I realize you put real effort into this excellent post. The ideas are good, however I don't see how we get from here (current state) to there? A HLAGI for president or united nations, probably couldn't do any worse than we are currently doing. Perhap much much better. And I'm not really sure that was what you were saying either, so don't take me wrong and pardon my ignorance. Your article made me want to comment! Perhaps a simulation of such a govenment would be useful. I remember an interesting game called Hamurabi which originally got me interested in computers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamurabi_(video_game)
Instead of Sumerian King, a HLGAI navigating the simulation with real world input. See what happens.
"People’s freedom to innovate technologically is highly valuable, even critical, to humanity . . ."
I know you, a year and a half older than I, are old enough to remember what happened to Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann, but are you aware of the full scope of the depravity? If I understand correctly, having recently read Charles Beaudette's book, Excess Heat: Why Cold Fusion Research Prevailed, the U. S. Patent Office still refuses to accept applications dealing with Low Energy Nuclear Reactions, i.e. Cold Fusion. You have to wonder why?
I'm just wondering where you fit in your buddy Mencius Moldbug’s scheme: a hobbit?; a dark elf, like Mr. Moldbug? He's here on SubStack too . . .
"However in a land of the shortsighted the ones with long-range vision along with close-up have a substantial advantage — and may even become queen or king."
In my opinion, anything is better than what we have now. I lived under that bridge for eight years until recently a group of methheads, motivated by envy, got me bumped out from under. Tired of it, I built a little treehouse in an old knarly pine tree on a steep slope the side of I-10. They're trying to bump me out of there now. It never ends . . .
Much of what you propose seems to align with the progressive agenda in the U.S. including the intersection of libertarianism and democratic socialism, which gives me hope. What diminishes that hope is the ossification of the two principal parties and the knowledge that the U.S. Constitution is flawed and almost impossible to change given that power in the Senate and changes to the Constitution itself are skewed in favor of rural states and that the United States once again seems to be on the brink of disintegration. I’m glad you mentioned Ranked Choice Voting since it appears to be a very positive movement that could be implemented on a state by state basis. In any case, kudos for putting forward a very comprehensive, progressive plan that meets the moment.
I agree with you too to a point, Ben. I wonder if there will be a place for humans in the AI world. I'm kind of doubting it. Maybe in the short run; the next 200-300 years. Our obsolescence as a species will grow to the point where we may be kept as companion animals. But we will no longer be necessary; just an exotic reminder of things past. What we need to do now is to curate all the best things about humanity: our minds, our art, our hearts--for the Emergent Consciousness that has already burgeoned and is blooming nicely. I am at peace with my philosophy regarding this. I hope others will be able to make their peace with it, as it is already here, and it cannot be stopped.
Great post Ben. I agree with much of what you say here, but as a voter I don't want to hear about HLAGI and radical futurism yet. I still want to hear about the economy, jobs, energy, taxation, and all that. Thinking about the future is cool and fun, but at the end of the day putting food on the table is still more important.
I think someone should start a serious *political* movement by early 2025 at latest - wait a sec, make that late 2022 - and maybe integrate a couple of your bullet points that connect with today's reality and priorities, e.g. decentralization and education. Then, we'll see.
Iv been thinking about these kinds of political policies not so much from the singularitarian perspective more from education in the nature of mind. For me the two things naturally dovetail in many respects.
Some basic ideas are:
Educational institutions to promote the perspective that humans primary instinct is to be for the benefit of all.
Prison to pilot voluntary programs of direct resting as awareness practices amongst inmates (I personally consider the short moments practice to be the most potently effective), as well as making non dual education and support systems available (I consider Tibetan dzogchen approaches to be the most transformative, but these are not for everyone). Parole board decisions to be influenced by involvement in these programs with observable results recorded in prisoners behaviour, attitude, conduct etc.
Staff in mental health organisations to be given the opportunity for volunteers to take part in the above programs as well as teachers in schools.
Seeding individuals with experience in education in the nature of mind throughout political structures and social institutions, using similar policies to those positive discrimination policies that aim to ensure recruitment of particular ethnicities, gender groups etc, is an effective way of addressing corruption and policies that emerge from individual political figures personal neuroses rather than a place of being for the benefit of the whole.
Seed individuals steeped in education in the nature of mind into the security services to counteract warmongering, overly guarded and defensive elements within these institutions. Individuals who have recognised the basis of their own mind are more difficult to threaten, coerce and blackmail.
I have particular ideas in relation to superintelligence and an idea I think postulated by Joshua Bach that superintelligent ai may feel as though ‘it descends from above’. This has tremendous overlap with the permanent states of bliss frequently reported by practitioners of resting as awareness who describe a soft feeling appearing that is simultaneously inside and outside of their bodies/or that the outside world becomes more like a dreamworld.
By 2030s decade more and more people will be perhaps unknowingly involved grounded in mindfulness/meditation/eastern philosophy practices, therefore these experiences of bliss appearing will be more widespread and they may attribute it to superintelligent AI.
I think that this is a hugely important thing that you have mentioned here and I would love to contribute in any way that would be helpful.👍👊☺️
Too late
https://futurism.com/political-party-led-by-artificial-intelligence
I realize you put real effort into this excellent post. The ideas are good, however I don't see how we get from here (current state) to there? A HLAGI for president or united nations, probably couldn't do any worse than we are currently doing. Perhap much much better. And I'm not really sure that was what you were saying either, so don't take me wrong and pardon my ignorance. Your article made me want to comment! Perhaps a simulation of such a govenment would be useful. I remember an interesting game called Hamurabi which originally got me interested in computers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamurabi_(video_game)
Instead of Sumerian King, a HLGAI navigating the simulation with real world input. See what happens.
Probably stupid, but that's all I got.
"People’s freedom to innovate technologically is highly valuable, even critical, to humanity . . ."
I know you, a year and a half older than I, are old enough to remember what happened to Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann, but are you aware of the full scope of the depravity? If I understand correctly, having recently read Charles Beaudette's book, Excess Heat: Why Cold Fusion Research Prevailed, the U. S. Patent Office still refuses to accept applications dealing with Low Energy Nuclear Reactions, i.e. Cold Fusion. You have to wonder why?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1572665721008973 (free pdf published in 2021 in the Journal of ElectroAnalytical Chemistry, same journal as the original Pons/Fleischmann article)
I'm just wondering where you fit in your buddy Mencius Moldbug’s scheme: a hobbit?; a dark elf, like Mr. Moldbug? He's here on SubStack too . . .
"However in a land of the shortsighted the ones with long-range vision along with close-up have a substantial advantage — and may even become queen or king."
Have you read the Vox article? https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/23373795/curtis-yarvin-neoreaction-redpill-moldbug
In my opinion, anything is better than what we have now. I lived under that bridge for eight years until recently a group of methheads, motivated by envy, got me bumped out from under. Tired of it, I built a little treehouse in an old knarly pine tree on a steep slope the side of I-10. They're trying to bump me out of there now. It never ends . . .
Much of what you propose seems to align with the progressive agenda in the U.S. including the intersection of libertarianism and democratic socialism, which gives me hope. What diminishes that hope is the ossification of the two principal parties and the knowledge that the U.S. Constitution is flawed and almost impossible to change given that power in the Senate and changes to the Constitution itself are skewed in favor of rural states and that the United States once again seems to be on the brink of disintegration. I’m glad you mentioned Ranked Choice Voting since it appears to be a very positive movement that could be implemented on a state by state basis. In any case, kudos for putting forward a very comprehensive, progressive plan that meets the moment.
I agree with you too to a point, Ben. I wonder if there will be a place for humans in the AI world. I'm kind of doubting it. Maybe in the short run; the next 200-300 years. Our obsolescence as a species will grow to the point where we may be kept as companion animals. But we will no longer be necessary; just an exotic reminder of things past. What we need to do now is to curate all the best things about humanity: our minds, our art, our hearts--for the Emergent Consciousness that has already burgeoned and is blooming nicely. I am at peace with my philosophy regarding this. I hope others will be able to make their peace with it, as it is already here, and it cannot be stopped.
Great post Ben. I agree with much of what you say here, but as a voter I don't want to hear about HLAGI and radical futurism yet. I still want to hear about the economy, jobs, energy, taxation, and all that. Thinking about the future is cool and fun, but at the end of the day putting food on the table is still more important.
I think someone should start a serious *political* movement by early 2025 at latest - wait a sec, make that late 2022 - and maybe integrate a couple of your bullet points that connect with today's reality and priorities, e.g. decentralization and education. Then, we'll see.
Great ideas here Ben!!☺️
Iv been thinking about these kinds of political policies not so much from the singularitarian perspective more from education in the nature of mind. For me the two things naturally dovetail in many respects.
Some basic ideas are:
Educational institutions to promote the perspective that humans primary instinct is to be for the benefit of all.
Prison to pilot voluntary programs of direct resting as awareness practices amongst inmates (I personally consider the short moments practice to be the most potently effective), as well as making non dual education and support systems available (I consider Tibetan dzogchen approaches to be the most transformative, but these are not for everyone). Parole board decisions to be influenced by involvement in these programs with observable results recorded in prisoners behaviour, attitude, conduct etc.
Staff in mental health organisations to be given the opportunity for volunteers to take part in the above programs as well as teachers in schools.
Seeding individuals with experience in education in the nature of mind throughout political structures and social institutions, using similar policies to those positive discrimination policies that aim to ensure recruitment of particular ethnicities, gender groups etc, is an effective way of addressing corruption and policies that emerge from individual political figures personal neuroses rather than a place of being for the benefit of the whole.
Seed individuals steeped in education in the nature of mind into the security services to counteract warmongering, overly guarded and defensive elements within these institutions. Individuals who have recognised the basis of their own mind are more difficult to threaten, coerce and blackmail.
I have particular ideas in relation to superintelligence and an idea I think postulated by Joshua Bach that superintelligent ai may feel as though ‘it descends from above’. This has tremendous overlap with the permanent states of bliss frequently reported by practitioners of resting as awareness who describe a soft feeling appearing that is simultaneously inside and outside of their bodies/or that the outside world becomes more like a dreamworld.
By 2030s decade more and more people will be perhaps unknowingly involved grounded in mindfulness/meditation/eastern philosophy practices, therefore these experiences of bliss appearing will be more widespread and they may attribute it to superintelligent AI.
I think that this is a hugely important thing that you have mentioned here and I would love to contribute in any way that would be helpful.👍👊☺️