We can't know the right questions about much of anything until after the fact. Hindsight is the greatest of teachers.
The question of human agency is especially daunting. To what extent, if any, do we really have agency? Researchers have already found that we tend to act on instinct, and then rationalize it as making a choice.
We're careening into some unknown high tech infused future mainly because a small number of overpowered oligarchs are profiteering from it. What's happening is far over the heads of politicians, as well as the average citizen, so there are no guardrails.
Personally, I believe we're still a ways off from the total collapse of human intelligence, although the curve is clearly bending in that direction. If/when that time arrives, the last remaining humans will be little more than vegetables. Even now, some folks consider themselves technologically savvy because they know which icons to tap on their phone.
Did you see the charts in the Financial times yesterday? Very worrying about the decline in intelligence. Too many people are not willing to engage in thinking - https://x.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1900537267308937416
You are right, the curve is bending in the direction.
Will Charles Lindblom's "The Science of Muddling Through" (HBR 19(2), 1959) be enough to save the day with respect to the power of AI concentrated in a few hands, whose agenda is not totally clear but one suspects is world domination through technical means?
In every 'crash' in every civilisation's history, there is always a remnant who survive and eventually prosper again. Myths and legends carry messages from those times before, as well as do ancient indestructible temples built with technological capability that far surpasses our own. It appears we learn very little from history, which is why it repeats itself.
Lem's book is amazing, 60 years on. But smokers still smoke, knowing it's killing them. Knowledge of the downside is not enough. There has to be something much bigger that grabs the human heart to live for, rather than just to avoid. I believe that that 'something to live for' can be found in the rediscovery of our indigenous (autochtonous) roots - something noted in Veronika's post for tomorrow (Saturday 15th March), the introduction to her book on Synchronosophy.
Great reminder about The Science of Muddling Through, I will re-read it today. Yesterday I had a conversation about Wyndham, someone else brought him up after your comment - amazing how that works!
You are right, a couple of months ago I wrote about B.H. Liddell Hart’s book, Why Don’t We Learn From History? History, for all its lessons, often falls on deaf ears. People after heart surgery return to the old destructive behaviors after 9 months!
Lem was particularly visionary in his writing, mainly because he carefully studied science journals and looked at what might society look like if they build what they hope.
You are right, we flounder because we lost touch with the land, chasing consumption and keeping up with the joneses instead of enjoying what we have, eating vegetables and fruit from our own land and relaxing in the comfort of nature.
Looking forward to reading Veronika's 'introduction' today.
Where did Lem write, "Intellect may exist without wisdom, just as strength may exist without responsibility." I cannot find a citation and a search for this verbatim or key sub-phrases all point to this blog post. I am including it in my Quotes for Entrepreneurs Curated in March 2025 but would appreciate any more details you can share on your source for this.
Good spot, on my notes I actually wrote paraphrasing Lem, but missed it in my draft on substack. From Krakow, 1966. I'll get my notes at the office tomorrow.
We can't know the right questions about much of anything until after the fact. Hindsight is the greatest of teachers.
The question of human agency is especially daunting. To what extent, if any, do we really have agency? Researchers have already found that we tend to act on instinct, and then rationalize it as making a choice.
We're careening into some unknown high tech infused future mainly because a small number of overpowered oligarchs are profiteering from it. What's happening is far over the heads of politicians, as well as the average citizen, so there are no guardrails.
Personally, I believe we're still a ways off from the total collapse of human intelligence, although the curve is clearly bending in that direction. If/when that time arrives, the last remaining humans will be little more than vegetables. Even now, some folks consider themselves technologically savvy because they know which icons to tap on their phone.
Did you see the charts in the Financial times yesterday? Very worrying about the decline in intelligence. Too many people are not willing to engage in thinking - https://x.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1900537267308937416
You are right, the curve is bending in the direction.
Pretty shocking. I didn't realize the decline was that steep.
Will Charles Lindblom's "The Science of Muddling Through" (HBR 19(2), 1959) be enough to save the day with respect to the power of AI concentrated in a few hands, whose agenda is not totally clear but one suspects is world domination through technical means?
In every 'crash' in every civilisation's history, there is always a remnant who survive and eventually prosper again. Myths and legends carry messages from those times before, as well as do ancient indestructible temples built with technological capability that far surpasses our own. It appears we learn very little from history, which is why it repeats itself.
Lem's book is amazing, 60 years on. But smokers still smoke, knowing it's killing them. Knowledge of the downside is not enough. There has to be something much bigger that grabs the human heart to live for, rather than just to avoid. I believe that that 'something to live for' can be found in the rediscovery of our indigenous (autochtonous) roots - something noted in Veronika's post for tomorrow (Saturday 15th March), the introduction to her book on Synchronosophy.
Great reminder about The Science of Muddling Through, I will re-read it today. Yesterday I had a conversation about Wyndham, someone else brought him up after your comment - amazing how that works!
You are right, a couple of months ago I wrote about B.H. Liddell Hart’s book, Why Don’t We Learn From History? History, for all its lessons, often falls on deaf ears. People after heart surgery return to the old destructive behaviors after 9 months!
Lem was particularly visionary in his writing, mainly because he carefully studied science journals and looked at what might society look like if they build what they hope.
You are right, we flounder because we lost touch with the land, chasing consumption and keeping up with the joneses instead of enjoying what we have, eating vegetables and fruit from our own land and relaxing in the comfort of nature.
Looking forward to reading Veronika's 'introduction' today.
Great article, again! Gives even more food for thought...
Where did Lem write, "Intellect may exist without wisdom, just as strength may exist without responsibility." I cannot find a citation and a search for this verbatim or key sub-phrases all point to this blog post. I am including it in my Quotes for Entrepreneurs Curated in March 2025 but would appreciate any more details you can share on your source for this.
Good spot, on my notes I actually wrote paraphrasing Lem, but missed it in my draft on substack. From Krakow, 1966. I'll get my notes at the office tomorrow.
I publish on Mon-Mar-31 (end of Month) I will just credit you and this post if you cannot find the real cite.