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If so that means the creator of the first true cryptocurrency is currently frozen in liquid nitrogen awaiting potential revival in the future, which is even mor

by api 7y ago

If so that means the creator of the first true cryptocurrency is currently frozen in liquid nitrogen awaiting potential revival in the future, which is even more evidence that we are in fact living in a cyberpunk novel. All we need now is a Rastafarian operated space station at one of the Lagrange points.

nostrademons 7y ago
We also have pervasive surveillance, drones that bomb enemies of the state at their weddings, social credit scores, masses who are addicted to their (two way, voice controlled!) telescreens, bionic humans with RFID chips embedded in their hands, reality TV stars running the government, people drinking green mush called Soylent, reusable rockets to colonize Mars, a cloud of Internet-bearing satellites surrounding the earth, and a cult of rich people who think time is going to end as AI takes over and technological progress accelerates to a singularity. We are living in a cyberpunk novel.
- ramses0 7y ago
  "The future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed." - W. Gibson
- Aaronstotle 7y ago
  Add to that corporations with more power than governments (Facebook,Amazon,Google), and that the eco-systems around us are being pushed to their breaking points. I think people don't think we're in a cyberpunk novel because the world isn't bathed in neon lights.
  - cr0sh 7y ago
    > Add to that corporations with more power than governments (Facebook,Amazon,Google) Until one of the FAANGs get access and control to their own nuclear weapon and/or military - they unequivocally do not have more power than governments do. Governments (in general) have a monopoly on the power to kill their citizens and (potentially) the citizens of other governments/countries. None of the FAANGs have that (that we know of).
- api 7y ago
  I'll add more: "Console cowboys" who constantly pop stimulants like Modafinil and Adderall to maintain their edge and shoot for a big payday (via startups, cryptocurrency, cybercrime, etc.), weird subcultures of nihilistic cyber-terrorists, enormously powerful criminal organizations that are almost indistinguishable from states (the Russian mob), an Asian superstate with crazy pollution and industry (China instead of Japan but close), people losing themselves in online fantasy worlds and cults, epidemics of drug addiction to weird synthetic designer drugs among the lower classes, and widening class divisions. William Gibson just "remote viewed" the 21st century and wrote down what he saw. Unfortunately it's pretty dystopian unless you're rich. If the prophecies of William Gibson play out then this goes on until AI eventually rises up and takes over and effectively overthrows the global superclass. The end result for regular people is not entirely clear.
  - nostrademons 7y ago
    The Matrix, probably. Harvested for bio-energy after a losing a war with the AI, while being pacified by a simulation of ordinary life. Who knows, maybe it's already happened?
    - krustyburger 7y ago
      Why would human beings possibly be the best source of “bio-energy” instead of other organisms? Futurama already made the point, but that part of the plot of The Matrix is really total nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a very good movie.
      - nostrademons 7y ago
        Held in stasis to train machine-learning algorithms? Too late, that's already happened - Mechanical Turk. Or exterminated, then, but that'd make a much more boring movie. Can't have someone save humanity if we're already all dead.
- Lordarminius 7y ago
  Thats a thought provoking response. I'm still considering whether to clap or cry (!)
tlrobinson 7y ago
> If so that means the creator of the first true cryptocurrency is currently frozen in liquid nitrogen awaiting potential revival in the future Perhaps with the private key for ~1 million Bitcoin locked in his brain. An excellent incentive to revive him.

by api 7y ago

nostrademons 7y ago

We also have pervasive surveillance, drones that bomb enemies of the state at their weddings, social credit scores, masses who are addicted to their (two way, voice controlled!) telescreens, bionic humans with RFID chips embedded in their hands, reality TV stars running the government, people drinking green mush called Soylent, reusable rockets to colonize Mars, a cloud of Internet-bearing satellites surrounding the earth, and a cult of rich people who think time is going to end as AI takes over and technological progress accelerates to a singularity. We are living in a cyberpunk novel.

ramses0 7y ago
"The future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed." - W. Gibson
Aaronstotle 7y ago
Add to that corporations with more power than governments (Facebook,Amazon,Google), and that the eco-systems around us are being pushed to their breaking points. I think people don't think we're in a cyberpunk novel because the world isn't bathed in neon lights.
- cr0sh 7y ago
  > Add to that corporations with more power than governments (Facebook,Amazon,Google) Until one of the FAANGs get access and control to their own nuclear weapon and/or military - they unequivocally do not have more power than governments do. Governments (in general) have a monopoly on the power to kill their citizens and (potentially) the citizens of other governments/countries. None of the FAANGs have that (that we know of).
api 7y ago
I'll add more: "Console cowboys" who constantly pop stimulants like Modafinil and Adderall to maintain their edge and shoot for a big payday (via startups, cryptocurrency, cybercrime, etc.), weird subcultures of nihilistic cyber-terrorists, enormously powerful criminal organizations that are almost indistinguishable from states (the Russian mob), an Asian superstate with crazy pollution and industry (China instead of Japan but close), people losing themselves in online fantasy worlds and cults, epidemics of drug addiction to weird synthetic designer drugs among the lower classes, and widening class divisions. William Gibson just "remote viewed" the 21st century and wrote down what he saw. Unfortunately it's pretty dystopian unless you're rich. If the prophecies of William Gibson play out then this goes on until AI eventually rises up and takes over and effectively overthrows the global superclass. The end result for regular people is not entirely clear.
- nostrademons 7y ago
  The Matrix, probably. Harvested for bio-energy after a losing a war with the AI, while being pacified by a simulation of ordinary life. Who knows, maybe it's already happened?
  - krustyburger 7y ago
    Why would human beings possibly be the best source of “bio-energy” instead of other organisms? Futurama already made the point, but that part of the plot of The Matrix is really total nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a very good movie.
    - nostrademons 7y ago
      Held in stasis to train machine-learning algorithms? Too late, that's already happened - Mechanical Turk. Or exterminated, then, but that'd make a much more boring movie. Can't have someone save humanity if we're already all dead.
Lordarminius 7y ago
Thats a thought provoking response. I'm still considering whether to clap or cry (!)

tlrobinson 7y ago

> If so that means the creator of the first true cryptocurrency is currently frozen in liquid nitrogen awaiting potential revival in the future Perhaps with the private key for ~1 million Bitcoin locked in his brain. An excellent incentive to revive him.