The Transhumanist Wager

by Zoltan Istvan

  Everywhere, people wished their gods and prophets would do something. They wished their governments and politicians would do something. They wished their friends and neighbors would do something. All their wishing was in vain. All their fury, devotion, prayers, and longstanding convictions were now for nothing. No one could do anything for them. Their egos had blinded them; their leaders had failed them; their fellow citizens were too weak and ignorant to help them. Their own fears, emotions, and heartfelt beliefs in higher powers were revealed as nothing but silly superstitions, like those of the Stone Age humans who worshiped the moon and sun, tens of thousands of years ago.

  A vast swath of the human race was defeated. By themselves. By those who are stronger and smarter than they are. By those who declared in a final way: You are not necessary to us unless you add value to our lives.

  Amongst the billions around the world, a scant few rejoiced. They voiced their opinions to others. They tried to explain, pleading, "Aren't you listening to them? Don't you see they are smarter than we are, work harder than we do, and make more of themselves than we do? They are saying to join them in the brilliantly new and unlimited twenty-first century—the age when anything is possible on Earth. And, do you know what? They are right. Furthermore, they are inspiring. Perhaps most importantly, they are straightforward and rational about everything. They are not the lip-servicing, finger-pointing, welfare-promising leaders who strangled and sunk the world into irrationality and mediocrity. And that is precisely the reason they can give us so much more."

  Soon, others began to agree, adding, "Even that’s not as important as this: Who fundamentally cares who our leaders are right now, as long as we ourselves are not enslaved? What are transhumanists asking us to do? Thrive in our careers. Live longer and healthier lives. Become educated. Strive after the best in ourselves. Give our families a better future. Support technology and the evolutionary advancement of our species instead of supporting a conservative, superstitious, collectivist planet. What’s wrong with that?"

  For many people, a few days of contemplation were enough. The sun still rose the following morning; companies still expected employees to show up for their jobs; bills still needed to be paid for services; food still needed to be grown and harvested. Everything was essentially the same. Except now, there were rules in place that meant more of the money and resources hard-working people earned went into their own pockets, and less went to the slackers and freeloaders around the world who didn’t want to work—or to the politicians who promised those slackers and freeloaders undeserved healthcare, food, and free money.

  Inevitably, the initial shock and humiliation wore off. More and more people started to consider the new rules of the future and the brave possibilities as a chance to rid themselves of the mighty global recession. It wasn't an easy transition or one without massive upheaval. A great chaos ensued, as looting and crime spiked throughout the world. To counter this, Transhumania ordered all policemen’s and soldiers’ salaries around the world doubled, to keep them working and fulfilling their duties. They were instructed to execute criminals on-site if they were caught in illegal acts. Curfews were put in place and martial law was installed. More robots and drones were built to help with peacekeeping.

  Currencies, commodity, and stock-trading exchanges around the world were temporarily frozen at exactly the monetary amounts at which they had been the day before the Transhumanian bombing raids. This helped curb economic chaos as well as price fluctuations on everyday goods. Business executives and entrepreneurs around the world were given extensive power and government IOUs to keep their companies functioning and surviving. All utility companies distributing power, natural gas, and water were told to operate without fail. Trash collection, sewer service, and road maintenance all continued. The Internet was made to work efficiently and flawlessly. Banks were forced to keep their doors open and to render services normally. Schools, institutes, and universities were ordered to continue classes and to begin preparing for enormous future expansion of their curricula and student populations.

  If country rulers, politicians, and officials tried to negotiate or hold on to their former power, they were killed by robots patrolling the planet on Transhumanian aircraft. Jethro Knights also insisted that a large number of important international politicians, revered religious leaders, and royal families—like the President of the United States, the Ayatollahs, and the monarchs of England and the Middle East—be publicly removed from their domains of power. These well-known leaders and families had all their wealth confiscated too, including their extravagant residences, their jets, their yachts, their cars, and their bank accounts—essentially, everything they owned or possessed.

  The Transhumania News Network, IMN, and other television reporters broadcast the dramatic occurrences, which included forcefully removing the high-fliers from their castles, temples, and mansions. They also filmed provocative images of large military trucks carrying away valuables: family heirlooms, famous artworks, ornate jewelry pieces, and sacred religious relics. Everything collected was deposited to be destroyed or sold in the newly established TANIP, the Transhumania Agency of New Infrastructure and Projects. The same public dismantling happened to known warlords, gang leaders, corrupt business people, and mafia bosses, as well as anyone who tried to gain localized power during the transitional chaos.

  Once members of former governments and other influential people around the world saw what became of their top leaders and those who attempted to grab power, they quickly became willing to cooperate in order to keep their jobs, wealth, status, and safety.

  It took almost twelve months for the upheaval on the continents to dissipate, but eventually countries stabilized, and the masses realized that little had changed in their immediate lives. Except that stronger leaders were now in place—ones who were much more honest, direct, and prolific. Ones who could quickly lead the planet into advanced globalization and unprecedented prosperity. These new leaders—all handpicked Transhumanians—coordinated with existing officials of bested countries to create huge, novel industries that jump-started economic reform. Massive infrastructure projects were initiated, providing many millions of new jobs and fresh careers for people around the world. Ground was broken on hundreds of gargantuan learning centers, schools, and universities. Taxes across the globe were lowered to a straight 15 percent for everyone: rich or poor, healthy or sick, a Transhumania supporter or not.

  Jethro Knights forced all international borders open on the six populated continents, declaring the whole world “Transhumania.” He initiated a single currency, the TEF Unit—a ubiquitous virtual currency. Over the next five years, all other physical monies would eventually be converted into the new currency. These changes simplified life; people moved wherever they wanted, whenever they saw opportunity and the possibility to prosper.

  ************

  Senator Gregory Michaelson and his family were forced into hiding with Senator Shuman and other top U.S. dignitaries. They managed to escape Transhumania's drones by disappearing into the underground chambers of Camp Anderson, located deep in the Utah desert. But their communication with the outside world was permanently cut off when Oliver Mbaye ordered all military satellite antennas in the area scrambled.

  A year later, in the middle of a blinding snowstorm, Gregory, Amanda, and their two children covertly left Camp Anderson and joined with the myriad Christian coalition groups holed up in the Bible Belt of America, a sliver of rural wasteland from Kansas to Louisiana. One night when Gregory was out scavenging for supplies, Amanda and their two children—dirty, hungry, and wearing ragged clothing—were secretly driven in a large four-wheel drive out of the Christian area. She and the kids were taken to stay with her still wealthy father in Florida. Amanda had deliberately not told Gregory about her escape plans. She was furious with her husband’s failures and what had become of her life. Her farewell to him was a condescending single-page letter, instructing him never to contact her or their children again.<
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  Dejected and broke, Gregory remained in the Christian areas of America that gave constant armed resistance to Transhumania. His title and position of senator was soon dropped, as the Christian groups in America formed new hierarchies of power amongst themselves, mostly led by preachers and ex-military types with hardcore, born-again-for-Jesus attitudes. The groups fought Transhumania with terrorism and guerrilla warfare, hoping to eventually reclaim the planet for themselves. Other religious clusters around the world, regardless of their denominations or beliefs, did the same.

  The rebels collectively called themselves the Pro-Religious Anti-Transhumanists, or PRAT coalition. But, they were almost never successful in scoring victories against Transhumania, whose robot-led military routinely defeated them, often massacring hundreds of faith-filled fighters in daily skirmishes. PRAT terrorist weapons were located by heat-imaging rays beamed from satellites in orbit, so even the task of moving a detachment of soldiers or bringing bombs into a transhuman city was usually met with a drone or a soldierbot fifty miles from any populated area.

  Gregory Michaelson joined PRAT and quickly became a valued field officer. A year into his service, during a weapon-smuggling mission on a moonless night in Arkansas, a Transhumanian drone caught him and six other PRAT members transporting twenty grenade launchers. Gregory was identified, processed, and incarcerated by polibots into a high security penitentiary. Two months later, while awaiting trial, he was beaten to death in a prisonwide clash between Christian and Muslim gangs, whose thousand-year enmity had still not ceased.

  ************

  The PRAT coalition claimed a civil war was ongoing in America and around the world. But rarely did the religious terrorists and guerrilla fighters accomplish anything. When they did, their disruptions to transhuman society and the economy only made normal people, rich or poor, despise them. In the end, most PRAT members abandoned their cause. Without jobs, funds, and government subsidies, their worlds were wastelands of pain, poverty, and squalor. PRAT people were increasingly forced to travel by foot on dusty roads and live in rickety shacks, spending their time searching for food and clean water, wearing only rags and bearing decades-old rifles—instead of waging a war against transhumanists who now possessed nearly unlimited resources.

  The conflict between PRAT and greater Transhumania lasted for nearly three years. After that, religious terrorism by isolated ultra-radicals continued for another decade, but on a much smaller scale, until it was finally over. Rapid increases in crime-fighting technology by the Transhumanian government made it too difficult for terrorists to launch successful attacks. Those few who tried were arrested and quickly executed.

  Despite the achievement of eliminating religious terrorism, spiritual faiths on Planet Earth continued for many years. Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and other religions, as well as communists, cults, and other social orders, weren't outlawed outright; however, they were made illegal to practice or promote in any form in public. Additionally, starting at age two in preschool, religious and superstitious tendencies were strictly taught as foolish, backwards, and irrational. A student came away with the understanding that believing in religion was no different than believing in Santa Claus and his flying reindeer.

  Other changes also helped civilization’s culture move toward a transhuman mindset. Jethro Knights' law requiring every human to receive a higher education started to gain momentum. Free, high-quality public schools, institutes, and universities popped up everywhere on the planet, often newly built by the government. Many millions of teachers and professors were hired by Transhumania and sent out across the globe to educate.

  For over three billion youths, Transhumania's ambitious education agenda meant a nonstop barrage of grade school, high school, and college lessons. For middle-aged and older people with jobs and families, it often meant years of studying late at night and taking online classes. Many also attended school on weekends. Despite the enormous time commitment, nearly everyone discovered something magical about the process; learning was empowerment.

  Upon final graduation with a college degree or its equivalent, Transhumania rewarded every student, young or old, with a free round-the-world airplane ticket good for one full year of traveling. Basic food and living expenses were covered. The only requirement: The graduate had to spend at least three months on three different continents over the course of the year.

  Experiencing new things, places, and concepts was education, Jethro decreed. Endless government-sponsored publicity campaigns on the benefits of traveling, reading books, creating meaningful and didactic art, attending graduate school, and developing intellectual curiosity were showered across the media. There was also an emphasis on speaking and writing in Transhumania's official language, Lojban. Public libraries around the world were ordered open twenty-four hours a day, regardless of how big or small. Free Internet access was made to span the entire globe, courtesy of Transhumania. The same public advocating went for fitness and healthy lifestyles. A household's tax rate was dropped from 15 percent to 10 percent if the whole family could show they regularly exercised and maintained healthy body weights. The government upheld a firm public stance that obesity and physical inactivity, when preventable, was contemptible.

  Jethro also encouraged scientists to be paraded around the world as society's most important heroes, authorities, and celebrities. Actors played them constantly in Hollywood movies. Dr. Nathan Cohen's birthday was made into a global holiday; Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, Diwali, Hanukkah, and other religious holidays were discontinued. Being a scientist, a futurist, an engineer, or a technologist was the new state of cool. If you weren’t an intellectual with progressive thinking and creative futuristic ideas, you were no one in the modern world. The stock market exploded with new technology, biotech, energy, environmental, and education companies going public. They were led by young, colorful CEOs with advanced degrees in the sciences. These men and women became icons of the new transhuman landscape.

  Eventually, Jethro dismantled all nuclear warheads on the planet, using the uranium and plutonium to fuel newly built and existing nuclear power plants in areas free of natural disasters. The green infrastructure and transportation projects he commissioned, including solar-powered vehicles, were a giant boom to trade. New Internet cloud services created faster communications and downloads everywhere on the planet. The robotics industry boomed, replacing menial tasks like cleaning, cooking, and driving. Time could be spent on more productive endeavors.

  Biotech was bringing unprecedented quality-of-life changes to everyone via human enhancement. To stay youthful, healthy, and competitive with one another, people spent money on functionally upgrading their bodies and the efficacy of their brains—and not so much on their wardrobes, cars, and other material possessions. Economies around the globe jumped due to huge gains in the pharmaceutical sector, where new forms of drugs, energy supplements, and vaccines were revolutionizing lifestyles. Diseases and ailments around the world were constantly being eliminated. Every year, Jethro announced a different illness or virus that the Transhumanian Government would target for curing or eradicating, giving a billion-dollar reward to the team of scientists that succeeded, whether in the private or public sector.

  In the seven years since the victory of the Transhuman Revolution, the percentage of people in poverty around the world had dropped from 42 percent to only 13 percent. Polibots, with x-ray infrared vision and satellite-controlled troop coordination, made cities the safest in history, virtually eliminating gangs, mafia, corruption, hard drugs, theft, and violence. Transparency was ubiquitous in all forms of activity; many people opted to have a microchip implanted into the palm of their hand to speed payment of goods and make personal recognition easier in the increasingly all-digital world. Smart phones and computers, reduced to the size of a red grape, were also implanted into the back of people's skulls and connected to their brain’s neural network. Technological innovation was rampant; people were always connected, always learning, and
always evolving.

  ************

  The state of the world and the promise of transhumanism were steadily advancing every year. Consequently, when Jethro Knights—who had remained the undisputed leader of the planet for seventeen years—announced it was time to have democratic elections on Transhumania, many people, including top leaders, gasped.

  “What the hell?” Preston Langmore asked Jethro when he heard the news. “What for? What if something goes wrong?”

  For the past sixteen years, Langmore had served as one of Transhumania’s most powerful and influential officials: Secretary of Science and Technology.

  “Nothing is going to go wrong, Preston. Everyone gets it now. A new generation was born with it. People are transhumanists by nature. The old guard just didn't realize it before. We'll do fine. Perhaps better. Democracy has mostly been a sensible thing.”

  “Well, you're going to win the presidency hands down anyway. So I guess it’s all fine.”

  “No way. I'm not going to run. I’m going back to Silicon Valley, going back to the womb of transhumanism. I want uninterrupted time to write papers. I want unlimited freedom to think up new technologies and concepts. My top priority will be describing the future and how we can get there faster. Right now, my top priority seems to be managing billions of people, which is an exhausting task.”

  “Jethro, this is absurd. Your rise to global dominion is historically unprecedented. What about all the power you've accumulated? What about the omnipotender? You're not going to cast that into the hands of fate?"

  "Not whatsoever. It's all our closest, most loyal friends who run the world. And I'm sure if I'm needed, they'll call on me to lead again; however, the truth is I'm simply more useful now as a visionary thinker and philosopher, not as a ribbon-cutting, speech-making, macro-managing ruler. Besides, being an elected president or even a benevolent dictator doesn't mean achieving the highest state of power one can reach. Being where the technology is emerging at the right moment in time—where the Singularity unfolds—offers a far greater chance to accomplish that ultimate goal."