Quote from: Technomage on December 12, 2011, 10:39:35 PM

Quote from: julz on December 12, 2011, 03:06:27 PM

I rather think the RBE will fail if one of it's main goals is to eliminate 'poverty' because the natural currency that would arise, without people even realizing it at first, would be 'reputation' & 'popularity'.
People would be sucking up to each other left right and center to 'put a good word in for me' with someone else.. to be part of the 'in' group etc.
That's how you'd get your massage. "hey.. get me invited to that party all the cool folk are going to.... I'll give you a nice back rub!"
There would still be social lepers - and they would be the new poor, but this time there isn't some other currency they can use to alleviate the suffering their social ineptitude might cause them.

I agree with this. Reputation and popularity are not really going anywhere even in a RBE. I have a hard time imagining a human society where these attributes would be eliminated. But what would change is what kind of people are admired. That is for sure. These days people seem to admire people who are famous, with no regard to how this person has actually contributed to the society. I see being a scientist or an engineer a much more popular position simply because people would see them as major contributors.

You just don't get it, do you? The INDIVIDUAL desires who she prefers regardless of your preferences. You cannot couple all people under the ideal of Man. It is simply irrational for who we stand for in the end is only ourselves. We only act because it brings us pleasure. You cannot have people enjoy things indiscriminately or under a different discrimination entirely.

Is a man not entitled to love how he wishes? Is this choice not what defines a man in the first place? If I choose to revere sluts over scientists, am I not entitled to do so?

I hold that it is absolute choice that defines a sentient being. To me it is through choice that one is free.