Stupidity is underwritten by standardization, so this vacuous slipstream predated hyperconnection and instant gratification by several decades, when the likes of Rockefeller knew a captive population in school would be perfect meat for the machine if they were encouraged to be obedient and compliant drones, the perfect prelude for a later uncritical employee.
If kids are incentivised to copy and memorize, not explore and create, then it's only the most deviant, bloodyminded and persistent that are going to bust through the algorithmic crust and dilate on difference and depth.
Everyone else will be dutiful, programmed automatons, a production line that gets more refined with each quarterly report, now bathed in a fragmented, distracted and glitched out by digital static.
Ha, sound advice, as ever, my friend. Adn would you believe, while teaching at Soledad prison, I had a highschool student in my class who actually thought chocolate milk came from black cows.
The real tragedy was that much the class laughed at him, and I had a hard time keeping from snickering myself, before trying to explain his error away by pointing out what a consumer society we are, and especially if exposed only to city, in this case, inner city, reality.
And do I watch too much tick-tock myself? Yes, I do, mostly science and congressional hearings with touching animal and insect stuff to keep me from getting to overwhelmed!
My stock response to people encouraging the use of smartphone apps, GPS in cars, AI, etc., etc., is that I don't care to outsource my brain cells any more than necessary — especially at my age (72), when they're not as plentiful or as active. It's also why I still listen to more jazz than anything else. (On CD, thank you; I would rather own my music, books, etc. than rent them — again because I don't trust the current overlords.)
Our species' greatest evolutionary advantage has been our ability to make tools. But with AI, my fear is that we have finally jumped the shark and truly outsmarted ourselves.
A powerful skewering of the world we’re all immersed in—with a path to wrestle control of our lives, perfectly suited to start the year! Excellent writing, Bret!!!
"Intuition wears a cape. Premonition wears a mask". quote from The Gods Of The Gift by Arthur Rosch. My brain thanks me daily for taking up the study of piano.
Well that was interesting. I'd never heard of The Gods of the Gift by Arthur Rosch but it had a certain frisson so I did some digging on the zeros and ones superhighway.
Looks great, and will probably be an addition to my bookshelf. But what I thought I might really like to plough into is Confessions of an Honest Man -- that plot has the ring of familiarity.
Both novels are major aspects of my "work". They took decades to write. "Confessions" is easier going. It's about the making of a jazz musician. "Gods" is an epic SF meditation on power, space-time and is just crazy weird. Both should be fun reading and I hope you will take them on, Steve. I have to get these books moving. Email me and I'll send you freebies. Writernuts@gmail.com
I don’t know about mathematics and philosophy. Do crossword puzzles and Mahjong count? 🤣Getting out to hear good jazz is really my passion. Fortunate to live in Denver which has a tremendous jazz scene.
Loved your line about taking the elevator to the gym.
Stupidity is underwritten by standardization, so this vacuous slipstream predated hyperconnection and instant gratification by several decades, when the likes of Rockefeller knew a captive population in school would be perfect meat for the machine if they were encouraged to be obedient and compliant drones, the perfect prelude for a later uncritical employee.
If kids are incentivised to copy and memorize, not explore and create, then it's only the most deviant, bloodyminded and persistent that are going to bust through the algorithmic crust and dilate on difference and depth.
Everyone else will be dutiful, programmed automatons, a production line that gets more refined with each quarterly report, now bathed in a fragmented, distracted and glitched out by digital static.
Preach!
I've been struggling to read more and it's annoying as hell to stare at a page for ten minutes "reading" nothing.
The trick seems to be reading as fast as possible until the Brain engages. Then the comprehension will begin to grow.
Happy New Year!
Ha, sound advice, as ever, my friend. Adn would you believe, while teaching at Soledad prison, I had a highschool student in my class who actually thought chocolate milk came from black cows.
The real tragedy was that much the class laughed at him, and I had a hard time keeping from snickering myself, before trying to explain his error away by pointing out what a consumer society we are, and especially if exposed only to city, in this case, inner city, reality.
And do I watch too much tick-tock myself? Yes, I do, mostly science and congressional hearings with touching animal and insect stuff to keep me from getting to overwhelmed!
My stock response to people encouraging the use of smartphone apps, GPS in cars, AI, etc., etc., is that I don't care to outsource my brain cells any more than necessary — especially at my age (72), when they're not as plentiful or as active. It's also why I still listen to more jazz than anything else. (On CD, thank you; I would rather own my music, books, etc. than rent them — again because I don't trust the current overlords.)
Our species' greatest evolutionary advantage has been our ability to make tools. But with AI, my fear is that we have finally jumped the shark and truly outsmarted ourselves.
A powerful skewering of the world we’re all immersed in—with a path to wrestle control of our lives, perfectly suited to start the year! Excellent writing, Bret!!!
"Intuition wears a cape. Premonition wears a mask". quote from The Gods Of The Gift by Arthur Rosch. My brain thanks me daily for taking up the study of piano.
Well that was interesting. I'd never heard of The Gods of the Gift by Arthur Rosch but it had a certain frisson so I did some digging on the zeros and ones superhighway.
Looks great, and will probably be an addition to my bookshelf. But what I thought I might really like to plough into is Confessions of an Honest Man -- that plot has the ring of familiarity.
Both novels are major aspects of my "work". They took decades to write. "Confessions" is easier going. It's about the making of a jazz musician. "Gods" is an epic SF meditation on power, space-time and is just crazy weird. Both should be fun reading and I hope you will take them on, Steve. I have to get these books moving. Email me and I'll send you freebies. Writernuts@gmail.com
I don’t know about mathematics and philosophy. Do crossword puzzles and Mahjong count? 🤣Getting out to hear good jazz is really my passion. Fortunate to live in Denver which has a tremendous jazz scene.
Loved your line about taking the elevator to the gym.
Great writing altogether!