FM-2030 (born Fereidoun M. Esfandiary; October 15, 1930 – July 8, 2000) was a writer, teacher and public intellectual whose work helped shape early transhumanist thought. He took the name FM-2030 in the 1960s to express a break with traditional identity labels and to signal an optimistic commitment to a future in which human capacities would be transformed by technology. His writings, lectures and consultations addressed how biotechnology, longevity research and new social forms might change what it means to be human.
Life and career
Born in Brussels to a family with Iranian ties, Esfandiary lived and worked across several countries before settling in the United States. Over his career he taught, lectured and served as a consultant for institutions interested in long-range planning and social change. Early in life he also pursued athletic interests and later became known for a distinctive personal style and refusal to be confined by conventional national or professional labels. For a concise biography and overview of his public career, see the referenced sources.
Ideas and philosophy
FM-2030 is most often associated with the transhumanist movement, a philosophical and cultural current that advocates using emerging technologies to enhance human physical and cognitive capacities. His 1989 book, Are You a Transhuman?: Monitoring and Stimulating Your Personal Rate of Growth in a Rapidly Changing World, presented practical and cultural arguments for embracing technological change and personal development. He encouraged readers to consider longevity research, medical advances and internationalist social structures as ways to reduce suffering and expand opportunity. For context on the broader intellectual movement to which he contributed, consult introductions to transhumanism.
Works, influence and legacy
FM-2030 published essays and at least one well-known book that articulated his vision of a transitional "post-human" era. His public presence—through writing, teaching and appearances—helped popularize questions about identity, life extension and the ethical implications of rapid technological change. While some of his predictions proved optimistic, his emphasis on anticipating long-term social effects of technology influenced later futurists and scholars.
- Notable publication: Are You a Transhuman? (1989) — a practical manifesto for personal adaptation to accelerating change.
- Activities: lectures, essays, teaching and consulting on futures and planning.
- Distinctive choice: legally and publicly adopting the name FM-2030 to emphasize a forward-looking identity.
FM-2030 died in 2000. In keeping with his long-standing interest in life extension and future technologies, his decision to pursue cryonic preservation attracted attention and remains part of his public legacy; details about that arrangement are available from organizations involved in cryonics here. Collections of his papers and further commentary on his thought can be found through academic and archival resources and selected compilations of futurist writing on his works.