@grumble209 Haha good one. Thx for this:

"We have met what's going to save our ass and it is us." - Vinge

Found the source, and while it can sound optimistic especially reading it now, I still think Vinge was right about what's possible. :-) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/jun/29/guardianweeklytechnologysection5 #future #ScienceFiction #geek #activism #Resistance #CivicTech #CivilSociety #SocialChange

@slowenough I haven't read Vinge's book - I just liked the quote.

From the article:
*Author Ken MacLeod places the Singularity in the context of post-2001 hopelessness. "When human beings feel they can't change the future, they begin to imagine that maybe superhuman beings can: gods, angels, aliens - and now artificial intelligences (AI).*

I don't know MacLeod, but anyone who looks at 2001 and decides that the future is unchangeable is an idiot. Fewer than 25-30 dudes with a plan changed the course of history - with the leader living in a cave.

Humanity has more control over our individual and collective future than ever before. It's tragic that mostly it's craven assholes who've realized it.

What's sad is that it's much more difficult now to get away from the people who want to NPCs in someone else's game. There's fewer frontiers to escape to.