I could not take the picture (avatar) on this page. So big!! I had to recover from seeing it before I could start to read. There is just so much in it to "unpack" and I guess that is what CAD is doing.
Klein et al really just want all that techno optimism and utopian aspiration of the early Obama era back, but it ain't happening. I've noticed with, for instance, AI, that the proponents of the tech don't even pretend that it's going to benefit mankind. Just today I saw a video of Scam Altman saying that AI is going to eliminate every white collar job within 5 years, which is obvious bullshit, but also, if that were the case, then WHY would anyone be working toward this goal?
I think the heyday of techno optimism was more the 90s, and 00s. If it wasn't fading by the time Obama came into office it was certainly gone by the end of his second term.
On the question of why anyone would want to make white collar jobs obsolete via AI I don't think it's too hard to imagine some plausible motives. A committed capitalist could say that, just as happened in the past, the jobs lost through labour saving devices in one area freed up people to work in other areas of the economy as well as creating whole new types of jobs. An anti-work liberal would argue that AI automation is necessary to usher in a post work society where people are free to pursue more fulfilling pastimes, like contemplating their gender and masturbating to furry porn. You know, the stuff the enlightenment has been building too for centuries...
They continue working towards it and still have optimism because they look past the transitional period of absolute chaos that it will cause and only focus on the "utopia" that comes later down the line if we even make it that far. They are in it for themselves and the "glory" that comes with it, they use the future fantasy of a "utopia" to justify their actions in the present
I tried listening to Klein in convo with Sam Harris years ago. They had the same off-putting dynamic of trying to out hair-split each other. Dull and pointless, a caviling argument between a "two spaces after a period" and a "one space after a period" guy.
I gave up after 30 minutes or so. Maybe they got to the hot magma of metaphysical differences later but who cares. Humorless grad school semanticists.
One you acknowledge the framework of "libs are the new conservatives, as they seek to conserve the power theyve accumulated in instituions" it does make more sense why the politically conservative justices on SCOTUS are finding bedfellows with the progressive justices (the "we must respect procedure and norms, Mr. Trump, even though the libs do not and are never held accountable" justices)
I used to think progressives were taking advantage of the libs. But progressives really just embrace social nihilism and a rejection of past social and cultural values.
If you accept a framework where the libs are seeking to conserve their institutional power as their overarching guiding framework, perhaps its more accurate to say the libs are taking advantage of progressives -- as institutions will only become more and more powerful as social cohesion erodes.
In the short term, with Biden literally asleep at the wheel, progressives perhaps were taking advantage of the libs. But its the long game that matters.
Klein is suffering for being at the NYT, where his twice-weekly podcast has to churn out news-related (meaning Trump-related) content ad nauseum. It's simply boring. His strengths are detailed policy and his own niche interests, but evidently he's unable to pursue those topics. He's not so different from Tyler Cowen, who is amazing when talking to weirdos and boring when interviewing economists or billionaires.
i've been missing that buttigieg avatar in my life
I could not take the picture (avatar) on this page. So big!! I had to recover from seeing it before I could start to read. There is just so much in it to "unpack" and I guess that is what CAD is doing.
Klein et al really just want all that techno optimism and utopian aspiration of the early Obama era back, but it ain't happening. I've noticed with, for instance, AI, that the proponents of the tech don't even pretend that it's going to benefit mankind. Just today I saw a video of Scam Altman saying that AI is going to eliminate every white collar job within 5 years, which is obvious bullshit, but also, if that were the case, then WHY would anyone be working toward this goal?
I think the heyday of techno optimism was more the 90s, and 00s. If it wasn't fading by the time Obama came into office it was certainly gone by the end of his second term.
On the question of why anyone would want to make white collar jobs obsolete via AI I don't think it's too hard to imagine some plausible motives. A committed capitalist could say that, just as happened in the past, the jobs lost through labour saving devices in one area freed up people to work in other areas of the economy as well as creating whole new types of jobs. An anti-work liberal would argue that AI automation is necessary to usher in a post work society where people are free to pursue more fulfilling pastimes, like contemplating their gender and masturbating to furry porn. You know, the stuff the enlightenment has been building too for centuries...
They continue working towards it and still have optimism because they look past the transitional period of absolute chaos that it will cause and only focus on the "utopia" that comes later down the line if we even make it that far. They are in it for themselves and the "glory" that comes with it, they use the future fantasy of a "utopia" to justify their actions in the present
Altman has spoken extensively about (his take on) the widespread benefits of AGI, but he doesn't cover it in every single interview
And we should remember that the capability of doing all white color jobs does not mean 100% elimination of all jobs
I tried listening to Klein in convo with Sam Harris years ago. They had the same off-putting dynamic of trying to out hair-split each other. Dull and pointless, a caviling argument between a "two spaces after a period" and a "one space after a period" guy.
I gave up after 30 minutes or so. Maybe they got to the hot magma of metaphysical differences later but who cares. Humorless grad school semanticists.
Excellent use of “caviling.” But that’s the typical currency of this crowd, one-upping with the hair-splitting disguised as genuine curiosity.
*cackles like the emperor* goooooood
You’re back. I can stop drinking now.
So happy to see you here.
I signed up to substack for this. 10/10 would do again.
I might actually open substack now
Glad that you're going to be writing here. Sad that you're no longer engaging in psychic warfare against the libs on twitter.
Most excellent news.
Yes. I needed a source to be attended to by to continually expedite my stupication. Or whatever Alice thought was happening here.
One you acknowledge the framework of "libs are the new conservatives, as they seek to conserve the power theyve accumulated in instituions" it does make more sense why the politically conservative justices on SCOTUS are finding bedfellows with the progressive justices (the "we must respect procedure and norms, Mr. Trump, even though the libs do not and are never held accountable" justices)
I used to think progressives were taking advantage of the libs. But progressives really just embrace social nihilism and a rejection of past social and cultural values.
If you accept a framework where the libs are seeking to conserve their institutional power as their overarching guiding framework, perhaps its more accurate to say the libs are taking advantage of progressives -- as institutions will only become more and more powerful as social cohesion erodes.
In the short term, with Biden literally asleep at the wheel, progressives perhaps were taking advantage of the libs. But its the long game that matters.
I’m glad I got to see you writing again!
This will be less funny (your riffing was truly monstrous) but now you can "stretch out."
A presto, Sr.
It’s like welcoming back an old friend. (Albeit an old friend I’ve never met rarely maybe never talked to) bit an old friend nonetheless
Klein is suffering for being at the NYT, where his twice-weekly podcast has to churn out news-related (meaning Trump-related) content ad nauseum. It's simply boring. His strengths are detailed policy and his own niche interests, but evidently he's unable to pursue those topics. He's not so different from Tyler Cowen, who is amazing when talking to weirdos and boring when interviewing economists or billionaires.
Now there's a comeback I didn't see coming. Nice to see you here CAP!