waxwing's recent activity
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Comment on 'I was misidentified as shoplifter by facial recognition tech' in ~tech
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Comment on Mozilla is adding vertical tabs, profile management, and local AI to Firefox in ~tech
waxwing Link ParentFirefox's "local translation feature" (which is AI powered) is very useful to me, and I think the automatic alt-text feature will be too. "AI" is an extremely heterogeneous technology with a range...Firefox's "local translation feature" (which is AI powered) is very useful to me, and I think the automatic alt-text feature will be too.
"AI" is an extremely heterogeneous technology with a range of applications and in some contexts it works much better than in others. I wish people didn't have such a visceral reaction to it (in either direction)!
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Comment on A British nurse was found guilty of killing seven babies. Did she do it? in ~health
waxwing Link ParentFor what it's worth, I can confirm that it's inaccessible from the UK. Oddly, it shows something which looks like a 404 page, which was a bit confusing.For what it's worth, I can confirm that it's inaccessible from the UK. Oddly, it shows something which looks like a 404 page, which was a bit confusing.
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Comment on Switzerland's Nemo wins Eurovision as UK comes 18th in ~music
waxwing Link ParentI wouldn't say that the jury and public disagreed that much here, really. 4 of the top 5 songs were the same for both, so there was some broad consensus about which were the best entries.I wouldn't say that the jury and public disagreed that much here, really. 4 of the top 5 songs were the same for both, so there was some broad consensus about which were the best entries.
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Comment on Switzerland's Nemo wins Eurovision as UK comes 18th in ~music
waxwing Link ParentOne of my favourite entries in years. Wonderfully sung, musically diverse, and performed with a terrifically impressive level of genuine enthusiasm and energy. Very happy for them!One of my favourite entries in years. Wonderfully sung, musically diverse, and performed with a terrifically impressive level of genuine enthusiasm and energy. Very happy for them!
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Comment on Macklemore - Hind's Hall (2024) in ~music
waxwing Link ParentTo be clear, I agree with this! I lean utilitarian, and the consequences of what I do at the ballot box are "the point", and more important to me than my conscience. Some people don't agree with...To be clear, I agree with this! I lean utilitarian, and the consequences of what I do at the ballot box are "the point", and more important to me than my conscience.
Some people don't agree with this though, and that's the point.
...[voting] is a means aimed at some utilitarian end, or you wouldn't even go
This is precisely an expression of the utilitarian worldview rather than some unique property of voting :)
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Comment on Macklemore - Hind's Hall (2024) in ~music
waxwing Link ParentNot wanting some bad consequence is not unique to utilitarianism. Deontologists also do not want bad things to happen. On the one hand, there are people who say "I cannot bring myself to vote...Not wanting some bad consequence is not unique to utilitarianism. Deontologists also do not want bad things to happen.
On the one hand, there are people who say "I cannot bring myself to vote democrat": I think it's clear that in most cases, those people feel that they don't want to be complicit, that their vote is morally an endorsement. This is a deontological thing to do.
On the other hand, there are those who say "I will not vote democrat because I think sending this protest vote will effect positive change overall" (perhaps on a longer timescale). Those people are probably acting in a utilitarian way.
Obviously, I am not a mind reader; I don't know everybody's moral frameworks. But actually I think the deolontogical justification is much more reasonable! I don't think there's much evidence to think that voting third-party will have a positive long-term effect (it doesn't seem to have done in 2016) and I frankly suspect that many people justifying their decision as utilitarian are trying to rationalise it.
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Comment on Macklemore - Hind's Hall (2024) in ~music
waxwing Link ParentThoughtful post, thank you. I definitely agree that the implications of a Trump win, at least long term, are not clear. To give some balance though, one could point to the fact that Trump and the...Thoughtful post, thank you.
I definitely agree that the implications of a Trump win, at least long term, are not clear. To give some balance though, one could point to the fact that Trump and the GOP in general seem even more "pro-Israel" than Biden (Trump moved the embassy to Jerusalem, etc), or the non-Middle East issues you set aside.
So, I was clearly simplifying. Still I think the thought has some value.
It's definitely true that some people actually believe that the externalities far into the future of a third-party vote will be worth it, and those people are operating in a utilitarian way, by definition. Others are definitely voting based on a conscientious objection or an unwillingness to participate in the democratic party, and those choices are mostly virtue ethical/deontological. I'm not saying that's a bad thing.
I want to push back on your characterisation of those who vote democrat as "voting for genocide": I don't think it's fair. Analagously, it's like saying that those who pull the lever are "committing murder": it's an ungenerous interpretation of a hard-thought ethical decision and is mostly said to make the other person feel bad.
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Comment on Macklemore - Hind's Hall (2024) in ~music
waxwing Link ParentThe question of whether one should vote for an objectionable candidate to prevent a worse candidate being elected is precisely the Trolley Problem: should you participate in a harm in order to...The question of whether one should vote for an objectionable candidate to prevent a worse candidate being elected is precisely the Trolley Problem: should you participate in a harm in order to reduce it?
Reasonable people can and do disagree on the answer. Personally I lean utilitarian, but it seems we have a lot of deontologists and/or virtue ethicists on Tildes. I'm surprised at the vitriol that this question elicits, even on here.
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Comment on Weekly Israel-Hamas war megathread - week of May 6 in ~news
waxwing Link ParentI think it's pretty clear that neither the Israeli government nor Hamas are negotiating in good-faith here; neither party wants a ceasefire. It's an odd situation: there is significant...I think it's pretty clear that neither the Israeli government nor Hamas are negotiating in good-faith here; neither party wants a ceasefire.
It's an odd situation: there is significant international pressure on both sides to continue negotiations, but it's harder to apply pressure to agree a deal, since each side can blame the other for being unreasonable.
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Comment on ChatGPT provides false information about people, and OpenAI can’t correct it in ~tech
waxwing LinkSetting aside for a moment the processing of personal data in the training of these models, I think that the question of whether these models store personal information is interesting. They...Setting aside for a moment the processing of personal data in the training of these models, I think that the question of whether these models store personal information is interesting. They certainly respond with it, but can they be said to be storing it, or are they generating it?
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Comment on 17-year-old Gukesh wins the Candidates, becomes youngest ever Chess World Championship challenger in ~games.tabletop
waxwing LinkThe final game between Caruana and Nepo was just brutal to watch. A fantastic display from both players: it's a real shame that Fabi played Ka1 after move 40 and threw away that advantage, but on...The final game between Caruana and Nepo was just brutal to watch.
A fantastic display from both players: it's a real shame that Fabi played Ka1 after move 40 and threw away that advantage, but on the other hand Nepo is phenomenally resourceful in those kinds of positions.
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Comment on Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel in ~news
waxwing Link ParentThere's certainly a balance of short-term vs long-term concerns here. If you want to affect the next election, then threatening to withhold support is effective, but it loses its effectiveness if...There's certainly a balance of short-term vs long-term concerns here. If you want to affect the next election, then threatening to withhold support is effective, but it loses its effectiveness if the support never goes down despite the threats.
The other thing to consider is that, while our votes only matter on aggregate, we can only make decisions as individuals. When considering the prospect of who to vote for, when you're in the booth, what you have to weigh up is the impact of your one, single vote on both the outcome of the election and the subsequent statistics. My argument would be that the impact on the election is more important than the subsequent statistics, especially if you live in a swing state/marginal constituency. If you live in an area that will only vote one way, your impact on the election is so low that statistics take on greater meaning.
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Comment on Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel in ~news
waxwing Link ParentThe thing is, nobody knows whether or not you have followed through: your vote is private. If you really want to employ this tactic, and live in a swing state, probably the best thing to do is to...The thing is, nobody knows whether or not you have followed through: your vote is private.
If you really want to employ this tactic, and live in a swing state, probably the best thing to do is to talk loudly about how you might not vote for your candidate and then secretly do it. You can even claim you didn't, since nobody knows.
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Comment on Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel in ~news
waxwing Link ParentThat's all morally true, but in practice, not voting for the candidate closest to you politically does make the other candidate more likely to win. Threatening not to vote for the candidate...That's all morally true, but in practice, not voting for the candidate closest to you politically does make the other candidate more likely to win.
Threatening not to vote for the candidate closest to you can be effective in exerting some pressure, but actually not voting or voting for someone else has only a negative effect on the current election.
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Comment on Executions in ~humanities
waxwing Link ParentI've been watching LWT from a foreign country for some years when the segments are released on YouTube. Usually they're region-locked for a month or so and then made available more widely.I've been watching LWT from a foreign country for some years when the segments are released on YouTube. Usually they're region-locked for a month or so and then made available more widely.
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Comment on Here are thirteen other explanations for the adolescent mental health crisis. None of them work. in ~health.mental
waxwing Link ParentIn particular, the dismissal of #4 (it's the economy) feels very blasé. It's certainly true that during the 2010s economic indicators were generally recovering. But in many western countries, for...In particular, the dismissal of #4 (it's the economy) feels very blasé.
It's certainly true that during the 2010s economic indicators were generally recovering. But in many western countries, for pretty much the whole decade, public services were being systematically underfunded, wages were going down in real terms for most junior workers, and house prices were increasing well above inflation: the broader economic picture for young people did not look great (and of course, it still doesn't).
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Comment on Iowa hospital IT systems architect used a fake identity for thirty-five years in ~life
waxwing Link ParentIt seems that it's not a credit union, it's a company insured by the National Credit Union Association.It seems that it's not a credit union, it's a company insured by the National Credit Union Association.
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Comment on Iowa hospital IT systems architect used a fake identity for thirty-five years in ~life
waxwing LinkThose are some fascinating sentencing guidelines! Why is "aggravated identity theft" only punishable by two years in prison, and why is lying to an insured institution much more serious?Matthew David Keirans, 58, was convicted of one count of false statement to a National Credit Union Administration insured institution — punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison — and one count of aggravated identity theft — punishable by up to two years in federal prison.
Those are some fascinating sentencing guidelines! Why is "aggravated identity theft" only punishable by two years in prison, and why is lying to an insured institution much more serious?
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Comment on Nintendo is suing the creators of popular Switch emulator Yuzu, saying their tech illegally circumvents Nintendo's software encryption and facilitates piracy in ~games
waxwing Link ParentThis was a strange case, because gun manufacturers do have broad immunity from prosecution under US federal law: you can't sue a gun company simply because one of their guns was used to commit a...This was a strange case, because gun manufacturers do have broad immunity from prosecution under US federal law: you can't sue a gun company simply because one of their guns was used to commit a crime.
What this case shows is possible is that you can successfully pursue these companies under state law for related reasons, in particular that the marketing of the gun was a factor in the crime (as far as I understand it).
In any case, the analogy to video game piracy isn't particularly good here, since as mentioned there are gun-sector-specific laws granting them certain immunity: this isn't the case for people who make video game emulators.
Given that the tech is known to racially prejudice to a significant degree, I would have thought there is even some basis for legal action here.
Imagine if you were to roll a D20 every time a black person walked into a shop, and then were to turn them away if it landed on a 1. This would obviously be illegal: why doesn't the same argument apply here? (In fact, looking at numbers elsewhere in this thread, the rate seems higher than 1 in 20).