Mastodawn

Quanta Magazine writer Amanda Gefter goes into how our tales of AI catastrophe might say more about ourselves, than about large language models.

This resonates with an idea I keep returning to when faced with the daily onslaught of AI doomerism in Mastodon. Many people assume LLMs will act like a human would, for the better, but mostly for the worse.

"Why Do We Tell Ourselves Scary Stories About AI?"

https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-do-we-tell-ourselves-scary-stories-about-ai-20260410/

#ai #qualia #storytelling #catastrophizing #philosophy

Scott Tibbs Mar 11

Overusing the "Nazi" card:

http://www.ConservaTibbs.com/p/overusing-the-nazi-card

Something does not have to be "Nazi" in order to be really bad.

#FakeNews #AntiSemitism #Catastrophizing

Overusing the "Nazi" card

Comparing our political opponents to one of the worst evils in human history is not productive.

ConservaTibbs

Scott Ninneman/SpeakingBipolar Feb 23

My brain loves to turn a molehill into a mountain range. Today, when the spiral starts, I’m asking: "Is this a fact, or is this a fear?" 🛑 #AnxietyRelief #Catastrophizing #BipolarLife

Read today’s Club post: https://open.substack.com/pub/speakingbipolar/p/stop-the-downward-spiral-of-catastrophizing?r=y4fp9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Chris Smart Jan 22

Currently watching:
#Catastrophizing: How to Stop Making Yourself #Depressed and #Anxious:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS2LPNlO07s
#depression #anxiety #psychology #MentalHealth

Catastrophizing: How to Stop Making Yourself Depressed and Anxious: Cognitive Distortion Skill #6

YouTube

WIST Quotations Jan 14

A quotation from Balzac

The fact is, my sweet, every mother spends her time, so soon as her children are out of her sight, in imagining dangers for them. Perhaps it is Armand seizing the razors to play with, or his coat taking fire, or a snake biting him, or he might tumble in running and start and absess on his head, or he might drown himself in a pond. A mother’s life, you see, is one long succession of dramas, now soft and tender, now terrible. Not an hour but has its joys and fears.

[En effet, mon ange, durant le jour, toutes les mères inventent des dangers. Dès que les enfants ne sont plus sous leurs yeux, c’est des rasoirs volés avec lesquels Armand a voulu jouer, le feu qui prend à sa jaquette, un orvet qui peut le mordre, une chute en courant qui peut faire un dépôt à la tête, ou les bassins où il peut se noyer. Comme tu le vois, la maternité comporte une suite de poésies douces ou terribles. Pas une heure qui n’ait ses joies et ses craintes.]

Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) French novelist, playwright
Letters of Two Brides [Mémoires de deux jeunes mariées], Part 1, letter 45 (1840) [tr. Scott (1897)]

More about this quote: wist.info/balzac-honore-de/813…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #balzac #anxiety #catastrophizing #children #concern #danger #fear #mother #paranoia #parenting #worry #fretfulness #fretting

Balzac, Honoré de - Letters of Two Brides [Mémoires de deux jeunes mariées], Part 1, letter 45 (1840) [tr. Scott (1897)] | WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations Has Moved!Sep 18, 2025

A quotation from Ben Franklin

If evils come not, then our fears are vain:
And if they do, Fear but augments the pain.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1741 ed.)

More info about this quote: wist.info/franklin-benjamin/78…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #benfranklin #poorrichard #poorrichardsalmanac #anxiety #catastrophizing #fear #worry

WIST Quotations Has Moved!Feb 5, 2025

A quotation from Russell

One of the symptoms of approaching nervous break-down is the belief that one’s work is terribly important, and that to take a holiday would bring all kinds of disaster.

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English mathematician and philosopher
Conquest of Happiness, Part 1, ch. 5 “Fatigue” (1930)

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/russell-bertrand/338…

#quote #quotes #quotation #catastrophizing #collapse #criticality #ego #fatigue #grandiosity #importance #nerves #nervousbreakdown #priorities #work

Conquest of Happiness, Part 1, ch. 5 "Fatigue" (1930) - Russell, Bertrand | WIST Quotations

One of the symptoms of approaching nervous break-down is the belief that one's work is terribly important, and that to take a holiday would bring all kinds of disaster.

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations moves again!Dec 18, 2024

A quotation from Russell, Bertrand:

«
One of the symptoms of approaching nervous break-down is the belief that one’s work is terribly important, and that to take a holiday would bring all kinds of disaster.
»

Full quote, sourcing, notes:
https://wist.info/russell-bertrand/3384/

#quote #quotes #quotation #catastrophizing #collapse #ego #fatigue #importance #nerves #nervousbreakdown #priorities #work

Steve Dustcircle 🌹Nov 24, 2024

Cut Out #Catastrophizing

Constantly imagining the #worstoutcome increases and maintains #distress.

Key points:

- Catastrophizing is thinking the worst possible outcome will happen #withoutevidence to support this thought.
- Catastrophizing is related to #anxiety, #depression, and #chronichealthconditions such as #chronicpain.
- Catastrophizing leads to distress and anxiety and makes you think a #badoutcome is more likely than it is.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-well-when-your-body-doesnt-cooperate/202411/cut-out-catastrophizing

Cut Out Catastrophizing

Catastrophizing fuels and maintains distress. To pull out of this negative focus on the future, engage with the present moment.

Psychology Today

WIST Quotations moves again!Jul 25, 2024

A quotation from Milne, A. A.:

«
“Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?”
“Supposing it didn’t,” said Pooh after careful thought.
Piglet was comforted by this.
»

Full quote, sourcing, notes:
https://wist.info/milne-a-a/48004/

#quote #quotes #quotation #catastrophizing #comfort #hope #hypothetical #optimism #pessimism #supposing #worstcasescenario