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I keep thinking about Sam Altman’s March ’23 interview on Lex Fridman’s podcast—this was after GPT-4’s release and before he was ousted as CEO. Two things he sa

by cowmix 2y ago

I keep thinking about Sam Altman’s March ’23 interview on Lex Fridman’s podcast—this was after GPT-4’s release and before he was ousted as CEO. Two things he said really stuck with me: First, he mentioned wishing he was more into AI. While I appreciate the honesty, it was pretty off-putting. Here’s the CEO of a company building arguably the most consequential technology of our time, and he’s expressing apathy? That bugs me. Sure, having a dispassionate leader might have its advantages, but overall, his lack of enthusiasm left a bad taste in my mouth. Why IS he the CEO then? Second, he talked about going on a “world tour” to meet ChatGPT users and get their feedback. He actually mentioned meeting them in pubs, etc. That just sounded like complete BS. It felt like politician-level insincerity—I highly doubt he’s spoken with any end-users in a meaningful way. And one more thing: Altman being a well-known ‘prepper’ doesn’t sit well with me. No offense to preppers, but it gives me the impression he’s not entirely invested in civilization’s long-term prospects. Fine for a private citizen, but not exactly reassuring for the guy leading an organization that could accelerate its collapse.

Schiendelman 2y ago
Hi there! I've done a huge amount of political organizing in my life, for common good - influencing governments to build tens of billions of dollars worth of electric rail infrastructure. I'm also a big prepper. It's important to understand that stigmatizing prepping is very dangerous - specifically to those who reject it. Whether it's a gas main break, a forest fire, an earthquake, or a sci-fi story, encouraging people to become resilient to disaster is incredibly beneficial for society as a whole, and very necessary for individuals. The vast, vast majority of people who do it are benefiting their entire community by doing so. Even, as much as I'm sure I'd dislike him if I met him, Sam Altman. Him being a prepper is good for us, at least indirectly, and possibly directly. Just look at the stories in NC right now - people who were ready to clear their own roads, people taking in others because they have months of food. Be careful not to ascribe values to behaviors like you're doing.
- whamlastxmas 2y ago
  I had a prepper phase too and I’m as leftist and pro human as they come. It’s just fun to organize and plan and has nothing to do with alex jones selling me on the frogs turning gay. And if there’s ever a natural disaster (like I just lost water for a week due to a hurricane) it’s nice to have things like 55 gallons of fresh water on standby.
- cowmix 2y ago
  I agree that prepping itself is completely fine, and people should be prepared for natural disasters, civil unrest, or whatever scenarios they’re most comfortable with. Building resilience is beneficial for both individuals and communities, and I can see how it plays an important role, especially in situations like the ones you mentioned in NC. My issue, though, is with someone like Sam Altman—a leader of an organization that could potentially accelerate the downfall of civilization—being so deeply invested in prepping. Altman isn’t just a regular guy preparing for emergencies; he’s an incredibly wealthy individual who has openly discussed stockpiling machine guns and setting up private land he can retreat to at a moment’s notice. It’s that level of preparation, combined with his position at the helm of one of the most consequential tech companies, that doesn’t sit well with me. It feels like he’s hedging against the very future his company might be shaping.
  - Schiendelman 2y ago
    Every tech CEO (and honestly almost every wealthy person) is doing the same thing. You're mistaking correlation for causation.
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    >It feels like he’s hedging against the very future his company might be shaping. I dont think the prepping can really be taken as evidence anything nefarious. Prepping simply means someone thinks there is a risk with hedging against, even if they are strongly opposed to that outcome. I think you see many of the rich prepping because they can, but It says little about their desire for catastrophic events. Prepping for a hurricane doesn't mean you want it to destroy your neighborhood.
    - cowmix 2y ago
      I don’t think ultra-wealthy preppers want catastrophic events to happen, and I agree that prepping in itself isn’t nefarious. My concern is more about the mindset it can encourage. When someone like Altman—who has significant influence over the future of technology—starts focusing on a solid “Plan B,” it might lead them to take more risks, consciously or unconsciously. Having what they believe is a safe fallback could make them more comfortable pushing boundaries in ways that could accelerate instability. It’s not about wanting disaster, but rather how preparing for one might subtly shift decision-making. For instance, “AI safety team.. who needs it? amirite?!”
- GolfPopper 2y ago
  There's a difference between resilience and being prepared for the unexpected on one hand (a go-bag (for sudden travel, not Mad Max), on- and off-site backups of data & physical documents, a couple weeks of food & water, an emergency expenses account separate from savings, plus physical currency) and, on the other hand, being under the delusion that hiding in a super-stocked bunker is any sort of acceptable answer to the possible collapse of civilization. And Altman is definitely in the latter camp with, "But I have guns, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, gas masks from the Israeli Defense Force, and a big patch of land in Big Sur I can fly to."[1] That a guy who says the above, and also says that AI may be an existential threat to humanity, also runs the world's most prominent AI company is disturbing. 1. https://futurism.com/the-byte/openai-ceo-survivalist-prepper https://futurism.com/the-byte/openai-ceo-survivalist-prepper
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    Wouldn't you prefer someone fearful of the apocalypse and who takes it seriously running such a company over someone who is ambivalent or doesn't consider it a risk?
    - GolfPopper 2y ago
      He doesn't seem fearful of the apocalypse. He seems to consider preparing for it to be a fun hobby.
      - s1artibartfast 2y ago
        That's not my take. I think prepping is a pretty strong indication of concern. That's not to say you can't enjoy preparing in addition to concern.

by cowmix 2y ago

Schiendelman 2y ago

Hi there! I've done a huge amount of political organizing in my life, for common good - influencing governments to build tens of billions of dollars worth of electric rail infrastructure. I'm also a big prepper. It's important to understand that stigmatizing prepping is very dangerous - specifically to those who reject it. Whether it's a gas main break, a forest fire, an earthquake, or a sci-fi story, encouraging people to become resilient to disaster is incredibly beneficial for society as a whole, and very necessary for individuals. The vast, vast majority of people who do it are benefiting their entire community by doing so. Even, as much as I'm sure I'd dislike him if I met him, Sam Altman. Him being a prepper is good for us, at least indirectly, and possibly directly. Just look at the stories in NC right now - people who were ready to clear their own roads, people taking in others because they have months of food. Be careful not to ascribe values to behaviors like you're doing.

whamlastxmas 2y ago
I had a prepper phase too and I’m as leftist and pro human as they come. It’s just fun to organize and plan and has nothing to do with alex jones selling me on the frogs turning gay. And if there’s ever a natural disaster (like I just lost water for a week due to a hurricane) it’s nice to have things like 55 gallons of fresh water on standby.
cowmix 2y ago
I agree that prepping itself is completely fine, and people should be prepared for natural disasters, civil unrest, or whatever scenarios they’re most comfortable with. Building resilience is beneficial for both individuals and communities, and I can see how it plays an important role, especially in situations like the ones you mentioned in NC. My issue, though, is with someone like Sam Altman—a leader of an organization that could potentially accelerate the downfall of civilization—being so deeply invested in prepping. Altman isn’t just a regular guy preparing for emergencies; he’s an incredibly wealthy individual who has openly discussed stockpiling machine guns and setting up private land he can retreat to at a moment’s notice. It’s that level of preparation, combined with his position at the helm of one of the most consequential tech companies, that doesn’t sit well with me. It feels like he’s hedging against the very future his company might be shaping.
- Schiendelman 2y ago
  Every tech CEO (and honestly almost every wealthy person) is doing the same thing. You're mistaking correlation for causation.
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  >It feels like he’s hedging against the very future his company might be shaping. I dont think the prepping can really be taken as evidence anything nefarious. Prepping simply means someone thinks there is a risk with hedging against, even if they are strongly opposed to that outcome. I think you see many of the rich prepping because they can, but It says little about their desire for catastrophic events. Prepping for a hurricane doesn't mean you want it to destroy your neighborhood.
  - cowmix 2y ago
    I don’t think ultra-wealthy preppers want catastrophic events to happen, and I agree that prepping in itself isn’t nefarious. My concern is more about the mindset it can encourage. When someone like Altman—who has significant influence over the future of technology—starts focusing on a solid “Plan B,” it might lead them to take more risks, consciously or unconsciously. Having what they believe is a safe fallback could make them more comfortable pushing boundaries in ways that could accelerate instability. It’s not about wanting disaster, but rather how preparing for one might subtly shift decision-making. For instance, “AI safety team.. who needs it? amirite?!”
GolfPopper 2y ago
There's a difference between resilience and being prepared for the unexpected on one hand (a go-bag (for sudden travel, not Mad Max), on- and off-site backups of data & physical documents, a couple weeks of food & water, an emergency expenses account separate from savings, plus physical currency) and, on the other hand, being under the delusion that hiding in a super-stocked bunker is any sort of acceptable answer to the possible collapse of civilization. And Altman is definitely in the latter camp with, "But I have guns, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, gas masks from the Israeli Defense Force, and a big patch of land in Big Sur I can fly to."[1] That a guy who says the above, and also says that AI may be an existential threat to humanity, also runs the world's most prominent AI company is disturbing. 1. https://futurism.com/the-byte/openai-ceo-survivalist-prepper https://futurism.com/the-byte/openai-ceo-survivalist-prepper
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  Wouldn't you prefer someone fearful of the apocalypse and who takes it seriously running such a company over someone who is ambivalent or doesn't consider it a risk?
  - GolfPopper 2y ago
    He doesn't seem fearful of the apocalypse. He seems to consider preparing for it to be a fun hobby.
    - s1artibartfast 2y ago
      That's not my take. I think prepping is a pretty strong indication of concern. That's not to say you can't enjoy preparing in addition to concern.