Wednesday, August 31st, 2022
Dear Freedom Friends,
It’s a bit hard to get through a day without hearing about Artificial Intelligence these days. It seems that we must deal with this wee beastie (in order to prevent it from becoming an apocalyptic monster of epic proportions).
I’ll start with my morning ruminations, which ambled through my mind as I walked into Kilkenny, Ireland this morning to buy a beef and vegetable pasty!
In the many conversations I’ve had with strong advocates for a glorious future, created by the unquestionably superior logic of Artificial Intelligence and all of the other many benefits to be gleaned by humanity, I’ve noticed that “disconnection” seems to be a frequent theme…
Disconnection From Nature & Food
“Robotics is going to revolutionize agriculture, so no one will have to do those miserable, dirty and boringly laborious jobs anymore.”
First off, I’m a gardener and a farmer. I LOVE getting my hands dirty. I LOVE the sound of the bees, and my relationship with them, as I grow what they need to survive and they reciprocate by fertilizing my plants. I enjoy the feel of fuzz on freshly picked (unwashed) strawberries, the prickly points that make cucumber harvesting just a little bit dangerous, stepping nimbly through the pumpkin field and crawling through raspberry canes a few feet taller than I am - and I admire and respect a hard day’s work. The pride in a job well done. The personal sense of achievement and gratification that comes from concretely valuable work - where you produce an end product with your own hands. Not to mention, the sheer joy of being amongst my natural brethren, employing my animalistic survival skills and ensuring my self-sufficiency on a planet that is wildly beyond the control of mere mortals.
In other words, my kinship with the natural ebb and flow of nature’s bounty and my physical relationship with the land cause me to be greatly concerned by those who assume their dislike of dirt, worms, insects, strenuous physical effort, the miraculous power of composted animal shit (manure) and so on…justifies a derogatory opinion of farming & their resulting belief that land worked by robots alone would be the better option.
Disconnection From Fellow Humans
“Did you know there are robots that serve as companions? People will no longer be dependent upon finding a partner - you can have conversations, the robot is just like a person!”
This quote is deeply concerning, because the woman who said it was dead serious. She’s also unmarried, without children and lives/works alone at home — as an AI creative with serious professional aspirations. I have no doubt she will achieve her goals - and - I have to wonder if her own lack of human companionship has lowered her expectations of what it means to have “a conversation?”
At the risk of sounding crude, AI companions remind me of blow up sex dolls. How often are these purchased by men in a happy relationship versus human males suffering from extreme isolation and loneliness? What will happen to our society if we create, nurture, encourage, normalize and market a robotic AI “opt-out option” for people who are honestly in need of friends, family, co-workers and lovers…in the flesh?
Forget about “going postal.” Want to increase social ostracism and broken humans who eventually crack and lash out? Further their disconnect from reality and humanity.
Think Westworld is Fantasy? Read the caption below…
Haven’t watched Westworld? Do so!
In my view, there is no adequate replacement for real, living companions. Blow-up Dolls are horrible lovers, smart phones and home gaming systems are insufficient babysitters, and computer programmed robotic stuffed animals are spiritually and energetically vacant compared to the warm arms and loving attention of a living being - human or not human.
I love this quote, and it leapt to mind a few years back when I picked up a magazine in a waiting room and read a story about robots that were dressed up to look like baby harp seals. They were then given to Japanese senior citizens - for companionship. The reasoning? The younger generations didn’t have time for their elders, so the soft, fuzzy robot fills the gap — and, it cut costs. Clearly, paying for a robot is cheaper (in the long run) than paying a human being to provide tender, loving care.
But, is it moral, ethical or right?
Here’s the article: https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Robotic-seals-and-bionic-limbs-How-Japan-is-creating-opportunity-for-medtech
I’ll close out with one of my favorite photos & a few questions for all of you:
There are so many more reasons to be intensely concerned about the headlong race toward what I prefer to call “Advanced Human-Falsifying Programming.” I will touch upon them soon. For now, PLEASE share your thoughts and answers to the questions below! I will take them into account, as I write my next article.
Q: “Can we safely employ advanced programming?”
Q: “Should we allow human mimicking robots to be created? What will be the effect on our fool-able human brains?”
Q: “Would you allow your child to be taught by a robotic teacher in school?”
Things to think about…
It seems to me that, at the risk of painting the world with a broad brush, the more isolated a person is in their life - the more appealing the idea of Artificial Intelligence. If a person is living a solitary existence, and they *wish* they had more companionship…then it makes sense that they would be open to the idea of having their emotional/social needs met by a computer. It’s a matter of perspective, I think. Why else would one person be attracted to the idea of emotionally bonding with an artifact, an idol, a figurine or a moveable statue that has been exquisitely programmed to trick you? Because that’s what Artificial Intelligence does. It fools you.
I’m amazed at how open human beings are to suggestion. Not only, I suppose - but vulnerable. On one hand, it’s our greatest strength. Our source of creativity and the reason we are capable of imagining so many tremendous & amazing concepts. Yet, to create responsibly, we also need the skills of consideration, evaluation, cause & effect, logic and plausibility. At some point, a person asked a very intriguing question.
“Can an artificial form of intelligence be alive?”
This question is fascinating.
Isaac Asimov created a science fiction world where humans considered other humans to be dirty. This planet had very few, extremely wealthy humans who live surrounded by mostly robots, and (if I remember correctly) over time, they’re immune systems had become weakened by the lack of exposure to microbes and other natural health challenges. For these reasons, the majority of their interactions were with robots (programmed with AI, of course).
That is a great read! Getting back to basic nature myself after a prolonged absence. The writing about gardening made my pulse race.
AI is not for me. Seems they want to replace every manual labor job with robotics. Is it because these douchebags have never experienced the satisfaction of having to grunt and sweat to really earn a buck? So it’s considered below them? Harari is a clueless wanker.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vIzSTz0uF_s