New blog post up (Sept 1)

[justdrew]

Once we have machines doing our high-level thinking

not ever going to be possible. Even if we could somehow make such a machine, the first thing would have to be... to ask it if it wants to do our high-level thinking. Really, I don't think we're anywhere near being able to make such fully functional "I." - "A.I." yes, but not "I" - but if it is possible, the Woz seems to be dreaming of building slaves. Far more likely is that any such "high-level thinking machine" would in fact, simply be a Mechanical Turk, or the Wizard of Oz. (the Wizard of Woz?). Quality decision support systems and A.I. can enable the current crop of lords of the earth to dream of their eternal rule, their endless promulgation of standards, but in the end, it's just another dream. Hopefully reality is inexorably moving in the other direction, toward radical decentralization and local self-sufficiency. The main thing there is going to be the need to spread technical and social education, the knowledge of how to do, build, and imagine new things, while understanding the environment (past and future). The next MAJOR thing to watch for is the sprouting of free education systems; not just basic things, but hard science and engineering, the whole range offered by the universities.

[Stephen Morgan]

Whatever mister Bonobos are all bloodthirsty genocidal maniacs. (THats Steve)

Sentence needs more punctuation, Joe.

Animals lack the forethought and intent to be bloodthirsty genocidal maniacs. They aren't all peacy, either. People who see bonobos as peaceful are just seeing what they want to be their, like people who think cats are intelligent or dogs are friendly or ferrets are ravenous.

See for example, Bonoboes hunting monkeys like chimps do, being the third ape after humans and Orangutans to practice cannibalism, so forth.

A note on de Waal, who Jeff quotes:

It is one of the oddities of the bonobo world—and a source of frustration to some—that Frans de Waal, of Emory University, the high-profile Dutch primatologist and writer, who is the most frequently quoted authority on the species, has never seen a wild bonobo.

Not that I expect anything to change the mind of the more determined hippy-chimp proselytes. Want a monkey to admire? Find a mirror.

Jeff mentioned the new man there, too.

Colossians 3:9-11:

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Ephesians 4:23-25:

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

[Marie Laveau]

Jeff! My daughter is a Master's candidate in cultural anthro, with her thesis focus in systems theory and cybernetics!

Oh, this is just ICING for me, I tell you! We are constantly having these very "discussions." Which is a nice way of saying we tend to disagree over the efficacy of transhumanism.

Your brilliant essay should make for at least a few days of meat and bones to growl and haggle over.

[Joe Hillshoist]

The Cannibalism thing is really interesting actually. Its like the dominant female in that case ate the baby cos it was dead but the mum was acting like it wasn't. A bit of a wake up call I guess.

I thought it was known that Bonobos were violent, just not as violent by a significant degree.

People who see bonobos as peaceful are just seeing what they want to be their, like people who think cats are intelligent or dogs are friendly or ferrets are ravenous.

What are you on about now? You make so many category errors you could be from Yorkshire.



JDrew its not the higher level thinking thats the problem.

We already have machines to tell us where we are, where we are going, and how to get there. Not to mention who we are and what are sposed to be doing.

High level thinking ain't much use if you can't even place yourself in the world.

[lucky]

No blog posts for months n months (year?) and all I can do is read the few snippets in the other posts untill I get home (my work wont allow me to get on to blogs....AAAAhhhhggg another 3 hours til I get home - cant wait!

[seemslikeadream]

I share this nightmare with you so to dream again

Employment
From Argentina-based animator Santiago Grasso, a short, surreal, award-winning film about working for the man.

[semper occultus]

rigorousintuition.ca

John Gray on humanity's quest for immortality

[Marie Laveau]

I think the only comfort I can force upon myself is that maybe this is all just part of the evolutionary process that my short-lived life (and mind ) can't grasp.

The story isn't mine, for sure. Or really anyone I know.

A quote I ponder from the singularity types, "Are you living life or is life living you?" Indeed.

Jeff, I have to tell you, your post really cements what has been my inability to to totally grasp why Cheney has lived so long...outside the fact that he has quality medical caretm. The truth is, he understands the future and has been more than willing to offer himself up as an experimental model for the trans(bridge)human. He may look like hell, but he's still alive. In a Brave New World kind of way. Which is all that really matters now.

After Joe Bageant's passing, and your non-posting, I was at a loss for where to turn for truly brilliant writing. Thanks for the cyber-literature.

[2012 Countdown]

Just posting to say thank you Jeff, and that I really enjoyed the post. I really enjoy your word play and writing style. Speaking as a person not blessed with the gift of wordsmith and turn of phrase language skills, it is satisfying to see words express one's inner feelings, and say 'yes!' as one reads along.

[elfismiles]

and

[Plutonia]

Hopefully reality is inexorably moving in the other direction, toward radical decentralization and local self-sufficiency. The main thing there is going to be the need to spread technical and social education, the knowledge of how to do, build, and imagine new things, while understanding the environment (past and future). The next MAJOR thing to watch for is the sprouting of free education systems; not just basic things, but hard science and engineering, the whole range offered by the universities.

A Network of Farmers, Engineers, and Supporters Building the Global Village Construction Set

The Global Village Construction Set (GVCS) is a modular, DIY, low-cost, high-performance platform that allows for the easy fabrication of the 50 different Industrial Machines that it takes to build a small, sustainable civilization with modern comforts.

http://opensourceecology.org/

[dqueue]

New blog post, and it's a doozy.

Thank you, sir, may I have another? No time soon, of course; I anticipate chewing on this for awhile.

[Pele'sDaughter]

We've been looking forward to it, and we're not disappointed. Good work as always, Jeff.

[barracuda]

W.O.O.

More wonderment is exactly what is needed and necessary at this point in the fascist takeover. Why do you think the State apparatus is curtailing arts and music programs for young students across the country? Because it's dangerous, that's why. Not all wonderment occludes our understanding of our world and its processes. Only the unfocused and untrained astonishment at the technological marvels provided for distractive purposes. Amazement upon realising the beauty of our world and the direness of our predicament within it is the prerequisite for summoning a backlash against the hatred and greed. The fascists would surely rather you look at a screen than a blade of grass.

Education in the realm of math and science, while important, will never be the paramount method of seeing through the billowing swells of bullshit that fascism pours over our heads. Those are their tools - they set the parameters and the objectives within that discourse, and always have. Few things are more needed at this moment than a transcendent juncture of planet-wide wonderment which provides for us all an urgent model of what we need to do to overcome the war against the forces that would destroy everything. Such a moment is something you can actively work towards. And that's the last thing they want. I just hope that juncture is not mere baffled wonderment at the scope of the inevitability of our end. After all, what's more astounding than annihilation? That's right where they want us - transfixed and speechless, staring at the fire.

Sorry for the knee-jerk response. I can't help myself. Great post, Jeff.

[8bitagent]

Well that was worth the two year wait! Love the seamless weaving of academia and pop culture malapropism. That study of compartmentalized "multitasking" in college student's brains(endless text/twitter/facebook/laptops AND trying to listen to the professor...bad news) is interesting as I sometimes forget how deep the reprogramming has been. This whole post touches on this thick fog I myself have felt more and more recently.

It is HIGHLY sickening how much of the biggest technological advances are concentrated on new ways to kill villagers.
To have gone from the wheel, fire, and science to this:



and this



Autotuning, lolcats, mashups, remixes, endless franchised film reboots and dubstep "music" pretty much represent the end of the bus line called society to me.

Welcome to the future