Nic, that was a really beautiful piece. It is reflecting exactly where my mind and heart have been for the past couple of months. Anchoring in the Self and resting as that which I am, is the fulcrum and neutral antidote to all distractions of the world. Navigating from this "place" is the seat of true power and all that flows from here is clear, and quiet and true. As the illusion apparently speeds up for most of us, the quiet truth of home is always there. It does not change. Water does not wet it and fire does not burn it. 😉. Thank you for sharing your truth and the inspiration it brings. I have joined your 3hour course for structure and to emulate your model and am working with another creator to help me build my YouTube presence. Exciting times ahead. 💫
Perhaps we should frame this instead as seeking to figure out what we value about being human, and then working to maintain that in the upheavals ahead.
Which part of being human is at risk in this context? "remaining human" is such dramatic sentence with not much of substance really. The kind that is suppose to leave one feeling "oh wow, so profound" while in actuality doesn't say anything, word salad category, in my opinion.
Oops, I didn't mean to be rude! To me, evaluating what we value about being human seems like a good thing. To figure out what we value so we can try to preserve those things in the tumult ahead. There much very serious work on this in philosophy and theology. I did not think I could convince you that this kind of investigation is not "word salad" or just trying falsely to seem "profound." So I tried to make a joke. Guess I failed on all counts. :)
Great article. Things that must be said for all to reflect on and hopefully escape the constant attention seeking technology that we're saddled up with. Get both our feet back on the ground so to speak. Realising there is a real world out there waiting for us to do just that.
I've been finding myself in a kind of constant survival mode for many years. It's improved since retirement, where I felt like jumping off of a speeding train and find myself instantly motionless. It made me realize that I had jumped from a hectic, demanding, fiercely competitive world back into the real world where everything moves at a more natural, slower pace. Our minds have less problems with that world.
On the topic of future jobs, I would most certainly not discount the hands-on jobs that require a different set of physical and mental skills which we take for granted every day. A.I. isn't going to fix our plumbing, our electrical system, our roof, our house, our car. Learning and mastering a trade is most valuable in today's world - tools, a functioning brain, experience and a pair of good hands. Unfortunately many do not understand it this way and aren't attracted to the idea or suggestion. Instead of the hands-on, physical jobs they prefer to seek jobs that permanently link them to a computer and/or phone.
Great read! All your practical points to ground in the wisdom are top tier — especially the boundaries!! I do the exact same thing, keeping my phone on dnd. It’s so healthy to not have notifications on (no one needs them floating around your subconscious anyway).
Just read a brief summary of the book. From this perspective, humans have always been finding ways to return to humanity/the physical world, as the digital world expands. If the telephone is an extension/acceleration of speech, AI can be seen as an extension/acceleration of thought/the mind. This makes original thought & the process of thinking more valuable.
Great article Nik. I've come to a very similar conclusion to you. I've worked in tech for 25 years. I try and have a digital detox every now and then and find it very rewarding. It helps put things in perspective and slow me down again.
I would like to hear more on how studying philosophy helped you put AI in a human framework. What does that look like? How specifically do you apply them?
I enjoyed this piece. As a young person I can’t help to wonder if the chronic stress on our nervous systems from our changing world will have a significant impact on life expectancy.
Nic, that was a really beautiful piece. It is reflecting exactly where my mind and heart have been for the past couple of months. Anchoring in the Self and resting as that which I am, is the fulcrum and neutral antidote to all distractions of the world. Navigating from this "place" is the seat of true power and all that flows from here is clear, and quiet and true. As the illusion apparently speeds up for most of us, the quiet truth of home is always there. It does not change. Water does not wet it and fire does not burn it. 😉. Thank you for sharing your truth and the inspiration it brings. I have joined your 3hour course for structure and to emulate your model and am working with another creator to help me build my YouTube presence. Exciting times ahead. 💫
what does reaming human even mean!
its human to fear, to fight, to struggle.
Its human for 1% to rule over the rest.
its human to use, abuse and misuse.
So don't worry, we'll remain human.
Perhaps we should frame this instead as seeking to figure out what we value about being human, and then working to maintain that in the upheavals ahead.
Which part of being human is at risk in this context? "remaining human" is such dramatic sentence with not much of substance really. The kind that is suppose to leave one feeling "oh wow, so profound" while in actuality doesn't say anything, word salad category, in my opinion.
So sorry. Will aim to offer "substance really" next time! But can't you eat a salad?
I didn't mean to offend. If you have no answer to the question, then don't answer. Being rude isn't gonna help.
Oops, I didn't mean to be rude! To me, evaluating what we value about being human seems like a good thing. To figure out what we value so we can try to preserve those things in the tumult ahead. There much very serious work on this in philosophy and theology. I did not think I could convince you that this kind of investigation is not "word salad" or just trying falsely to seem "profound." So I tried to make a joke. Guess I failed on all counts. :)
It's perfectly clear in my comment what I referred to as word salad and for what reason.
You believe it's important to to figure out what "we" value so we can preserve it. Cool. Go do that. It's irrelevant to my comment.
I really appreciate how you draw parallels in your writing Nik.
“How to remain human through it” is a question I’ve been fascinated about. I wrote this earlier today:
Convenience is a blessing and a curse.
On one hand we have self-checkout, have our food delivered to our door, and have God speed AI tools.
On the other hand, we miss out on all the small interactions that could've happened if it weren't for choosing those very same conveniences.
No wonder we feel burnt out and disconnected…
Great article. Things that must be said for all to reflect on and hopefully escape the constant attention seeking technology that we're saddled up with. Get both our feet back on the ground so to speak. Realising there is a real world out there waiting for us to do just that.
I've been finding myself in a kind of constant survival mode for many years. It's improved since retirement, where I felt like jumping off of a speeding train and find myself instantly motionless. It made me realize that I had jumped from a hectic, demanding, fiercely competitive world back into the real world where everything moves at a more natural, slower pace. Our minds have less problems with that world.
On the topic of future jobs, I would most certainly not discount the hands-on jobs that require a different set of physical and mental skills which we take for granted every day. A.I. isn't going to fix our plumbing, our electrical system, our roof, our house, our car. Learning and mastering a trade is most valuable in today's world - tools, a functioning brain, experience and a pair of good hands. Unfortunately many do not understand it this way and aren't attracted to the idea or suggestion. Instead of the hands-on, physical jobs they prefer to seek jobs that permanently link them to a computer and/or phone.
Great read! All your practical points to ground in the wisdom are top tier — especially the boundaries!! I do the exact same thing, keeping my phone on dnd. It’s so healthy to not have notifications on (no one needs them floating around your subconscious anyway).
Love the nervous system insight Nic! Have you read Understanding Media by Marshall McLuhan?
He talks about similar insights but from the 1940-50s perspective of the rise of the radio and tv
Just read a brief summary of the book. From this perspective, humans have always been finding ways to return to humanity/the physical world, as the digital world expands. If the telephone is an extension/acceleration of speech, AI can be seen as an extension/acceleration of thought/the mind. This makes original thought & the process of thinking more valuable.
Right but not without conscious effort. Most of society keeps the convenience of the tool at the expense of their humanity.
Great article Nik. I've come to a very similar conclusion to you. I've worked in tech for 25 years. I try and have a digital detox every now and then and find it very rewarding. It helps put things in perspective and slow me down again.
I would like to hear more on how studying philosophy helped you put AI in a human framework. What does that look like? How specifically do you apply them?
I enjoyed this piece. As a young person I can’t help to wonder if the chronic stress on our nervous systems from our changing world will have a significant impact on life expectancy.