On the Interstellar Commonwealth
A Response to "Authorized Heretics" & "Libertarianism As Deep Multiculturalism"
Dr. Hanson, you argue that to facilitate cultural evolution and humanity’s advancement and progress, mainstream society should support the autonomy of insular breakaway societies.
At the heart of your proposal lies the idea that while vigorous cultures should uphold their norms internally ("my house, my rules"), they should also actively support breakaway societies ("but I'd help you start yours") that seek to form new insular communities adhering to different values systems. This balanced approach carries two key benefits:
It allows the productive enforcement of the norms of mainstream culture, harnessing the stabilizing benefits of shared values and cohesion.
In parallel, it purposefully enables the rise of cultural diversity by empowering breakaway groups to become self-sustaining enclaves trialing alternative sets of principles and practices.
By combining cultural rootedness with openness to new branches, your deep multiculturalism model could facilitate continual cultural evolution - allowing more optimized value systems to gradually emerge and spread through a pragmatic, mostly peaceful process of divergence and selection.
From the perspective of the Spacers Guild, we agree with the crux of your argument, especially as it aligns with one of our Three Pillars, that being Cultural Evolution. I founded our start-up society in 2022 with the express purpose to facilitate human migration to the far reaches of outer space not just for our organization’s benefit, but for our entire species in all its diversity.
The Interstellar Commonwealth that we endeavor to establish will afford opportunities for many breakaway societies to engage in cultural evolution across the Great Universe as humankind proliferates. We will support intergovernmental organizations and other allies that can help us ensure the dignity and autonomy of all of the Commonwealth’s members.
Investment in cultural diversity should be concurrent with our advocacy of the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and progress as we frame them according to our own values and principles. These two projects do not negate the benefits of each other. They are practical approaches to different problems.
Pragmatically, we accept that any sustainable, large-scale human diaspora across many worlds can likely never attain some idyllic, permanent cultural equilibrium. That being the case, we should plan for the Guild to serve the Interstellar Commonwealth in perpetuity as one institution among many that upholds its integrity, security, coherency, tolerance, and rule of law.
Libertarianism & Shared Culture
There is a tension between libertarian ideals and the need for a shared culture, even within the Spacers Guild. While the freedom of individuals and groups to pursue their own visions in life is highly valued, we recognize that a degree of shared culture is essential for cohesion and effective operation. This is doubly truly in outer space and across great distances.
Our shared culture within the Guild should not be monolithic, but include diverse elements of our members' backgrounds, unified by our common goals of exploration, scientific inquiry, human expansion, and technological advancement. We will popularize norms and values that serve our mission, while discouraging drift towards self-defeating practices.
Shallow Multiculturalism: Cultural Markers vs. Values
We should not be entirely hostile to shallow multiculturalism. While it is often simply a matter of celebrating diverse cultural markers and is commonly derided by reactionaries when it goes too far, shallow multiculturalism is an increasingly accepted aspect of modern life that is preferable to the widespread normalization of prejudices that existed before.
The integration of various cultural symbols—be they in the form of fashion, music, or cuisine—serves to connect members from different backgrounds, even if it’s in a superficial sense.
However, I acknowledge that this form of multiculturalism does not sufficiently extend tolerance to deeper cultural values and as such, cannot effectively facilitate cultural evolution.
Deep Multiculturalism: Coexistence of Divergent Values
The strategy of deep multiculturalism should not bewilder anyone in the Spacers Guild. It is integral to our ethos. We recognize that a homogeneous monoculture, however appealing in its simplicity, lacks the resilience and adaptability necessary to navigate the challenges of longterm interstellar expansion.
We should admire the resiliency of diversity, the ingenuity born from a high variance of perspective, and the strength communities develop when they draw upon unifying traditions and values. Our assistance of societies such as these to settle new worlds should be regarded as a privilege and a source of pride.
"I’d Help You Start Yours"
Your notion of "my house, my rules; but I’d help you start yours" echoes the Spacers Guild's approach to cultural evolution within the context of the Interstellar Commonwealth.
We encourage innovation in all parts of life as well as the experimentation of a wide variety of cultural practices, especially as we encounter new environments and challenges in space. If a group wishes to pioneer a new way of living or working beyond the Earth, the Guild is interested in providing the services needed for them to experiment and thrive.
The Spacers Guild seeks a future where:
Diverse cultures coexist and thrive, each contributing its unique strengths to the Interstellar Commonwealth. We envision a network of human settlements across the systems of the Local Bubble, each reflecting the values and traditions of its inhabitants, yet united by a shared commitment to mutual self-defense, trade, and expansion.
Interstellar law and governance prioritizes the autonomy of communities while maximizing the potential for peaceful coexistence and collaboration. It is our desire that the Commonwealth tolerate even major ideological differences, which should be seen as opportunities for learning and growth, not sources of conflict.
Cultural evolution is encouraged, allowing new movements and breakaway societies to emerge, adapt, and flourish. We dream of a fertile, self-optimizing Commonwealth teeming with a wide array of divergent societies sheltered within, pregnant with potential for further expansion.
Conclusion
Dr. Hanson, your advocacy for deep multiculturalism as a solution to cultural drift and the fertility crisis is commendable. You continue to offer valuable insights for the Spacers Guild that coheres with our emerging philosophy. Thank you for your work.
I believe that the "my house, my rules; but I'd help you start yours" principle, as articulated by the Dr. Hanson, is compelling and should be promoted widely. As the leader of the Spacers Guild, I offer my assistance to efforts to develop more comprehensive frameworks for the achievement of deep multiculturalism.
In our mission to settle the final frontier, we could not be more honored to also accept a role as a vanguard of deep multiculturalism. The Spacers Guild commits itself to build a future where humankind’s diversity is cherished, where different cultures contribute their unique strengths to the benefit of the whole Interstellar Commonwealth.
Guildmaster Brendon Carpenter
Albuquerque May 2024
