Fourth Wave

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Facebook Moves To Community Notes

Along with AI profiles, no customer service, no fact-checkers, no shirt, no shoes, no service

Amy Sterling Casil
Fourth Wave
Published in
6 min readJan 9, 2025

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Maybe fifteen years ago, I was at ConDor, the San Diego, CA-area science fiction convention. As usual, I was the only female on an all-male sci-fi author and academic panel.

I was sitting next to Vernor Vinge, the brilliant mathematician and originator of the concept of the technological “Singularity.”

I didn’t know Vernor well, but he was one of the few men in his position who not only always treated me respectfully and decently, he conversed with me as if I was his social and intellectual equal.

The discussion had turned to human interstellar space travel. I certainly had said nothing — opportunities for chat via these events for people like me are limited — but Vernor turned to me and whispered, “I think it would take about half of the gross global product to achieve interstellar travel.”

I was only beginning my business development work at that time, but I thought, “Even if it’s half of the global economic output, this still can’t completely exclude everyone except white European or North American men.”

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Amy Sterling Casil
Amy Sterling Casil

Written by Amy Sterling Casil

Over 500 million views and 5 million published words, top writer in health and social media. Author of 50 books, former exec, Nebula nominee.

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