I think you’re still thinking in terms of something like formalized political power, whereas other people are thinking in terms of “any ability to affect the world”.
Suppose a fantastically powerful alien called Superman comes to earth, and starts running around the city of Metropolis, rescuing people and arresting criminals. He has absurd amounts of speed, strength, and durability. You might think of Superman as just being a helpful guy who doesn’t rule anything, but as a matter of capability he could demand almost anything from the rest of the world and the rest of the world couldn’t stop him. Superman is de facto ruler of Earth; he just has a light touch.
If you consider that acceptable, then you aren’t objecting to “god-like status and control”, you just have opinions about how that control should be exercised.
If you consider that UNacceptable, then you aren’t asking for Superman to behave in certain ways, you are asking for Superman to not exist (or for some other force to exist that can check him).
Most humans (probably including you) are currently a “prisoner” of a coalition of humans who will use armed force to subdue and punish you if you take any actions that the coalition (in its sole discretion) deems worthy of such punishment. Many of these coalitions (though not all of them) are called “governments”. Most humans seem to consider the existence of such coalitions to be a good thing on balance (though many would like to get rid of certain particular coalitions).
I will grant that most commenters on LessWrong probably want Superman to take a substantially more interventionist approach than he does in DC Comics (because frankly his talents are wasted stopping petty crime in one city).
Most commenters here still seem to want Superman to avoid actions that most humans would disapprove of, though.
I’m definitely fine with not having Superman, but I’m willing to settle on him not intervening.
On a different note, I’d disagree that Superman, just by existing and being powerful, is a de facto ruler in any sense—he of course could be, but that would entail a tradeoff that he may not like (living an unburdened life).
I think you’re still thinking in terms of something like formalized political power, whereas other people are thinking in terms of “any ability to affect the world”.
Suppose a fantastically powerful alien called Superman comes to earth, and starts running around the city of Metropolis, rescuing people and arresting criminals. He has absurd amounts of speed, strength, and durability. You might think of Superman as just being a helpful guy who doesn’t rule anything, but as a matter of capability he could demand almost anything from the rest of the world and the rest of the world couldn’t stop him. Superman is de facto ruler of Earth; he just has a light touch.
If you consider that acceptable, then you aren’t objecting to “god-like status and control”, you just have opinions about how that control should be exercised.
If you consider that UNacceptable, then you aren’t asking for Superman to behave in certain ways, you are asking for Superman to not exist (or for some other force to exist that can check him).
Most humans (probably including you) are currently a “prisoner” of a coalition of humans who will use armed force to subdue and punish you if you take any actions that the coalition (in its sole discretion) deems worthy of such punishment. Many of these coalitions (though not all of them) are called “governments”. Most humans seem to consider the existence of such coalitions to be a good thing on balance (though many would like to get rid of certain particular coalitions).
I will grant that most commenters on LessWrong probably want Superman to take a substantially more interventionist approach than he does in DC Comics (because frankly his talents are wasted stopping petty crime in one city).
Most commenters here still seem to want Superman to avoid actions that most humans would disapprove of, though.
I’m definitely fine with not having Superman, but I’m willing to settle on him not intervening.
On a different note, I’d disagree that Superman, just by existing and being powerful, is a de facto ruler in any sense—he of course could be, but that would entail a tradeoff that he may not like (living an unburdened life).