5 ms·

Wouldn't be surprised if they soon move to track everyone's DNA and we will be living in a "Brave new World" future.

pmlnr 8y ago
1984. "Brave New World" doesn't need things like that, it's a much more terrifying future, when everyone is happy in their little golden cage.
- squarefoot 8y ago
  That would be more close to The Matrix.
  - pmlnr 8y ago
    Have you read "Brave New World"? Genetically engineered people, sorted into categories of capabilities, with all their needs for happiness provided, including recreational drugs.
    - oAlbe 8y ago
      > sorted into categories of capabilities Artificially and massively genetically engineered and bred into categories, not sorted. It's an important distinction.
      - pmlnr 8y ago
        This is a better description indeed.
      - jfk13 8y ago
        So today, even if we haven't gone far down the genetic engineering path yet, we do have the tools for massive-scale social engineering. I wonder which will prove the more critical enabling factor for our very own dystopia?
      - orbifold 8y ago
        The breeding and sorting is largely redundant given that Humans follow a capability bell curve naturally. Singapore, China try their best to tease apart that curve as accurately as possible. So does Israel (everyone takes an Intelligence test at 18 and this factors into which University classes you can attend, the Army unit you get assigned to and if you receive unsolicited Job offers by Intelligence Agencies (Mossad, Shabak))
        throw0101a 8y ago
        I'd probably not want the results to be put into a central database, but I think this testing may a be a good idea in general if the only person that knows is the test taker. A lot of people have no idea what to do as a career, so both an IQ and a Big Five test may allow people to know more about themselves. I know Myers-Briggs is unscientific, but something like it could also help in determining good career paths. Have one test towards the end of elementary school and another at the end of secondary. (People can of course take them more often if they wish.)
    - squarefoot 8y ago
      I haven't, and it's not the 1st time someone names that book to me, so I have to read it one day. The big problem though will be getting back to narrative; there has been a moment in my life when I got immersed into technical manuals, whether for work or personal projects, and from that moment I stopped completely to read novels: I still have that half read book by Gregory Benford with the bookmark set where I stopped; after that I didn't read a single novel in almost two decades although I was an avid (mostly sci-fi) reader. I don't have an answer for this, it just happened. I hope time will change this.
- rusk 8y ago
  Is it though? My reading of Brave New World was that it was at least consensual. I’m after reading Seveneves and I see some parrallels between these societies. In context it really doesnt seem so much sinister as a way for humanity to survive. 1984 was despotic.
  - rglullis 8y ago
    Today you are one of the lucky 10000: https://biblioklept.org/2013/06/08/huxley-vs-orwell-the-webcomic-2/ https://biblioklept.org/2013/06/08/huxley-vs-orwell-the-webc...
    - latexr 8y ago
      > Today you are one of the lucky 10000 For those who might not get the reference: https://www.xkcd.com/1053/ https://www.xkcd.com/1053/
    - rusk 8y ago
      Yes indeed, but I am not actually “wrong”. Cute cartoon though!
    - GoblinSlayer 8y ago
      I don't think there was much of a difference. Effectively BNW=1984+drugs, but because there are no such drugs, 1984 is the only implementable option, pseudo-BNW is unsustainable, doesn't solve their problems and so is just a detour, because they couldn't go 1984 directly due to technical problems.
      - rusk 8y ago
        I don’t belive 1984 is sustainable either. Its too rigid to withstand external events. BNW on the other hand, has tacot consent of all involved and is self reinforcing.
      - mises 8y ago
        Both are similar in premise: the proletariat is distracted and kept down by something. Think of the sort of content that is produced in 1984; in Brave New World it is simply drugs instead. It makes you wonder about the spread of video games, instantly accessible entertainment, increased drug use, etc.
- GoblinSlayer 8y ago
  The mandatory BNW bracelet serves that purpose and more. And IIRC they had a big data center that oversaw well-being of citizens.

1984. "Brave New World" doesn't need things like that, it's a much more terrifying future, when everyone is happy in their little golden cage.

squarefoot 8y ago
That would be more close to The Matrix.
- pmlnr 8y ago
  Have you read "Brave New World"? Genetically engineered people, sorted into categories of capabilities, with all their needs for happiness provided, including recreational drugs.
  - oAlbe 8y ago
    > sorted into categories of capabilities Artificially and massively genetically engineered and bred into categories, not sorted. It's an important distinction.
    - pmlnr 8y ago
      This is a better description indeed.
    - jfk13 8y ago
      So today, even if we haven't gone far down the genetic engineering path yet, we do have the tools for massive-scale social engineering. I wonder which will prove the more critical enabling factor for our very own dystopia?
    - orbifold 8y ago
      The breeding and sorting is largely redundant given that Humans follow a capability bell curve naturally. Singapore, China try their best to tease apart that curve as accurately as possible. So does Israel (everyone takes an Intelligence test at 18 and this factors into which University classes you can attend, the Army unit you get assigned to and if you receive unsolicited Job offers by Intelligence Agencies (Mossad, Shabak))
      - throw0101a 8y ago
        I'd probably not want the results to be put into a central database, but I think this testing may a be a good idea in general if the only person that knows is the test taker. A lot of people have no idea what to do as a career, so both an IQ and a Big Five test may allow people to know more about themselves. I know Myers-Briggs is unscientific, but something like it could also help in determining good career paths. Have one test towards the end of elementary school and another at the end of secondary. (People can of course take them more often if they wish.)
  - squarefoot 8y ago
    I haven't, and it's not the 1st time someone names that book to me, so I have to read it one day. The big problem though will be getting back to narrative; there has been a moment in my life when I got immersed into technical manuals, whether for work or personal projects, and from that moment I stopped completely to read novels: I still have that half read book by Gregory Benford with the bookmark set where I stopped; after that I didn't read a single novel in almost two decades although I was an avid (mostly sci-fi) reader. I don't have an answer for this, it just happened. I hope time will change this.
rusk 8y ago
Is it though? My reading of Brave New World was that it was at least consensual. I’m after reading Seveneves and I see some parrallels between these societies. In context it really doesnt seem so much sinister as a way for humanity to survive. 1984 was despotic.
- rglullis 8y ago
  Today you are one of the lucky 10000: https://biblioklept.org/2013/06/08/huxley-vs-orwell-the-webcomic-2/ https://biblioklept.org/2013/06/08/huxley-vs-orwell-the-webc...
  - latexr 8y ago
    > Today you are one of the lucky 10000 For those who might not get the reference: https://www.xkcd.com/1053/ https://www.xkcd.com/1053/
  - rusk 8y ago
    Yes indeed, but I am not actually “wrong”. Cute cartoon though!
  - GoblinSlayer 8y ago
    I don't think there was much of a difference. Effectively BNW=1984+drugs, but because there are no such drugs, 1984 is the only implementable option, pseudo-BNW is unsustainable, doesn't solve their problems and so is just a detour, because they couldn't go 1984 directly due to technical problems.
    - rusk 8y ago
      I don’t belive 1984 is sustainable either. Its too rigid to withstand external events. BNW on the other hand, has tacot consent of all involved and is self reinforcing.
    - mises 8y ago
      Both are similar in premise: the proletariat is distracted and kept down by something. Think of the sort of content that is produced in 1984; in Brave New World it is simply drugs instead. It makes you wonder about the spread of video games, instantly accessible entertainment, increased drug use, etc.
GoblinSlayer 8y ago
The mandatory BNW bracelet serves that purpose and more. And IIRC they had a big data center that oversaw well-being of citizens.