Principles for a New Utopianism
4 hours ago
- The essay argues that visions of apocalypse dominate discussions about AGI, but positive visions of utopia are needed.
- Utopian thinking declined due to its association with 20th century horrors like totalitarianism.
- The author proposes three principles for a new utopianism: medium-termism, humility, and pluralism.
- Medium-termism focuses on improving society in the near future while acknowledging current limits.
- Humility prevents the belief that ends justify means, avoiding past failures.
- Pluralism embraces multiple visions of the good life and encourages participatory change.
- An example of a utopian project is Universal Basic Services (UBS), which emphasizes free public services.
- The essay calls for a renewal of utopian thinking to harness AGI for positive societal transformation.