[-] gerikson@awful.systems 20 points 1 week ago

Some dweeb:

I would recommend “Consider Phlebas” by Iain Banks, which is part of the Culture series of novels. Very formative for me, and I read that while I was writing Theme Park. And I still think it’s the best depiction of a post-A.G.I. future, an optimistic post-A.G.I. future, where we’re traveling the stars and humanity reached its full flourishing.

The protagonist of Consider Phlebas is working for the Culture's enemies, a theocratic empire that has slaves literally bred for loyalty, and the conflict they're engaged in ultimately kills billions of sentient beings. Most of the thoughts about the Culture are his, and he basically decries them as the ultimate wokesters. No wonder HN nerds prefer The Player of Games in which a smart nerd like themselves get recruited as an agent to bring down an empire a bit like our own by being really really good at games.

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 18 points 1 month ago

Oh man this is peak venture capitalism crossed with Factorio - valuations are actually cash, and a factory is a black box where you just upload new software and other stuff comes out.

Let's take your average holder of car manufacturer stock. You're holding the stock because you believe the car manufacturer will continue making competitive products, and you'll get either dividends or higher valuations. Then OpenAI pitches up and offers you - what? They don't even have stock! Even if they did, you're exchanging a stake in something known for stake in an enterprise that have never made any cars, and when asked what kind of business plan they have they look shifty. No fucking way anyone will sell their stake for less than double what they have, especially if they find out the factory they're selling is gonna produce machines that will kill us all.

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 18 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Mosaic creator Marc Andreessen

I appreciate this deep cut.

Others in San Francisco are calling it “The Nerd Reich.”

Good one.

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 20 points 1 year ago

I Left My Blogger's Life To Become An S-Rank Rationalist Cult Leader In A Bay Area Group House

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 20 points 1 year ago

Yeah these people have found their weird PR niche. There's nothing separating these people from other rich white Americans who can also comfortably provide for ~3 kids with good schooling and higher education. The real pronatalists are the scary Quiverful people who are a lot more numerous but are also religious fundies. There's no way the Collinses can compete with them because that subculture already believes around 90% of what they believe but are more effective at spreading their memes.

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 20 points 1 year ago

I reacted to that too, "no need to be an overt WN now that society accepts us!" but I think that's partly bravado.

For example, he loves Twitter now but Elon still hasn't given his account back...

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 18 points 1 year ago

Can launder money in multiple jurisdictions.

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 17 points 1 year ago

"It wAs aCtuALLy a lAB LEaK" is such a right-wing shibboleth that it's extra delicious that some wingers[1] put their money where their mouths and were comprehensively disproven. Kudos to the Lesswronger who went through all this, even though a 100K payout made it rATioNaL


[1] I don't have any evidence that Rootclaim are right-wingers but my priors tell me they are

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 18 points 1 year ago

Looking forward to the conversation:

"Honey, I've met someone who fulfills the criteria we established when we started our relationship. They are 50% better than you".

"OK, let me see.... nope, I don't agree, that person is at best 25% better than me. If you leave me for them, I am suing for breach of contract."

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 18 points 1 year ago

TPOT stands for "this part of twitter" and is apparently a Rationalist splinter group.

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 18 points 2 years ago

No it does not make sense.

[-] gerikson@awful.systems 21 points 2 years ago

"We need to ensure the AI is aligned!"

"OK, we've trained it not to be racist"

"No not like that!"

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gerikson

joined 2 years ago