I may regret this at some point, but I felt the need to put down in writing how I feel about this moment in the tech industry.
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@Crell Thank you for quantifying the various aspects that it takes to keep AI running. It’s one of those details that is becoming increasingly apparent, but difficult to grasp the scope.
Would you care to elaborate on the “This is how societies die.” comment? Is that primarily in the sense of social apathy? In the lack of respect for others/foresight over long term consequences? The disruptive tactics of numerous tech companies that have eliminated many norms? Or something else?
@wwhitlow All of the above.
Major empires aren't destroyed from without, but by their own greed, infighting, and incompetence.
In this case, the "it is what it is" attitude is unworthy of someone in a democracy. That's how the billionaires and pedo-fascists were able to take over.
Then add short-sightedness about global warming for the last 50 years, and AI is just the latest part of it. That will kill us all. "It is what it is."
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I may regret this at some point, but I felt the need to put down in writing how I feel about this moment in the tech industry.
It is not kind. You may well be insulted by it. If you are... then you really should question yourself.
@Crell Thank you for putting my thoughts into such elaborate words!
The challenge I see is that - especially after COVID - we are now living in a world of "Me" instead of a world of "We".
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R ActivityRelay shared this topic
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I may regret this at some point, but I felt the need to put down in writing how I feel about this moment in the tech industry.
It is not kind. You may well be insulted by it. If you are... then you really should question yourself.
@Crell Here's something that rubs me the wrong way: "At some point soon, I will have to figure out how to work with AI coding tools" - No, you don't. That's a choice you are making. In the end, you are making the same choice as those who say "It is what it is". You choose personal convenience over your convictions. Someone has to be the first to refuse. Someone has to be the one to shoulder the burden. What makes you think that someone isn't you?
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@wwhitlow All of the above.
Major empires aren't destroyed from without, but by their own greed, infighting, and incompetence.
In this case, the "it is what it is" attitude is unworthy of someone in a democracy. That's how the billionaires and pedo-fascists were able to take over.
Then add short-sightedness about global warming for the last 50 years, and AI is just the latest part of it. That will kill us all. "It is what it is."
@Crell @wwhitlow AI sometimes reminds me of lead.
The ancient Romans knew it was poisonous, especially in anything that touched food or drink. Yet they used it in their aqueducts anyway. Cheap, easy to mine (= comfortable to access), so no one cared about the consequences.
Sure, lead was not the only cause of Rome’s collapse or the thousand years of barbarism that followed. But cognitively impairing entire urban populations surely took its toll on political competence.
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I may regret this at some point, but I felt the need to put down in writing how I feel about this moment in the tech industry.
It is not kind. You may well be insulted by it. If you are... then you really should question yourself.
@Crell thanks. Excellent way to put this into words. I mostly agree with this
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@Crell Here's something that rubs me the wrong way: "At some point soon, I will have to figure out how to work with AI coding tools" - No, you don't. That's a choice you are making. In the end, you are making the same choice as those who say "It is what it is". You choose personal convenience over your convictions. Someone has to be the first to refuse. Someone has to be the one to shoulder the burden. What makes you think that someone isn't you?
@krig @Crell While I don't disagree, that's a huge ask. If someone does a thing to pay the bils and everyone else is doing that thing faster with AI, those "convictions" could land them and their family without pay or benefits. That's a big gun to stare down the barrel of. That's the fear. That's what needs to be addressed. It may well be a false narrative, time will tell, but it's a big leep of faith to ask anyone to take.
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@krig @Crell While I don't disagree, that's a huge ask. If someone does a thing to pay the bils and everyone else is doing that thing faster with AI, those "convictions" could land them and their family without pay or benefits. That's a big gun to stare down the barrel of. That's the fear. That's what needs to be addressed. It may well be a false narrative, time will tell, but it's a big leep of faith to ask anyone to take.
@JustinMac84 Meanwhile they could be learning something else in their free time that will be minimumly affected by A.I. so if the hammer comes down they have an option to turn to. It's not all or nothing. @krig @Crell
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@JustinMac84 Meanwhile they could be learning something else in their free time that will be minimumly affected by A.I. so if the hammer comes down they have an option to turn to. It's not all or nothing. @krig @Crell
@LilPecan @JustinMac84 @krig Quoting the article: "But, at this point, it's become obvious that I have to either compromise on that, or leave tech entirely. And every time I think about that, I get angry."
Leaving my field and starting over from scratch while I have a small child at home is... a large ask.
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@Crell Thank you for putting my thoughts into such elaborate words!
The challenge I see is that - especially after COVID - we are now living in a world of "Me" instead of a world of "We".
@heiglandreas That's been building for 50 years. Every conservative businessman in the 70s that decided to embark on this decade long destruction of the world so they could get even richer.
There is no circle of hell deep enough for them.
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I may regret this at some point, but I felt the need to put down in writing how I feel about this moment in the tech industry.
It is not kind. You may well be insulted by it. If you are... then you really should question yourself.
Apparently this post was just boosted by @robpike. Yes, that Rob Pike.
I... guess it's found an audience.
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@LilPecan @JustinMac84 @krig Quoting the article: "But, at this point, it's become obvious that I have to either compromise on that, or leave tech entirely. And every time I think about that, I get angry."
Leaving my field and starting over from scratch while I have a small child at home is... a large ask.
@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig Yes. I had a job that was ethically questionable and faced the same dilemma. All I'm suggesting is you might use part of your nights and weekends to learn something different, something AI resistant, to have as a backup when this all falls apart. Also, by being productive in an unfamiliar arena, it may distract you and lessen your angst. You'll be doing something positive to educate yourself instead of just letting guilt wash over you.
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@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig Yes. I had a job that was ethically questionable and faced the same dilemma. All I'm suggesting is you might use part of your nights and weekends to learn something different, something AI resistant, to have as a backup when this all falls apart. Also, by being productive in an unfamiliar arena, it may distract you and lessen your angst. You'll be doing something positive to educate yourself instead of just letting guilt wash over you.
@LilPecan @JustinMac84 @krig You seem to be under the impression that the hammer hasn't come down yet. I'm currently unemployed, at a super-senior level. The hammer is here.
*Nothing* is AI resistant that pays worth a damn.
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@LilPecan @JustinMac84 @krig You seem to be under the impression that the hammer hasn't come down yet. I'm currently unemployed, at a super-senior level. The hammer is here.
*Nothing* is AI resistant that pays worth a damn.
@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig And that's also a problem related to the big picture of why this is happening: greed. If people would rather buy cheap crap from exploited, impoverished countries then your wood workers, leather smiths, jewelers and other manual artists, that can't be replaced by AI, can't afford to survive. So kiss artistry and beauty goodbye. That's the world silicone valley wanted and got.
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@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig And that's also a problem related to the big picture of why this is happening: greed. If people would rather buy cheap crap from exploited, impoverished countries then your wood workers, leather smiths, jewelers and other manual artists, that can't be replaced by AI, can't afford to survive. So kiss artistry and beauty goodbye. That's the world silicone valley wanted and got.
@LilPecan @JustinMac84 @krig As a hobbyist woodworker, bladesmith, and leatherworker, I can confirm.
Some of the absolute best bladesmiths on the planet, that make absolutely gorgeous works of art, make good money but less than I made in my last 2 jobs as an engineer. And I am not as good an engineer as they are blade artists.
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@LilPecan @JustinMac84 @krig As a hobbyist woodworker, bladesmith, and leatherworker, I can confirm.
Some of the absolute best bladesmiths on the planet, that make absolutely gorgeous works of art, make good money but less than I made in my last 2 jobs as an engineer. And I am not as good an engineer as they are blade artists.
@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig See? So you're not a one trick pony. Those are all skills that hold great value for when the end of the world arrives. When the manufacturing plants shut down because there is no more water and the world is on fire, you'll last longer than many.
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I may regret this at some point, but I felt the need to put down in writing how I feel about this moment in the tech industry.
It is not kind. You may well be insulted by it. If you are... then you really should question yourself.
@Crell I posted something similar yesterday and read your blog post a few moments ago. I'm glad to see someone else recognising the sheer apathy from people using LLMs who apparently "cared" about FOSS, which seems like horseshit at this point.
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N Marianne shared this topic
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@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig Yes. I had a job that was ethically questionable and faced the same dilemma. All I'm suggesting is you might use part of your nights and weekends to learn something different, something AI resistant, to have as a backup when this all falls apart. Also, by being productive in an unfamiliar arena, it may distract you and lessen your angst. You'll be doing something positive to educate yourself instead of just letting guilt wash over you.
@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig @LilPecan what do you think is "AI-resistant" right now? Genuine q
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@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig See? So you're not a one trick pony. Those are all skills that hold great value for when the end of the world arrives. When the manufacturing plants shut down because there is no more water and the world is on fire, you'll last longer than many.
@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig @LilPecan what do we do in this meantime before the world ends? What do we do to live every day that isn't being corroded by AI slop and boosters?
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@Crell @JustinMac84 @krig @LilPecan what do you think is "AI-resistant" right now? Genuine q
@noodlemaz @Crell @krig @LilPecan Manual labour, hospitality that is face to face. Anything that needs a pair of hands and can't be done remotely by a bot pretending to be a person.
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@noodlemaz @Crell @krig @LilPecan Manual labour, hospitality that is face to face. Anything that needs a pair of hands and can't be done remotely by a bot pretending to be a person.
@Crell @krig @LilPecan @JustinMac84 ah yes so many jobs going in those areas
Hospitality isn't suffering or anythingSure my PhD will come in handy there too
