FM-2030 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
FM-2030
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| Born | Fereidoun M. Esfandiary October 15, 1930 Brussels, Belgium |
| Died | July 8, 2000 (aged 69) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cryopreserved at Alcor Life Extension Foundation |
| Occupation | Writer, philosopher, teacher, consultant |
| Nationality | Iranian-American |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Genre | Science fiction, futurology |
| Literary movement | Transhumanism |
| Notable works | Are You a Transhuman? |
FM-2030 (born Fereidoun M. Esfandiary; Persian: فریدون اسفندیاری; October 15, 1930 – July 8, 2000) was a writer, teacher, and thinker. He was born in Belgium and was of Iranian-American background. He was known as a futurist, which means he studied and predicted what the future might be like. He also became famous as a transhumanist philosopher.
A transhumanist is someone who believes that humans can use science and technology to become better, stronger, and live longer. FM-2030 wrote a book called Are You a Transhuman? in 1989, which made him well-known in this field. He also wrote several science fiction books under his original name, F. M. Esfandiary.
Contents
Growing Up and Learning
FM-2030 was born Fereydoon M. Esfandiary on October 15, 1930. His father was an Iranian diplomat, which meant his family moved a lot. By the time he was 11, he had lived in 17 different countries, including Iran, India, and Afghanistan.
He was also a talented athlete. He represented Iran in basketball and wrestling at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. He went to school in Iran and England, and finished high school in Jerusalem. By age 18, he could speak five languages: Persian, Arabic, Hebrew, French, and English. He later studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, graduating in 1952.
Why Did He Change His Name?
In 1970, F. M. Esfandiary started using the name FM-2030. He had two main reasons for this change. First, he hoped to live to be 100 years old and celebrate his birthday in the year 2030. Second, and more importantly, he wanted to break away from traditional naming customs. He felt that old names often put people into groups based on their gender, nationality, or family. He believed these old ways of naming people were outdated and could lead to unfair judgments or stereotypes.
In 1988, he officially changed his name. He explained, "Conventional names define a person's past: ancestry, ethnicity, nationality, religion. I am not who I was ten years ago and certainly not who I will be in twenty years." He added, "The name 2030 reflects my conviction that the years around 2030 will be a magical time. In 2030 we will be ageless and everyone will have an excellent chance to live forever. 2030 is a dream and a goal." He also strongly believed that national borders were not important, saying, "There are no illegal immigrants, only irrelevant borders."
His Ideas About the Future
FM-2030 had many unique ideas about how the world would change. In 1973, he wrote a book called UpWingers: A Futurist Manifesto. In this book, he suggested that traditional political ideas (like "left-wing" and "right-wing") were old-fashioned. Instead, he proposed two new groups: "UpWingers" who looked to the future and "DownWingers" who focused on the past. He saw himself as an UpWinger.
He predicted that things like the traditional family structure and cities would change. He thought people might live in new types of communities he called mobilia. He also believed that new technologies, like synthetic body parts, would make people live much longer. He famously said that the pancreas (an organ in the body) was "a stupid, dumb, wretched organ" shortly before he died from pancreatic cancer, showing his belief that technology could improve human biology.
He felt that no past civilization was truly great, calling them "primitive and persecutory." He believed that people would eventually stop identifying so much with their culture or nation. Instead, they would focus more on their individual selves. He thought that nations would disappear over time.
His Life and Interests
FM-2030 was a vegetarian his whole life. He often said he would not eat anything that had a mother. He did not like to answer questions about his nationality, age, or where he grew up. He felt these questions were not important because he saw himself as a "global person." He once said, "I am a 21st century person who was accidentally launched in the 20th. I have a deep nostalgia for the future."
He taught at several universities, including The New School and the University of California, Los Angeles. He also worked as a consultant for companies like Lockheed and J.C. Penney. He was an atheist, meaning he did not believe in God. He had a long-term friendship with a lawyer named Flora Schnall. He lived in Westwood, Los Angeles and Miami.
His Passing
FM-2030 passed away on July 8, 2000, from pancreatic cancer. He chose to have his body preserved using a method called cryonic suspension. This means his body was frozen at very low temperatures at the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was the first person to be preserved using a newer method called vitrification, which prevents ice crystals from forming. His body remains there today.
Books He Wrote
- Fiction
- The Day of Sacrifice (1959)
- The Beggar (1965)
- Identity Card (1966)
- Non-fiction
- Optimism one; the emerging radicalism (1970)
- UpWingers: A Futurist Manifesto (1973)
- Telespheres (1977)
- Are You a Transhuman?: Monitoring and Stimulating Your Personal Rate of Growth in a Rapidly Changing World (1989)
See also
In Spanish: FM-2030 para niños
- Blue skies research
- Steve Fuller
- Breakthrough Institute
- Proactionary Principle
- Transhumanist politics
- Bright green environmentalism
- Lifeboat Foundation
- Space colonization
- Colonization of Mars
