Welcome back, Michael! Looking forward to your continued willingness to bear witness convincingly to what it feels like to be a human being in these times.
I was so delighted to discover this entry in my inbox today, Michael, and I am grateful for the opportunity to chew on your words again. "Wilderness" is a theme of this season of my life as well, which has propelled me turn my attention to poetry, woodcarving, sketching, candles and other AI-free human acts. Consider me re-subsubscribed! "Always we begin again," Saint Benedict of Nursia.
So happy to hear from you, Michael! The voice of one crying in the wilderness is perfectly timed with the coming of Advent in my world. Leaning in to hear.
Joining the chorus of those who benefit from your thoughts. I especially want you to know that even if we concede art as a key to understanding our lives as humans, what you do with non-fiction words is no less important (and indeed more resonant for some of us).
One thought, not at all novel, when we argue against things kike ai we inevitably step into a framing of what it is to be human that is less than human....I seem to recall Illich saying there were matters he would not even speak of....
Toolate - this resonates. When Trump's infamous statement about his way of approaching a woman surfaced, my gut said "no" and my mind said " this is beneath my dignity". I've resolutely avoided all knowledge of him and his project ever since, as a menace to my very humanity.
Onward. And thanks for the _Lear_. It reminds me that if we are going to describe what it feels like to be a human being, we might just start with that opening scene. So many models of human-ness there, arrogant, moral, amoral, demoralized, loving, silent…
I always enjoy reading what you choose to share. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on demoralisation. It sounds like an interesting way of framing some of the questions many of us have been pondering.
The emerging dynamics of a post-literate society in an upcoming installment? Yes, please!
And I'm intrigued by the this idea "that the arc of artificial intelligence bends toward demoralization. Or, to put it otherwise, that burnout society has phased into the demoralized society." I'll be very interested to hear arguments claiming that AI plays a causative role in our general demoralization. Re: the burnout society, I just finished reading "The Burnout Society" by Byung-Chul Han, and I generally agreed with the author's thesis. And now the contention that we'll move from burned out to demoralized? I can't wait to see the architecture of that argument.
Lovely to find your words in my inbox once again! You always give me something to think about, and to be hopeful about. That’s no small thing, these days. 😊
Welcome back, Michael! Looking forward to your continued willingness to bear witness convincingly to what it feels like to be a human being in these times.
I was so delighted to discover this entry in my inbox today, Michael, and I am grateful for the opportunity to chew on your words again. "Wilderness" is a theme of this season of my life as well, which has propelled me turn my attention to poetry, woodcarving, sketching, candles and other AI-free human acts. Consider me re-subsubscribed! "Always we begin again," Saint Benedict of Nursia.
So happy to hear from you, Michael! The voice of one crying in the wilderness is perfectly timed with the coming of Advent in my world. Leaning in to hear.
Thank You.
And Welcome back to whatever this is.
~~~~~
crow wisdom
"panic does not suit you."
Says the crow, high in the Fir tree.
"ya know how you walked up here, slow and with the help of a staff."
Yes that's how I always walk up this old logging road.
"well, that's what i'm saying, you didn't run"
No.
"give me those nuts you have in your pocket, and i'll tell how to survive all this"
*Nuts placed on old stump.*
"fly in flocks, make a lot of noise, don't back down, remember everything"
Glad to have you back, Michael. We need slow, deep thinking and writing more than ever.
Happy you're back and looking forward to the thoughts to come!
Joining the chorus of those who benefit from your thoughts. I especially want you to know that even if we concede art as a key to understanding our lives as humans, what you do with non-fiction words is no less important (and indeed more resonant for some of us).
Please count me in. Delighted to hear from you.
Looking forward to hearing more!
One thought, not at all novel, when we argue against things kike ai we inevitably step into a framing of what it is to be human that is less than human....I seem to recall Illich saying there were matters he would not even speak of....
Toolate - this resonates. When Trump's infamous statement about his way of approaching a woman surfaced, my gut said "no" and my mind said " this is beneath my dignity". I've resolutely avoided all knowledge of him and his project ever since, as a menace to my very humanity.
So glad to see this!
Very glad you're back. It's a relief actually. Your voice hasn't lost its quiet. It's like a shelter from the storm.
Onward. And thanks for the _Lear_. It reminds me that if we are going to describe what it feels like to be a human being, we might just start with that opening scene. So many models of human-ness there, arrogant, moral, amoral, demoralized, loving, silent…
I always enjoy reading what you choose to share. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on demoralisation. It sounds like an interesting way of framing some of the questions many of us have been pondering.
The emerging dynamics of a post-literate society in an upcoming installment? Yes, please!
And I'm intrigued by the this idea "that the arc of artificial intelligence bends toward demoralization. Or, to put it otherwise, that burnout society has phased into the demoralized society." I'll be very interested to hear arguments claiming that AI plays a causative role in our general demoralization. Re: the burnout society, I just finished reading "The Burnout Society" by Byung-Chul Han, and I generally agreed with the author's thesis. And now the contention that we'll move from burned out to demoralized? I can't wait to see the architecture of that argument.
Looking forward to learning with everyone.
What a joy to see you back in my inbox. What a warm and generous place here in these comments, too. Thankful to have experienced both today.
Yes, the comments here have been a gift.
Lovely to find your words in my inbox once again! You always give me something to think about, and to be hopeful about. That’s no small thing, these days. 😊