I voted it up. It was short, neat, and made several points.
Probably the main claim is that that the relationship between the SIAI and previous END OF THE WORLD outfits is a meaningless surface resemblance.
My take of the issue is that DOOM is—in part—a contagious mind-virus, with ancient roots—which certain “vulnerable” people are inclined to spread around—regardless of whether it makes much sense or not.
With the rise of modern DOOM “outfits”, we need to understand the sociological and memetic aspects of these things all the more:
Will we see more cases of “DOOM exploitation”—from those out to convert fear of the imminent end into power, wealth, fame or sex?
Will a paranoid society take steps to avoid the risks? Will it freeze like a rabbit in the headlights? Or will it result in more looting and rape cases?
What is the typical life trajectory of those who get involved with these outfits? Do they go on to become productive members of society? Or do they wind up having nightmares about THE END OF THE WORLD—while neglecting their interpersonal relationships and personal hygene—unless their friends and family stage an “intervention”?
...and so on.
Rational agents should understand the extent to which they are infected by contagious mind viruses—that spread for their own benefit and without concern for the welfare of their hosts. DOOM definitely has the form of such a virus. The issue as I see it is: how much of the observed phenomenon of the of modern-day DOOM “outfits” does it explain?
To study this whole issue, previous doomsday cults seem like obvious and highly-relevant data points to me. In some cases their DOOM was evidently a complete fabrication. They provide pure examples of fake DOOM—exactly the type of material a sociologist would need to understand that aspect of the DOOM-mongering phenomeon.
I voted it up. It was short, neat, and made several points.
Probably the main claim is that that the relationship between the SIAI and previous END OF THE WORLD outfits is a meaningless surface resemblance.
My take of the issue is that DOOM is—in part—a contagious mind-virus, with ancient roots—which certain “vulnerable” people are inclined to spread around—regardless of whether it makes much sense or not.
With the rise of modern DOOM “outfits”, we need to understand the sociological and memetic aspects of these things all the more:
Will we see more cases of “DOOM exploitation”—from those out to convert fear of the imminent end into power, wealth, fame or sex?
Will a paranoid society take steps to avoid the risks? Will it freeze like a rabbit in the headlights? Or will it result in more looting and rape cases?
What is the typical life trajectory of those who get involved with these outfits? Do they go on to become productive members of society? Or do they wind up having nightmares about THE END OF THE WORLD—while neglecting their interpersonal relationships and personal hygene—unless their friends and family stage an “intervention”?
...and so on.
Rational agents should understand the extent to which they are infected by contagious mind viruses—that spread for their own benefit and without concern for the welfare of their hosts. DOOM definitely has the form of such a virus. The issue as I see it is: how much of the observed phenomenon of the of modern-day DOOM “outfits” does it explain?
To study this whole issue, previous doomsday cults seem like obvious and highly-relevant data points to me. In some cases their DOOM was evidently a complete fabrication. They provide pure examples of fake DOOM—exactly the type of material a sociologist would need to understand that aspect of the DOOM-mongering phenomeon.