“Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.”
Frank Herbert
#ai #ai_is_a_tool #genai_is_a_toy #keepyourmind #keepthinking #keepyourbrain #useyourbrain
I am seeing way too many folks on here appologising for "contributing" to #FOSS projects with #AISlop.
Y'all... What!?
Great code written by the best engineer on earth is a liability. Code generated by a #LLM is like a crate of 100 year old TNT.
I'm glad I'm not maintaining any real projects right now because I wouldn't have the stomach for dealing with llm-generated feature requests.
One argument *for* LLMs is they lower the barrier to entry for developers who have not yet learned to develop.
That like saying "let's reduce the barrier to entry for teens on motorcycles by removing safety courses and licences and giving away motorcycles".
Someone is going to die, and it's going to be NO fun to drive ANYWHERE.
Echoes of #Plato: #NeoLuddism — reclaiming the human in the digital age
Making room for humanity in the march of technology
“The machines were their enemies, for the machines were the means by which greedy masters enforced their will.” — – E.P. Thompson, The Making of the English Working Class (1963)
by Kem-Laurin Lubin, Jan 4, 2025
"Modern neo-Luddism draws inspiration from this historical movement, but rather than opposing all forms of #technology, it critiques the #uncritical adoption of digital tools and automation. Neo-Luddites are not anti-technology per se; instead, they advocate for a more #mindful and selective use of technology, prioritizing human #WellBeing, #EnvironmentalSustainability, and meaningful #SocialInteractions.
"In today’s context, neo-Luddism is less about destroying machines and more about reclaiming control over how technology shapes daily life. It questions the pervasive influence of #smartphones, #SocialMedia, and constant #connectivity, encouraging moments of #disconnection to foster deeper, more authentic human experiences.
"This philosophy underpins the growing trend of 'no-tech meetups,' where individuals come together to temporarily step away from digital distractions and reconnect in more organic, face-to-face ways [Like listening to vinyl records with a friend!]. Neo-Luddites advocate for a conscious retreat from digital dependence, emphasizing the importance of face-to-face communication and preserving human connection without the interference of screens. These gatherings, often called '#LudditeClubs' or 'analog meetups,' create spaces where participants can engage in conversations, activities, and communal experiences free from the distractions of smartphones, social media, and other digital tools.
"The motivations behind this movement are diverse. Some individuals express concerns over privacy and the pervasive #surveillance associated with digital platforms. Some lament the growing loss of #jobs and community. Others seek to combat the social isolation and mental health challenges exacerbated by excessive screen time. #Environmental considerations also play a role, with participants mindful of the ecological impact of #ElectronicWaste and the resource demands of constant technological upgrades."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/6tQNO
#Philosophy #RightToRepair #EWaste #PlannedObsolescence #LudditeClub #NeoLuddite #UseYourBrain #DigitalAge #ReadABook #SmartphoneAddiction #TechAddiction #MentalHealth #BrainHealth #DatacentersUseTooMuchElectricity
Writing in Your Books Is Good for Your Brain—Here’s Why
Annotating the margins of books is an important part of deep reading and has a long legacy of merit in both science and literature
By Brianne Kane edited by Jeanna Bryner, September 19, 2024
Excerpt: "Readers on TikTok and Instagram are making the aesthetics of reading more visible than ever with creative, and often intricate, annotations. Called marginalia, these markups can be elaborate, with notes that nearly fill full pages and that are color-coordinated with the book’s cover. The emergence of such bookish note-taking has sparked a debate between enthusiasts and skeptics: Is the practice of marginalia a bad habit or a beneficial endeavor?
"#Marginalia have a long history: #LeonardoDaVinci famously scribbled thoughts about gravity years before Galileo Galilei published his magnum opus on the subject; the discovery was waiting under our noses in the margins of Leonardo’s Codex Arundel. Famous writers such as #HermanMelville and #EdgarAllanPoe are somewhat known for their marginalia, making their biographers both overjoyed and overwhelmed. Just last year #AnnPatchett, a staple on any modern fiction shelves, told Literary Hub about the joys of reading her own books and annotating patterns she never before noticed. She created a unique edition of Tom Lake for dedicated deep readers, in which she included her own annotations on her own writing style. The Patchett-ception worked: the special edition raised money at an auction for indie bookstores during 2020, and the endeavor inspired the writer to annotate a copy of her beloved classic Bel Canto as well.
"Alongside this evolution of margin additions, neuroscientists have been researching the cognitive effects of writing, pencil to paper. For instance, a study of electrical activity in the brain published in Frontiers in Psychology found that handwriting itself helps a person remember and understand more about they’ve read and written. Maryanne Wolf, director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice at the University of California, Los Angeles, discussed the importance of annotating with NPR in 2022. In classic former-English-major fashion, she paraphrased Marcel Proust in explaining that deep reading allows us to 'go beyond the wisdom of the author to discover our own.' In that vein, marginalia can help the annotator understand the material deeply enough to further develop their own interpretation of the text, she said. In the Journal of Language Learning and Teaching, foreign language professor Demet Yayli of Pamukkale University in Turkey, explained that in writing workshops, especially for genre-fiction writing, deep reading—which includes annotations—is critical in helping students articulate their interpretations and maintain their own 'learner autonomy.' "
Read more:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/go-ahead-write-in-the-margins-its-good-for-your-brain/
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/Bts8M
#LearnerAutonomy #ReadABook #UseYourBrain #AISucks #BrainHealth #UseAIWithCaution #AIIsDumbingUsDown #Bookstodon #Books
One of #NJ’s largest school districts bans #cellphones in class
By Rob Jennings, Sept 19, 2025
"Students in New Jersey’s second-largest city will be required to put their cellphones away while in class starting Oct. 1.
"The Jersey City school board voted unanimously Thursday night to approve a new policy prohibiting cellphones and other personal communications devices in classrooms. There will be limited exceptions for students with disabilities and health issues."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/lpEmt
#UseYourBrain #SmartphoneAddiction #TechAddiction #MentalHealth #BrainHealth
Why teens are ditching their smartphones — and how to live without one
Maybe your teen will ditch their smartphone, too. Here’s how they can do it
By Natalie Issa
Published: Aug 10, 2023
Excerpt: "A recent study published by APA PsycNet found that limited smartphone use has its benefits.
"For this study, German researches monitored two groups: one group that stopped using smartphones altogether and a second group that reduced smartphone use by one hour everyday. Both groups were monitored over one week.
"While both groups saw an increase in life satisfaction and physical activity, the group that only limited phone use by one hour saw stronger and more sustainable effects over four months. Additionally, this group saw a decrease in the number of cigarettes they smoked everyday.
"The study concluded that 'conscious and controlled changes of daily time spent on smartphone use can contribute to subjective well-being (less depressive and anxiety symptoms, less problematic use tendencies, more life satisfaction) and to a healthier lifestyle (more physical activity, less smoking behavior) in the longer term.' "
Read more:
https://www.deseret.com/23583331/teens-smartphones/
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/nyDOL
#LudditeClub #NeoLuddite #UseYourBrain #ReadABook #SmartphoneAddiction #TechAddiction #MentalHealth #BrainHealth
Ummmm... Not everyone!
"Altman's statement reflects optimism about the usefulness of future AI systems, but despite warnings of an AI bubble and criticism of the underlying technology, there is still actual unmet demand for generative AI capacity today. ChatGPT serves 700 million weekly active users, more than double the US population, who regularly use the AI assistant to develop software, provide personal advice, and compose or edit correspondence and reports. While the outputs may be imperfect at times, people apparently still want them."
Why does #OpenAI need six giant data centers?
OpenAI's new $400 billion announcement reveals both growing AI demand and circular investments.
Benj Edwards – Sep 24, 2025
[How many of these places are low on water resources? Quite a few!!!] "The five new sites will include three locations developed through an OpenAI and #Oracle partnership: #ShackelfordCounty, #Texas; #DoñaAnaCounty, #NewMexico; and an unspecified #Midwest location. These sites, along with a 600-megawatt expansion near the flagship #Stargate site in #AbileneTx, can deliver over 5.5 gigawatts of capacity, which means the computers on site will be able to draw up to 5.5 billion watts of electricity when running at full load. The companies expect the sites to create over 25,000 onsite jobs.
"Two of the sites will be developed through a partnership between SoftBank and OpenAI. One site in #LordstownOH, where #SoftBank has broken ground, is on track to be operational next year. The second site in #MilamCounty, #Texas, will be developed with #SBEnergy, a SoftBank Group company. These two sites may scale to 1.5 gigawatts over the next 18 months.
"The new sites will join the flagship Stargate campus in Abilene, Texas. Oracle began delivering #Nvidia hardware to that site in June, and OpenAI has already begun training (building new models) and inference (running #ChatGPT) using the data center."
Read more:
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/09/why-does-openai-need-six-giant-data-centers/
#AIDataCenters #WaterIsLife #NoisePollution #FossilFuels #EnergyWaste #NoNukesForAI #NoNukesForDatacenters #AISucks #UseYourBrain #ThinkForYourself
Why Critical Thinking Is Disappearing - The Rise Of Collective Stupidity:
#thinking #criticalthinking #socialmedia #brain #useyourbrain #useyourmind #collectivestupidity
Is #AI Making Us Stupider? This Study Certainly Thinks So
New research highlights the impact of AI on #CriticalThinking skills.
Posted August 21, 2025 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk
Key points
- Using AI to do the thinking impacts not only quality of work but also the long-term acquisition of skills.
- AI can have a place in education, but it needs to be carefully employed.
- Employing AI is having a detrimental impact on our ability to think critically.
Excerpt: "A new study by #MIT has published initial results highlighting a likely connection between large language models (#LLMs)—colloquially grouped under the banner of AI—and a direct cognitive cost, particularly when it comes to our ability to think critically. They conducted a study using a pool of 54 participants, divided into three groups. The groups were asked to deliver an SAT-grade essay, with the first group granted access to #ChatGPT, the second to traditional #GoogleSearch, and the third with no search resources at all. Group 3 was referred to as the '#BrainOnly' group.
"Over time, each participant had to produce several essays, and each time was attached to an EEG to record brain activity across 32 regions. Consistently, ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement for every essay, and worryingly showed decreasing brain activity over time, as they progressed through the essay assignments. What this represents is the ChatGPT participants getting '#lazier' with each subsequent essay, with many resorting to copy-and-paste content by the end of the study. The study also recorded that this group 'consistently underperformed at #neural, #linguistic, and behavioral levels.' The findings make sense; with ChatGPT doing much of the work, it's easier on our #cognitive processes, and it is unsurprising that it takes less mental effort.
"Perhaps the more concerning aspect of the findings is the connection between #ReducedBrainActivity and impact on long-term learning and memory. As well as recording the participants' level of satisfaction, #curiosity, #creativity and #memory as part of the study—which were all high for both the brain-only and the search assisted groups (groups 2 and 3)—a later part of the study asked each group to reproduce one of their earlier essays, with the ChatGPT group asked to do so without access to any tools. There was little evidence of this group's participants remembering much of their previous essay, highlighting the very necessary link between #CognitiveEngagement and memory and, therefore, the potential impact on #LongTermLearning and gaining new skills. Conversely, and perhaps reassuringly, however, the brain-only group was then permitted to rewrite their essay with access to ChatGPT, with their efforts showing higher levels of creativity and stronger arguments, while retaining original thinking and unique language. This could present reassurance that, employed properly, AI has a place in enhancing learning without diminishing cognitive capability.
"Despite awaiting peer review and using only a small participant sample, the research team decided to release their findings in advance of peer feedback, in what they highlight as an urgent consideration of #LearningWithAI."
#DumbingUsDown #AIIsDumbingUsDown #AISucks #UseYourBrain #CriticalThinkingSkills #EvaluatingSources #UseAIWithCaution
Thank you for picking this up. I agree SO much with your reflections. You got me at:
"Don't stop USING YOUR BRAIN!" 🧠
grinsekater
sb arms & legs
DoomsdaysCW
Jason Stiff
nessita