3 ms·

The only thing that brings me solace in regards to doomsday scenarios like this is that they're extremely unlikely because of human incompetence. We are so far

The only thing that brings me solace in regards to doomsday scenarios like this is that they're extremely unlikely because of human incompetence. We are so far away from companies creating and embedding computers everywhere for this to be an issue. Let alone for sophisticated means of interaction. And lets say we somehow exceed all expectations and companies start creating marvelous products that are all on par with the iphone. It's still going to be difficult for them. There are people out there that are afraid of 5g because they think it causes coronavirus. We've avoided capitalizing on nuclear energy because of NIMBY. These nutjobs combined with perpetually on the fence observers will be a big enough stumbling block for a lot of this overreaching behavior. Remember how places banned google glasses? Have faith in human stupidity and disorder - it's a tried and true system.

arexxbifs 6y ago
> We are so far away from companies creating and embedding computers everywhere for this to be an issue. Apart from those in TV:s, loudspeakers, phones, light bulbs, doorbells, cars, airplanes, watches, trains, billboards, medical equipment, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, thermostats, elevators, vending machines, kitchen appliances, lawnmowers, musical instruments, cameras, bathroom scales, thermometers and a few more things there's almost no computers at all in most everyday objects.
- hilbertseries 6y ago
  > there's almost no computers at all in most everyday objects. This is true, without your qualifier. Go into a random house in America and you won’t find many smart appliances. Internet of things devices are more of a hobby for those with disposable income, than some thing greatly taking over. There’s not a real problem that smart lightbulbs are solving to be worth the time and hassle for most people. There are a couple of exceptions, like internet connected TVs that can play Netflix for you, make a lot of sense. But go look at Home Depot, not many fridges, ovens and microwaves are being advertised and sold as smart.
  - malaya_zemlya 6y ago
    I was just recently shopping for a fridge and I can report that it was surprisingly difficult to find a fridge without wifi. Sometimes it's only for remote service and maintenance, not for anything "smart", but it's there. At least the model I got doesn't internet connection to function normally. Yet.
dmix 6y ago
I’ve learned through many failed alarmism through history to generally take a conservative view on these matters. The examples you provided with general human stupidity and disorder is a good one. Another one, besides The Singularity fluff, which is very much related to your own two and which we see often today, is with AI. You can also find other examples littered in the history of sci-fi literature, especially towards real life projections, not just fantasy. My big less was that humans are naturally inclined to massive overestimated our ability to master these systems and are terrible at projecting how these systems will also be adopted and run (typically always assuming some masterfully run corporation or government full of geniuses). The reality is almost always extremely more underwhelming. Not to downplay the need for things like controls on privacy or surveillance. But even something like the NSA is probably a good example. They are capable of so much with today’s technology and do in fact work very hard to have said genius’s work there. But I’m sure general bureaucracy and institutional incompetence has stopped many of our worst imagined fears from being realized on a wide (and therefore meaningful) scale. This sort of thinking helps us become more practical in our projections and our handling or what is possible (and a counter to knee jerk reactions for hyper control through hyperbolic and extensive law - which we’ve seen frequently elsewhere in history places such as drug prohibition and race controls, where the controls cause far worse harm than any betterment). I also think this is why older people tend to be more conservative in their expectations. Personal failures and learned education of those in history help push us in this direction. Unbridled optimism is for the youth. And I still think an important thing for society to move forward. As long as it’s not the only voice in the room, as it seems to always want to be.

arexxbifs 6y ago

> We are so far away from companies creating and embedding computers everywhere for this to be an issue. Apart from those in TV:s, loudspeakers, phones, light bulbs, doorbells, cars, airplanes, watches, trains, billboards, medical equipment, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, thermostats, elevators, vending machines, kitchen appliances, lawnmowers, musical instruments, cameras, bathroom scales, thermometers and a few more things there's almost no computers at all in most everyday objects.

hilbertseries 6y ago
> there's almost no computers at all in most everyday objects. This is true, without your qualifier. Go into a random house in America and you won’t find many smart appliances. Internet of things devices are more of a hobby for those with disposable income, than some thing greatly taking over. There’s not a real problem that smart lightbulbs are solving to be worth the time and hassle for most people. There are a couple of exceptions, like internet connected TVs that can play Netflix for you, make a lot of sense. But go look at Home Depot, not many fridges, ovens and microwaves are being advertised and sold as smart.
- malaya_zemlya 6y ago
  I was just recently shopping for a fridge and I can report that it was surprisingly difficult to find a fridge without wifi. Sometimes it's only for remote service and maintenance, not for anything "smart", but it's there. At least the model I got doesn't internet connection to function normally. Yet.

dmix 6y ago

I’ve learned through many failed alarmism through history to generally take a conservative view on these matters. The examples you provided with general human stupidity and disorder is a good one. Another one, besides The Singularity fluff, which is very much related to your own two and which we see often today, is with AI. You can also find other examples littered in the history of sci-fi literature, especially towards real life projections, not just fantasy. My big less was that humans are naturally inclined to massive overestimated our ability to master these systems and are terrible at projecting how these systems will also be adopted and run (typically always assuming some masterfully run corporation or government full of geniuses). The reality is almost always extremely more underwhelming. Not to downplay the need for things like controls on privacy or surveillance. But even something like the NSA is probably a good example. They are capable of so much with today’s technology and do in fact work very hard to have said genius’s work there. But I’m sure general bureaucracy and institutional incompetence has stopped many of our worst imagined fears from being realized on a wide (and therefore meaningful) scale. This sort of thinking helps us become more practical in our projections and our handling or what is possible (and a counter to knee jerk reactions for hyper control through hyperbolic and extensive law - which we’ve seen frequently elsewhere in history places such as drug prohibition and race controls, where the controls cause far worse harm than any betterment). I also think this is why older people tend to be more conservative in their expectations. Personal failures and learned education of those in history help push us in this direction. Unbridled optimism is for the youth. And I still think an important thing for society to move forward. As long as it’s not the only voice in the room, as it seems to always want to be.