deeplyembedded's recent activity

  1. Comment on AI can do your homework. Now what? We interviewed students and teachers on how schools should handle the rise of the chatbots. in ~tech

    deeplyembedded
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    The IB link is interesting. My kids are in IB, and they have been adamant that AI is unacceptable and evil. I've been trying to get them interested in learning how to use it as a tool. I'll have...

    The IB link is interesting. My kids are in IB, and they have been adamant that AI is unacceptable and evil. I've been trying to get them interested in learning how to use it as a tool. I'll have to show them this.

    8 votes

  2. Comment on Reddit faces content quality concerns after its Great Mod Purge in ~tech

    deeplyembedded
    Link Parent
    Agreed. Similar to how I have to remove Pinterest from my search results, since I won't be able to access it anyway.

    Agreed. Similar to how I have to remove Pinterest from my search results, since I won't be able to access it anyway.

    11 votes

  3. Comment on Ugly numbers from Microsoft and ChatGPT reveal that AI demand is already shrinking in ~tech

  4. Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books

    deeplyembedded
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    I recently finished Walkaway, by Cory Doctorow I've been on a climate change sci-fi kick (Ministry for the Future; The Water Knife; A Half-Built Garden; Termination Shock) and this was an...

    I recently finished Walkaway, by Cory Doctorow I've been on a climate change sci-fi kick (Ministry for the Future; The Water Knife; A Half-Built Garden; Termination Shock) and this was an impressive and unique take on things. It is utopian rather than dystopian, although it takes a while to get there. As described in the NPR review linked above "[I]t is the story of precisely this — what comes after the slow-burn apocalypse we all secretly fear is coming, how it will work, how it will all go wrong and how it will get made right again with drones, wet printers and elbow grease."

    I was quite surprised to find out how long Doctorow has been around and writing without having come across him before. I've since started following his blog, podcast and am looking forward to his soon to be released non-fiction novel The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation.

  5. Comment on ‘Dune: Part Two’ moves to 2024, latest big pic to shift during strike; ‘Aquaman 2’, ‘Wonka’ and ‘Color Purple’ stick to 2023 in ~movies

    deeplyembedded
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    Really? In my circles there was a ton of hype, and a lot of disappointment that it is being postponed. I know a lot of people that finally read the book(s) after the first movie, and are super...

    Really? In my circles there was a ton of hype, and a lot of disappointment that it is being postponed. I know a lot of people that finally read the book(s) after the first movie, and are super excited at seeing it depicted onscreen.

    3 votes

  6. Comment on Movies you enjoy that nobody else does in ~movies

    deeplyembedded
    (edited )
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    The immediate hurdle when I mention Miami Vice to someone is that they have a pre-conceived notion about Miami Vice the television show that is inaccurate. Most people think it was a cheesy 80s...

    The immediate hurdle when I mention Miami Vice to someone is that they have a pre-conceived notion about Miami Vice the television show that is inaccurate. Most people think it was a cheesy 80s show with Don Johnson wearing a t-shirt and suit jacket, and that the movie must be some goofy / cynical studio remake like the A-Team.

    Instead, the original television series was a gritty, violent take on police shows that often highlighted actual crime happening in Miami, and was a precursor to things like NYPD blue. It was executive produced by Michael Mann, who also wrote and directed the movie. More of a passion project than a studio film, and it was as heavy hitting and intense as Mann's other more-lauded crime films (Heat, Collateral).

    5 votes

  7. Comment on US scientists repeat fusion ignition breakthrough for 2nd time in ~science

    deeplyembedded
    Link Parent
    Also related, the "resource curse" -- how the presence of oil in a country contributes to authoritarianism, corruption and violence.

    Also related, the "resource curse" -- how the presence of oil in a country contributes to authoritarianism, corruption and violence.

    1 vote

  8. Comment on US scientists repeat fusion ignition breakthrough for 2nd time in ~science

    deeplyembedded
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    Although I agree with the overall sentiment here, I think it is worth pointing out that "national defense" does not have to specifically mean developing new weapons. National security has been...

    Although I agree with the overall sentiment here, I think it is worth pointing out that "national defense" does not have to specifically mean developing new weapons. National security has been inextricably linked to energy for a long time, with oil as a strategic vital interest (PDF warning for How Oil Influences U.S. National Security, a good overview from an a 2013 article in International Security). Reducing reliance on limited natural resources will dramatically change international relations and balance of power, and potentially reduce conflict worldwide.

    13 votes

  9. Comment on People are lying to you and will continue to lie about the merits of the Donald Trump US indictment - be aware in ~misc

    deeplyembedded
    Link Parent
    You write really well, and I think most people are glossing past this comment due to that. It seems like you are arguing that no one understands the US legal system, the charges don't really...

    You write really well, and I think most people are glossing past this comment due to that. It seems like you are arguing that no one understands the US legal system, the charges don't really matter, and it's all about the news and how it portrays things.

    I don't agree with any of these things.

    4 votes

  10. Comment on Sync for Lemmy now available on Play Store in ~tech

    deeplyembedded
    Link Parent
    I checked out Lemmy for the first time today, and it seemed like a lot of memes and mean comments. And not even mean comments in an intelligent way, a lot of comments calling someone "stupid." I'm...

    I checked out Lemmy for the first time today, and it seemed like a lot of memes and mean comments. And not even mean comments in an intelligent way, a lot of comments calling someone "stupid."

    I'm a FOSS person. Lemmy was a bummer.

    11 votes

  11. Comment on On "bullshit" jobs - New data supports the idea that some jobs are "so completely pointless, unnecessary, or pernicious that even the employee cannot justify its existence" in ~life

    deeplyembedded
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    I feel like there are at least three things going on in this study related to self-reporting. The first is that a large portion of society is depressed and anxious, and likely to feel that their...

    I feel like there are at least three things going on in this study related to self-reporting.

    The first is that a large portion of society is depressed and anxious, and likely to feel that their work is not valuable.

    The second is that our political systems and news reinforce constantly the idea that many types of jobs are useless, or at least not worth very much.

    The third is exactly the idea of "alienation" -- the idea that people who actually produce value will be separated from seeing that value.

    I don't think these three things make the study useless, I think they make it more interesting and worth further study.

    12 votes

  12. Comment on What "lost" web page would you like to find again? in ~tech

  13. Comment on Why technology favors tyranny in ~tech

    deeplyembedded
    Link Parent
    In my initial post this is why I highlighted the quote about how the initial power struggle was about property, then it was about the means of production, and now it is about data. There are not a...

    In my initial post this is why I highlighted the quote about how the initial power struggle was about property, then it was about the means of production, and now it is about data. There are not a lot of comments so far about what Harari is actually arguing, which is that technology is about to push us into another new era, and our politics and economic systems are not ready for it.

    3 votes

  14. Comment on Why technology favors tyranny in ~tech

    deeplyembedded
    (edited )
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    I agree and think that this is one of the significant reasons that our current approach to capitalism won't work long term. Business has simultaneous incentives to short-change workers while also...

    I agree and think that this is one of the significant reasons that our current approach to capitalism won't work long term. Business has simultaneous incentives to short-change workers while also raising prices. There are no safeguards looking into the future to see how businesses are collectively ruining their customer base. I don't even need to trot out a human rights perspective to see how this isn't going to fucking work long term.

    I'm not sure why it is so hard to see this simple truth -- if greed is the engine of our economy, we better have some strong regulation to keep it in check. It's just like harnessing nuclear energy for a power plant.

    7 votes

  15. Comment on Why technology favors tyranny in ~tech

    deeplyembedded
    Link Parent
    I don't read his description of liberalism as an endorsement -- I think he is describing how liberal democracy is perceived, and the resulting stability that goes along with this general...

    I don't read his description of liberalism as an endorsement -- I think he is describing how liberal democracy is perceived, and the resulting stability that goes along with this general acceptance. Much of what he is highlighting is a change in how people feel about these political systems now, and how this unrest will increase with advancements in technology.

    On a side note, I find it a little frustrating how every author that writes popular science ends up being maligned by experts. There is a significant lag between things that science knows, and the more general population understanding and accepting these things. Authors like Harari seek to bridge that gap, and sacrifice a level of detail and nuance in doing so. Meanwhile, most current academic knowledge is locked behind journal paywalls; is siloed within specific disciplines; and is so encumbered by field jargon that it reaches no one.

    In a world where we seek to have informed citizens making reasoned decisions, we need popularizers of science. They will never be as accurate as the lead researchers in a given field, but that seems like an unrealistic expectation.

    7 votes

  16. Comment on Why technology favors tyranny in ~tech

    deeplyembedded
    Link Parent
    I'm not sure that the years between 2018 and now have done anything other than reinforce his arguments. Under Covid, it feels like the working class learned two key things -- commuting and working...

    I'm not sure that the years between 2018 and now have done anything other than reinforce his arguments. Under Covid, it feels like the working class learned two key things -- commuting and working in an office space is contributing to their unhappiness; and companies will not hesitate to cut them immediately in the name of profits. One lesson that society didn't seem to fully agree on is that a lot of jobs deemed "menial", like healthcare workers, are actually crucial to a functioning society, and are not paid nearly enough.

    It's been encouraging to see the general movement in favor of working from home and better working conditions, but I also worry that what business has taken away from the covid years is that their employees don't actually need to put in 40 hours in order to get things done; workers will complain and cause disruption in order to improve conditions; and AI is closer to replacing workers than it seemed in 2018. They seem to be taking steps accordingly.

    14 votes

  17. Comment on Why technology favors tyranny in ~tech

    deeplyembedded
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    Harari makes his argument in four parts: The Growing Fear of Irrelevance A New Useless Class? The Rise of Digital Dictatorships The Transfer of Authority to Machines

    if we want to prevent the concentration of all wealth and power in the hands of a small elite, we must regulate the ownership of data. In ancient times, land was the most important asset, so politics was a struggle to control land. In the modern era, machines and factories became more important than land, so political struggles focused on controlling these vital means of production. In the 21st century, data will eclipse both land and machinery as the most important asset, so politics will be a struggle to control data’s flow.

    Harari makes his argument in four parts:

    1. The Growing Fear of Irrelevance

    In the 20th century, the masses revolted against exploitation and sought to translate their vital role in the economy into political power. Now the masses fear irrelevance, and they are frantic to use their remaining political power before it is too late.

    1. A New Useless Class?

    By 2050, a useless class might emerge, the result not only of a shortage of jobs or a lack of relevant education but also of insufficient mental stamina to continue learning new skills.

    1. The Rise of Digital Dictatorships

    AI makes it possible to process enormous amounts of information centrally. In fact, it might make centralized systems far more efficient than diffuse systems, because machine learning works better when the machine has more information to analyze...The main handicap of authoritarian regimes in the 20th century—the desire to concentrate all information and power in one place—may become their decisive advantage in the 21st century.

    1. The Transfer of Authority to Machines

    Even if some societies remain ostensibly democratic, the increasing efficiency of algorithms will still shift more and more authority from individual humans to networked machines. We might willingly give up more and more authority over our lives because we will learn from experience to trust the algorithms more than our own feelings, eventually losing our ability to make many decisions for ourselves.

    12 votes

  19. Comment on Iraq tells Sweden it will cut ties if Quran burned again in ~humanities

    deeplyembedded
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    I live in Norway, and some random old dick burned a Quran outside my grocery store last week. In the video that I saw he hopped out of a van like he was in a heist movie, burned the book, and the...

    I live in Norway, and some random old dick burned a Quran outside my grocery store last week. In the video that I saw he hopped out of a van like he was in a heist movie, burned the book, and the only people nearby were a police officer and an elderly Norwegian woman. The police officer let him do his thing. No one cared. It did not make national news.

    26 votes

  20. Comment on "Layered" music that builds throughout the song? in ~music

    deeplyembedded
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    Just a reply to say that Explosions in the Sky are putting out their first new album in seven years, and the first single is a great example.

    Just a reply to say that Explosions in the Sky are putting out their first new album in seven years, and the first single is a great example.

    2 votes