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Writer. Scientist. Thoroughly Disappointing Flesh Muppet.

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Who’s Crazy Now?

Posted on March 16, 2009January 8, 2025 by eidolon

It’s no small secret that I dream of one day living in a giant, floating, pirate sea arcology.  And that the Seasteading Institute wants to make my dream a reality.  And that while they sound slightly insane, they are to date my best hope of seeing my dream become reality.  (Even if it doesn’t include robot sharks.) 

Well, another group of crazy people — CNN — tells us that a prototype could be just three years away.

Of course.  I mean, how hard can it be to build an autonomous floating city?  You just get out there and do it.   You just, like, build that sucker.  So that it’s all floaty and stuff.

My favorite quote from the article:

“The idea isn’t just about getting away from rules or getting rid of rules. It’s about a system that encourages experimentation with different political systems,” [Friedman] said.

I’m pretty sure that in this context “experimentation with different political systems” means “supervillain lair”.  These are the same people, after all, who like to point out that national government is just an industry with a really high barrier to entry.

Oh, sure, it starts out innocently enough.  At first it’s all about freedom, living off the grid, and legalizing drugs, like some multi-multi-billion dollar commune.  But the next thing you know it’s all scale models of Fort Knox, lasers, and before I kill you, Mr. Bond…

2 thoughts on “Who’s Crazy Now?”

  1. Richard says:
    March 17, 2009 at 9:59 am

    My dream is to one day set up a company that will build and sell supervillain lairs.

  2. Melinda says:
    March 22, 2009 at 3:21 pm

    I’d invest in that company. But I think we better incorporate in a tax haven because I bet there’s a big demand for supervillain lairs, and we should start practicing our supervillain status by being tax cheats.

    And since it was Ian’s idea I think he should be president of our new company. I’m sure the Lab won’t mind. What should we call it. Evil Inc.? Nefarious Ltd.?

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