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We do need optimists if we are going to dream and build a great future. Techno-optimism has become almost a taboo, sometimes even within the groups that actuall
by dbish 5y ago
We do need optimists if we are going to dream and build a great future. Techno-optimism has become almost a taboo, sometimes even within the groups that actually work on cutting edge tech (at least on the computing side of things). We shouldn’t be naive and ignore potential negatives of course, but more optimism and dreaming of a great future we can build towards should be encouraged.
- eropple 5y agoI don't see optimism towards technology being a "taboo" at all. I see a lot of people wanting questions answered before world-changing stuff is put into place. "Ready, aim, fire" is in that order for a reason, yeah?
- dbish 5y agoThere are too many people who think their questions are the important ones to be addressed before we are allowed to make progress. The more gates/approvers you add before changes can be made or new ideas tried out, the less likely you are to build great things and build fast. Instead you get slow, bureaucratic, design by committee solutions and the more unique technological directions get shelved. One of my favorite Bezos quotes is about this “even well-meaning gatekeepers slow innovation”.
- eropple 5y agoThis reads as "ready, fire, aim, fire again" being a virtue. It's not, at mega-human scales.
- dbish 5y agoSo who makes the choices then? Who is the group that validates we are ready to try out a new idea?
- paulryanrogers 5y agoThat depends, how many resources are needed to try a new idea?
- eropple 5y agoI dunno, elected ones? That seems like a good start, rather than "one guy with a lot of money".
- dbish 5y agoThe career politicians are some of the very last people who should be making choices on what technological directions we should go as a society. You can watch any of the congressional hearings to see the complete lack of understanding of today’s technical landscape, let alone expecting them to determine where we go next. One day I hope to see actual technical people taking on high level elected positions and trying to change this, but for now it’s mostly lawyers who have spent their career trying to poll well and raise money.
- eropple 5y agoIf the world wanted Jeff Bezos to lead it, we would have elected him. Would we not? Who exactly is he to make megascale decisions for the rest of us?
- dbish 5y agoSomeone competent who has actually done something, unlike elected officials. Until there is a party that represents and has engineers and technical people as an every day part of their system, not a unique member among a sea of lawyers, we cannot allow politicians to stifle innovation and humanity’s ability to build for the future.
- eropple 5y ago"He made a logistics company, so he should be able to enact megascale experiments on people because why not?" Respectfully: this reads like the kind of post that would be written by a software developer who thinks being an expert in one thing makes them an expert in many. I was that person when I was young. I grew wiser. I hope you do, too.
- moosey 5y agoI'm optimistic... That a complete reorganization of our economy and society that leads to happiness and ecological stability is possible. I am not optimistic that humans can develop the emotional fortitude needed for this reorganization in the time required.
- mjklin 5y ago“And yet,” demanded Councillor Barlow …”what great cause is he identified with?” “He is identified,” said the speaker, “with the great cause of cheering us all up.” —Arnold Bennett, English (1867-1931)
- derbOac 5y agoOptimism or lack thereof isn't the issue in my opinion, it's empathy and other-mindedness, for lack of a better word. It's the wrong axis to be focusing on. I think most of the people I know would think I'm a seriously pessimistic individual, but in this twisted way I think I'm actually sort of the opposite (I imagine they'd agree with this too). But I don't think that's the problem the world faces.