Pop

Pop wrote

I think that hierarchical structures are forced to take on a similar form because that is the only way they can function at scale.

This kind of thing is talked about when Mumford talks about the megamachine

And I think there are a lot of techniques most obviously seen in cults that apply broadly

I'm not sure you've given enough information for me to say that I consider your example authority. Some people are charismatic geniuses and their ideas permeate through groups better than others. But that does not necessarily correspond to authority if there are structures in place to prevent hierarchy.

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Pop wrote (edited )

You have not said whether he has a passport.

Parents' permission is very often required for flights out of a country if you are young, so you would need to figure that out. It may also be a significant obstacle to getting a visa through regular channels, I do not know.
The visa interview process to the US may take 45 days, but practically what this means is that you apply online, and then you book a specific time to come in and do your interview about a month in the future. You go and do the interview and then that's it. if he gets the visa it is mailed with to a specific courier office about a week later and you will have to go there with ID to pick it up. However, the interview is made to catch out people who have strange reasons for leaving. If his parents were not there that might already be a red flag. Also it's often the case that you need evidence of resources to be able to go to somewhere like the US, and a return ticket as part of implicit evidence that you are not planning to stay there. It would make more sense to go somewhere that a UAE citizen could go without a visa - and there are many of these, including Canada. But his age would still likely raise flags. If he doesn't have a specific place you are going or specific person he is going to visit, then that may raise flags also. It would not be impossible to find Canadians willing to say that they are going to be the person he is visiting, but may come at some risk to them as they would be assisting what is essentially his refugee process.

I am going to guess you need to seek options for becoming a refugee.

Here are some organisations to look into that so far as I know help queer people become refugees:

  • Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration
  • Rainbow Refugee
  • HIAS
  • Global Faith & Justice Project
  • Micro Rainbow
  • Peter Tatchell Foundation

These people may have good information for you on what is possible, they may even have experienced people in your country who assist with getting people like your friend out. Sneaking out without support is not impossible but may be harder. It may be easier in some ways. But starting with getting as much info as possible from the above groups and other similar groups seems like a good approach. There will be quite a bit of bureacracy also, but hopefully better and more tailored to your needs.

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Pop wrote

Reply to by !deleted52944

extinction of humanity (by any means) is not the worst state of affairs. the concern is how the extinction would unfold.
Separately, its not clear that extinction of humanity is the horizon for AI, there are far worse things that could happen, with AI and without

why does it matter if conscious beings exist?

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Pop OP wrote (edited by a moderator )

Reply to comment by kano in No State Solution event, starting now by Pop

They started recording late but it is on facebook live somewhere. About to start questions from audience part

A bit absurd that they only had about a 100 people capacity. There's an in-person audience where its taking place though

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