“The Future I Want” — Srinivas Narayanan

Modern humans think they can have the future they want

About all I know of the future is that it will likely come, but only because so far it always has (if we all live in a sim-universe and it is turned off…). At any moment, I may not be there to know that it came, that some putative “I” slipped into it. For me, the now will end, as it does daily, typically not long after I turn the light off.

All I know is that I can trust in the universe completely. Death can come at any time, always within the limits of an organism’s lifespan. In death I TRUST. Beyond that, I know nothing of the future, including “my” future apart from the final “lights out” event.

I know much less of humanity’s future. Our present form (modern) will end, but I don’t know when; we can’t know any details. One future is that humans evolve into multiple species, some number less than infinite, and thereby sidestep extinction.

I can no more imagine that modern humans have a long term future than the mice in John B. Calhoun’s “Universe 25,” but modern humans live in a more complex universe, one where a Klaatu could show up.

But…, but I’m a Modern human. Why wouldn’t you save me?

I’m guessing that a form of human domesticant utterly dependent on a form of civilization that is not remotely sustainable will not long persist. But I don’t really know, hence I can but endeavor to guess well.

Srinivas Narayanan is V.P. of engineering at OpenAI, a gifted being who leads the teams that build products, including ChatGPT and Sora. He and his team members sing the song of the billionaires who pay him (his net worth is only $1.1 million so far, so he’s still a humble lackey), even if momentarily any of them sing off key (otherwise they are replaced). Narayanan states:

“The future I want is one where humans are still guiding the AI systems, right? Ultimately, that’s what we want.”

The “we” (modern humans) want to control the AI systems they are building to serve humanity (modern humans) by serving modernity’s servants, our techno-elite overlords (what’s good for their short-term self interest is good for us — believe me, I know).

Mass production of cars began in 1913. Modern humans wanted to guide their development to serve modern humans by helping them go places faster (and make their creators money).

In 1921 over a thousand children in New York City, about 20 a week, were killed by cars. By 1925, in cities with populations over 25,000, cars were killing two-thirds of those who happened to die from all causes. Today cars remain the leading cause of death in America of those between ages 5 and 34, and the indirect cause of death for those over 34 secondary to activity intolerance.

BC, before cars,,,a human place, a meeting place, a playground for children.

But to make life look like:

…it takes Lord Car (and domesticants to serve Him).

But unlike today, people in the early twentieth century were outraged, were mad as hell, and weren’t going to take it anymore. Up until 1923, newspapers reflected their readership, and editors and letters to the editors squarely blamed motorists for the carnage. But the public soon became modernized, they learned to love their cars.

Smartphones are another technology those who profit from them want to control. Meanwhile, they lay waste to the minds addicted, by all intent, to them.

Winston Smith came to love Big Brother. We already do. Welcome to Huxley’s Brave New World (written in 1931, about the time when we lost the race between education and catastrophe). But don’t worry, we can only love our oppression, enjoy your way down, for a time (from 1,000 ft, figure 10 seconds to reach terminal velocity in low Earth atmosphere).

Don’t worry, we are all MAD.

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For involuntary change, join MHEM. The belief that you are a free agent, with free will to choose your future (or get modern humans to choose their future), is error floating on a sea of ignorance in a thick fog of illusion.

The Modern Human Extinction Movement

[Note: MHEM membership excludes politicians and the recently (<1 year) politically active, including environmentalists. Otherwise, with the exception of the San, Hadza, and Pygmy, all other humans are Modern humans, and acknowledging that such is who and what you are is the requirement for being MHEM. MHEM includes members who celebrate Modern human life and favor the extinction of all life that humans do not value (aka “Hypers”). A minority faction views the condition of being a Modern human the way AA members view the condition of being an alcoholic — i.e. non-viable. The author is obviously one of the “Or-nots” who seek to “just say no” to the Anthropocene.]