jwzFeb 18

One of the things that is amazing about AI derangement syndrome is that when you call someone out for buying into that shit -- someone you've previously been on quite good terms with for decades -- their response to you saying, "hey, you should stop doing that, there is no ethical use of this tech" is a level of offense as if you have just fucked their cat.

Some of you probably know who I'm talking about. If not, you probably have examples yourselves.

Show threadDavid GerardFeb 18
@jwz i can't tell you how many people are precisely this guy
Show threadSimon ZerafaFeb 18

@davidgerard @jwz

It's a cult or perhaps a religion.

Anyone questioning the irrational beliefs of the faithful are automatically heathen unbelievers and to be shunned.

Show threadCharlie StrossFeb 18
@simonzerafa @davidgerard @jwz TESCREAL as a whole is *definitely* a religion—a very familiar looking one to those of us who weren't raised in any variety of Christianity but in another religion, and therefore get to observe Christian behaviour from outside. And I'm telling you the singularitarian/AI bros are just speedrunning the emergence of pre-Nicean Xtianity as a syncretistic evangelical faith (this time without Jesus/God but with the usual salvationist/AI uploading heaven bullshit).
Show threadslashFeb 18
@cstross @simonzerafa @davidgerard @jwz Full marks for "syncretism". That's not jargon I'd expect to hear outside Biblical scholarship circles. Very welcome. And exactly the right word for this.
Show threadSimon ZerafaFeb 18

@agreeable_landfall @cstross @davidgerard @jwz

Well I now follow the Ancient greek pantheon. I do need to organise a pilgrimage to Delphi at some point 🥳

Show threadslashFeb 18

@simonzerafa I'm used to hearing "Friend of the Podcast" after your name. ;)

I have been to Delphi and seen the Oomphalos (IIRC). It's interesting how that worked. As usual, things are more complicated than our history books tell us.

Show threadSimon Zerafa

@agreeable_landfall

The Oompholos would be the highlight, as the centre of the world 😉

Email Steve on Sunday Evening if you want your thoughts or article included in the podcast 🙂🖖

Feb 18 at 9:39pmWeb
Show threadslashFeb 18

@simonzerafa I do, and he has. But I'm never "friend of the podcast". Near as I can tell, that's just you. It was just nice to run into you; it's a small Internet after all.

I'm going to have to argue with the Greek government, because there's a benchmark in the street of Wallace, Idaho clearly stating that *it* is the center of the world. And our government wouldn't lie about a thing like that. ;)