Part 1 - rumble.com - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- After Being Canceled, She Pivoted to Journalism - Daily Signal - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Steve Bannon throws support behind Alex Jones: "They're trying to break you as a man and they're trying to break your incredible... - August 10th, 2022 [August 10th, 2022]
- Elon Musk and a warning of dystopian future of AI: What is digital and biological computing? - DailyO - August 10th, 2022 [August 10th, 2022]
- The Myth of the Modern Self | Carl R. Trueman - First Things - July 21st, 2022 [July 21st, 2022]
- Transhumanism: Evil Force Behind the NWO :: By Jonathan Brentner - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- The Myth of Bodily Autonomy | Gene Veith - Patheos - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Barbara Marx Hubbard: Godmother of Transhumanism and Synthetic Spirituality - July 4th, 2022 [July 4th, 2022]
- Simulacra in the Growing Armory of Thanatos - CounterPunch - July 4th, 2022 [July 4th, 2022]
- Transhumanism: The Evil Force Behind the New World Order Jonathan ... - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Future Humans: Four Ways We May, or May Not, Evolve - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Crimes of the Future Explained: Transhumanism, Surgery as Sex, and Humanity's Frightening Evolution - Signal Horizon - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- A Turning Point in History Stand with Us - The Desert Review - May 31st, 2022 [May 31st, 2022]
- Sex-bots and foil hats: reconfiguring what it means to be human - Sydney Morning Herald - May 20th, 2022 [May 20th, 2022]
- Global Artificial Intelligence in Big Data Analytics and IoT Markets, 2022-2027: Focus on Data Capture, Information and Decision Support Services -... - May 20th, 2022 [May 20th, 2022]
- What is transhumanism and how does it affect you? | World ... - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- The Impossibility of Christian Transhumanism | Evolution News - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- TV adaptation of The Wild airs brochure on March 16th - Vaughan Today - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- The Impossibility of Christian Transhumanism | Wesley J. Smith - First Things - March 26th, 2022 [March 26th, 2022]
- Transhumanism: The Plot to Control Your Life! Jonathan ... - February 9th, 2022 [February 9th, 2022]
- What is Technocracy and why does it matter? Hint ... - February 9th, 2022 [February 9th, 2022]
- Transitions Film Festival 2022 Using The Power Of Film For Positive Future Change - scenestr - February 9th, 2022 [February 9th, 2022]
- Cyberpunk Noir Sports Fiction, Anyone? - The Crozet Gazette - February 5th, 2022 [February 5th, 2022]
- Replicas: on Rai 2 first tv the sci-fi with Keanu Reeves - D1SoftballNews.com - February 3rd, 2022 [February 3rd, 2022]
- Transhumanism: The Most Dangerous Idea? - Reason.com - January 21st, 2022 [January 21st, 2022]
- Transhumanism and Posthumanism in Twenty-First Century ... - January 21st, 2022 [January 21st, 2022]
- Canadian Government Openly Embraces Transhumanism | Truth11.com - January 21st, 2022 [January 21st, 2022]
- Global Transhumanism Markets Report 2021 - Transformational Growth in Biological, Health, and Wellness Augmentation will Enable the Rise of Human 2.0... - December 15th, 2021 [December 15th, 2021]
- The best video games of 2021, and what to buy - Sydney Morning Herald - December 15th, 2021 [December 15th, 2021]
- Gene-editing, Moderna, and transhumanism | Christina Lin ... - November 19th, 2021 [November 19th, 2021]
- Yuval Noah Harari Believes This Simple Story Can Save the Planet - The New York Times - November 9th, 2021 [November 9th, 2021]
- Authoritarianism and the Cybernetic Episteme, or the Progressive Disappearance of Everything on Earth - Journal #122 November 2021 - E-Flux - November 9th, 2021 [November 9th, 2021]
- Faith in -196C: pioneers of resurrection a photo essay - The Guardian - November 1st, 2021 [November 1st, 2021]
- WISekeys Founder and CEO Carlos Moreira was Interviewed by Steve Bannon on Warroom.org About The transHuman Code Bestseller Book and the Need to... - November 1st, 2021 [November 1st, 2021]
- Six books to read this winter - Maclean's - November 1st, 2021 [November 1st, 2021]
- Transhumanism - reddit - October 21st, 2021 [October 21st, 2021]
- COVID19, The Great Reset, and Transhumanism Thuletide - October 21st, 2021 [October 21st, 2021]
- Dr. Carrie Madej Covid Shots, DNA and Transhumanism ... - October 21st, 2021 [October 21st, 2021]
- Nikolai Fyodorovich Fyodorov - Wikipedia - October 21st, 2021 [October 21st, 2021]
- No, the Moderna and Pfizer RNA vaccines for COVID-19 will ... - October 21st, 2021 [October 21st, 2021]
- Transhumanists Gather In Spain To Plan Global Transformation - The Federalist - October 15th, 2021 [October 15th, 2021]
- Neurotechnology: The brain wired for healthcare - ITWeb - September 16th, 2021 [September 16th, 2021]
- The afterlife is having a moment. 'Beyond' will help Christians and nonbelievers alike discuss what lies beyond the grave. - America Magazine - September 14th, 2021 [September 14th, 2021]
- more and more humans are born with an extra artery in the arm CVBJ - Central Valley Business Journal - August 30th, 2021 [August 30th, 2021]
- "My concern is that companies are anticipating the metaverse" - Release - Tech News Inc - August 16th, 2021 [August 16th, 2021]
- Crypto leaders are obsessed with life extension. Here's why Cointelegraph Magazine - Cointelegraph - August 14th, 2021 [August 14th, 2021]
- 'Glitchpunk' Available On Steam Early Access - Trailer - WorthPlaying.com - August 11th, 2021 [August 11th, 2021]
- Technologies that change human nature must be treated with caution - Illinoisnewstoday.com - June 30th, 2021 [June 30th, 2021]
- Technology changing human nature must be treated with caution - Independent Australia - June 30th, 2021 [June 30th, 2021]
- Microdosing, And The Gentrification Of Psychedelic Culture. A Conversation With Sociologist Dimitrios Liokaftos - Forbes - June 30th, 2021 [June 30th, 2021]
- JG and the Robots Unveil AI-Driven Audiovisual for "Im Thomas Dolby" - EDM.com - June 30th, 2021 [June 30th, 2021]
- Neil Mackay's Big Read: The dawn of transhumanism - conversations with Dr David Eagleman, the scientist creating a world of real superhumans in his... - June 28th, 2021 [June 28th, 2021]
- A brief history of transhumanism, which imagines a future of perfection, immortality - Firstpost - May 20th, 2021 [May 20th, 2021]
- Into the Darkness Latest Trailer is All About the Double Barrel Shotgun - VRFocus - May 20th, 2021 [May 20th, 2021]
- Disinformation in a time of Covid-19: Weekly Trends in South Africa - Daily Maverick - May 20th, 2021 [May 20th, 2021]
- Elon Musk's Neuralink Has the Tech to Create Super Exotic Dinosaurs - Science Times - April 11th, 2021 [April 11th, 2021]
- Dr. Carrie Madej: COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are transhumanism ... - March 20th, 2021 [March 20th, 2021]
- Agenda 21 How Would You Like to be Forced into a Human ... - March 20th, 2021 [March 20th, 2021]
- In single-player, Disintegration feels like the real Halo 2 to me - Eurogamer.net - March 16th, 2021 [March 16th, 2021]
- Law professor's book examines legal actions impacting future generations | University of Hawaii System News - UH System Current News - February 25th, 2021 [February 25th, 2021]