Edit: added a paragraph nearing the end Usually the question is: "What is wrong with our society?", but I guess my gripe is that if you look at things with a System-lense, usually what you focus on is what has the most influence. In other words, if our Planet would...
Hello everyone reading, I'm writing this because I do not believe fixing peripheral things on LW is enough. And even though I wrote about it in a comment, I wanted to elaborate and highlight the issue through writing a post about it too. Even though this is not nearly as...
Edit: added a paragraph nearing the end
Usually the question is: "What is wrong with our society?", but I guess my gripe is that if you look at things with a System-lense, usually what you focus on is what has the most influence.
In other words, if our Planet would veer off course, it isn't really the fault of the Ants - even when they could have done more! The reason is bigger gravitational forces, or our Sun wanting some more space.
So, why would you blame a human being for something that seems to be governed by laws, forces and powers we A) don't fundamentally understand, B) can't fundamentally influence C) can't fundamentally change... (read 449 more words →)
Hello everyone reading,
I'm writing this because I do not believe fixing peripheral things on LW is enough. And even though I wrote about it in a comment, I wanted to elaborate and highlight the issue through writing a post about it too. Even though this is not nearly as succinctly written as many other authors here, I hope it can still serve its purpose as a call to action.
Even when the mods and users are engaged and participating, what I see in this current situation, is the underlying vagueness in purpose and identity. Issues that seem to have started way before my time (LW 2.0), are resurfacing, with the AI-user influx fanning... (read 590 more words →)
Hello,
I did enjoy the dialogues I've read so far, and would like to join one.
I tend to read a lot of different things, and as such am much better at drawing parallels and seeing associative links between different concepts or structures of thought, than delving into one in particular. This is useful for finding novel solutions to problems that are almost impossible to solve with a hammer - but you might have more luck with if you use a pair of scissors
It is hard to know if the issue is one that is best solved with a hammer or with something else - but I do believe I can help in dismissing... (read more)
Hello Unreal,
this was surprisingly relatable, despite us taking very different paths to reach similar conclusions.
The uncompromised mind is something I have sincerely delved into for a good while, and also the part where you describe discarding 'everything', is quite relaxing.
Some of your views seem complimentary, and some seem like none of us can be in the right, (or both, but just slightly).
My motivation was and never has been AI, though, and if that is a fixed point to you, maybe we can find out how/why we see it differently? I find the focus on AI to often lead to the kind of 'one X to solve everything' complacency our mind is so prone to. *Which is a very short version, on one reason of many.
Maybe you'd like to have a more in-depth talk as well. I'll send you a PM, so let me know what you think.
Kind regards
To answer the question to pose as a precision in your comment, if there are structures that could be analogous to intelligence, without being literal biological? - The simple answer to that is 'yes'.
What we call 'consciousness' is not a 'neutral' lens - and there is no issue with imagining and understanding that there could be types of 'consciousness' that are shaped by very different processes than our own.
Personally I want to be part of a conscious universe, where there is communication going in all directions, and there is a shared goal and purpose. Though, since the structures might be so different, even reaching the step where they are able to... (read more)
I tend to enjoy existential thoughts and ideas, and taking problems sincerely and staring at them head on. Adding in fluff to explain away realities, isn't the preferred way I would want to find answers.
Though, even when I agree with the usefulness of being more clear-headed about situations we face in reality, the more I thought about this example you used, and how you dismissed the various ways to 'explain away' the situation, I got to thinking about why I also don't find your comparison compelling.
Because, as you point out with regard to Camus, every action/inaction we make influences the world around us. Though in reality, the consequences are not clear to... (read 536 more words →)
Yes, it is true, but being King doesn't grant him omnipotence. The great rewards are guarded by someone, tallied by another, taxed by a third, available to some - similar to the great penalties. He is trusting in his power as king that his subjects will follow his every whim - when:
Who could he trust, when anyone around him might scheme for his throne?
The King trusts his subjects Directly by asking them to do things for him directly, trusts them indirectly by believing his given role as "King" is enough for them to follow this squandering of resources. He even 'trusts' that this 'trust' is strong enough to gather the kind of... (read more)
For a while I've been thinking about writing a continuation to the "Is there something fundamentally wrong with the Universe?" question. I've read through the answers, and it isn't that hard to build upon them and further investigate the issue. But something is seriously holding me back, and I'm not quite confident I know perfectly what it is.
Part of it is that I don't see the comments as that challenging to refute, in many ways. There are loopholes, contradictions and incoherence. At the same time, I don't know the answer either.
The obvious problem with saying that something is fundamentally flawed, is that on a physical level I am also fundamentally flawed. For... (read 358 more words →)
Sadly, LW isn't a community that I would say that I am a part of. I say that begrudgingly, as LW seems to 'have been' and still is, 'a decent place on the internet'.
The issue with being decent, is that it doesn't work long term, at least not for me.
Why did other people leave LW before? I'm not sure. Why do I want to leave? And what drew me here in the first place?
I came here to seek for people with integrity, people thinking outside the box, highly intelligent and willing to both pursue their individuality and take/give feedback from equals/peers - with the intention of getting help, but also provide support... (read 376 more words →)
Hello Jay Bailey,
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I seem to have overcomplicated the point made in this post by adding the system-lens to this situation. It isn't irrelevant, it is simply besides the point for Alice and Bob.
The goal I am focusing on is a 'system overhaul' not a concrete example like this.
I was also reminded of how detrimental the confrontational tone and haughtiness by Alice and the lack of clarity and self-understanding of Bob is for learning, change and understanding. How it creates a loop where the interaction itself doesn't seem to bring either any closer to being more in tune with their values and beliefs. It seems to further widen the gulf between their respective positions, instead of capitalizing on their respective differences to further improve on facets of their values-to-actions efficiency ratio that their opposite seems capable of helping them with.
But I didn't focus much on this point in my comment.
Kindly, Caerulea-Lawrence
Hello Firinn,
Thanks for the linked post, it was right on the money.
I see that I look at market-economy as a problem by itself, but I haven't really thought about money from a less idealistic point of view.
It is really hard to come to terms with the argument he makes, when the system money operates under is so flawed.
But maybe it is more of a general point. In the instance between Alice and Bob, they might not see or have the ability to try to change the system itself, and under those circumstances I have missed the point.
Again, thanks for the post.
Kindly, Caerulea-Lawrence
Hello Firinn,
I can relate to this post, even when I was never part of the EA-movement. When I was younger, I did join a climate-organization, and also had an account on kiva.org. And I would say there was a lot of guilt and confusion around my actions at that point, whilst simultaneously trying to do a lot of 'better than'-actions.
Your post is very extensive, and as such I find myself engaged by just reading one of the external links and the post itself. Therefore, my comment isn't really a comment to the whole post, but sees the post through one entry-point I thought might be valuable. I hope it is still useful... (read 1291 more words →)