You're right: There will no longer be a need for the large bulk of humanity. I see utopia as a world where humans are much fewer in number and just about immortal, and where new humans are produced in very small numbers. My only aim is to be among the rich and powerful who can achieve this utopia. Unfortunately, utopia does not look like it will be achievable for a long time yet, and the way humans reproduce, the only way may be for the mass of humanity to live in misery or be killed off, unless they voluntarily decide to stop reproducing and die. The way most people live, it's not even worthwhile to be born.
Why would the gentry even need people to do cheap domestic work? Robots will do that, too, and probably better than people. Eventually there will only be people free to do whatever they want (work, learn, play games, or just sit around) and robots.
"What ever happened to parents kicking their kids out of the house to play ball outside? Turn off the TV, unplug their game console, log them off the computer and send them outside to play with their friends."
Kicking kids out of the house to play ball doesn't always work. If my parents had made me go outside, I would have just ended up standing around by myself. But since I was so bad at computer games (I never had a console, only a PC), I still ended up standing around by myself inside the house.
Anyway, hooking up the video game controllers to a treadmill would solve the whole exercise problem, or just buy the kids Dance Dance Revolution.
There might be more of a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in creating 3D worlds, but I wouldn't be willing to put so much time and effort into it. I would rather find something relatively easier and high-paying and create 3D worlds in my spare time.
Does a human even have a soul? Humans certainly have rights, but should we call them human rights or just the rights of an intelligent sentient species?
In the long run it would be better to make robots to clean out clogged sewer lines. Why make a living being work when you can make a robot work?
As far as I know I haven't really been affected by the Patriot Act. But it does worry me somewhat and has made me more interested in Internet anonymity. I also decided not to apply for a library card.
If the Feds ever break into my home to confiscate my property, I hope they take some of the garbage lying around that I'm too lazy to throw out.
" 1, USA is a totalitarian country.
Really? I think the USA is still more or less a democracy."
Actually, "representative republic" may be a more accurate term.
" 1, USA is a totalitarian country."
Really? I think the USA is still more or less a democracy.
"2, if social interaction becomes unnecessary.. does that not imply that interaction with databases become more and more important?"
Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on how society and the species turn out, and it still doesn't require national ID cards. Reducing social interaction without depending on databases has always been possible. I have much less social interaction than most people, but I don't interact with databases more than they do.
Confined spaces, lack of natural light, and lack of contact with friends and family are not really problems. I spend the overwhelming majority of my time in a confined space with very little natural light or contact with friends, family, or the outside world, doing very little for long periods of time, and usually eating only marginally appetizing food. I wouldn't mind doing those same things on a long trip to Mars. But sharing the spaceship with other people would pose a problem, which is why a solo mission would be much more enjoyable.
On the other hand, depressive symptoms can pass the time and prevent boredom.
If hibernation could stop or slow down aging, I would like to hibernate right here on Earth until I can be modified to become immortal and survive a long trips through just about any environment.
Is it any wonder that Hong Kong, now under the control of China, a totalitarian country, has national ID cards? I live in America, and I don't want any more ID cards, especially not required ones.
In response to the person who believes that acting as a group for the good of the group embraces social interaction: I much prefer the ultra-invidividualistic Western philosophy. (I'm Chinese-American, by the way.) Social interaction is unnecessary and will soon be obsolete as technology improves and new super-diseases are discovered, not to mention that it's just plain boring. Most people say the same things anyway. Also, I don't see the point of supporting group interests over your own interests unless they happen to be very compatible.
I woke up one day and decided that I wanted to be a criminal. (I'm exaggerating...the decision was a bit more gradual, and it's more of a thought that I've been playing with rather than a real decision.) The actual criminal acts don't appeal to me so much as the concept of being a bad guy. But it's not easy to be a successful criminal, which is why I haven't committed any serious crimes and probably won't. The easy way out is to be like everyone else and take the well-traveled path of getting a regular job, like it or not. But with this economy, even the easy way doesn't look too easy.
Hey,
I see that you've taken a lot of heat for your post. Well, I can sympathize about wanting to work for yourself. In my case, I want to work for myself because I don't want to be around people every day or have a boss. Even working at McDonald's would require being around people and listening to a manager. In fact, I probably value isolation and freedom more than I value food on my table.
But at least you have skills and a work ethic. I don't even qualify for freelance jobs except for $20 homework problems on Rentacoder, nor do I have the perseverance to make 100s of bids a day. I don't think I have the skills for McDonald's, either, considering how much trouble I have just preparing a frozen dinner, folding my clothes, or washing dishes.
I admit that I've thought briefly about the spam business. I personally don't mind spam all that much. At one point it filled up my secondary email accounts and threatened to swamp my main account, but now that the free spam filters I use have been very effective, the memory is fading.
-- Eileen
When I'm under pressure, I don't crack, I just ignore it. I don't care whether my work matters because I hate working. Right now I'm starting my own business, but I only work about two hours a day, which may be why my business has not made a penny yet in over a year.
I think the "uncanny valley" theory is somewhat plausible. Sometimes other people make me uncomfortable because they resemble me but are not really me. I imagine this would be worse with a humanoid robot.
Slashdot Mirror
You're right: There will no longer be a need for the large bulk of humanity. I see utopia as a world where humans are much fewer in number and just about immortal, and where new humans are produced in very small numbers. My only aim is to be among the rich and powerful who can achieve this utopia. Unfortunately, utopia does not look like it will be achievable for a long time yet, and the way humans reproduce, the only way may be for the mass of humanity to live in misery or be killed off, unless they voluntarily decide to stop reproducing and die. The way most people live, it's not even worthwhile to be born.
Why would the gentry even need people to do cheap domestic work? Robots will do that, too, and probably better than people. Eventually there will only be people free to do whatever they want (work, learn, play games, or just sit around) and robots.
Kicking kids out of the house to play ball doesn't always work. If my parents had made me go outside, I would have just ended up standing around by myself. But since I was so bad at computer games (I never had a console, only a PC), I still ended up standing around by myself inside the house.
Anyway, hooking up the video game controllers to a treadmill would solve the whole exercise problem, or just buy the kids Dance Dance Revolution.
There might be more of a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in creating 3D worlds, but I wouldn't be willing to put so much time and effort into it. I would rather find something relatively easier and high-paying and create 3D worlds in my spare time.
Heck, I program much less than 80 hours a week, and I'm still sleep-deprived, unproductive, and dehydrated.
In the long run it would be better to make robots to clean out clogged sewer lines. Why make a living being work when you can make a robot work?
If the Feds ever break into my home to confiscate my property, I hope they take some of the garbage lying around that I'm too lazy to throw out.
" 1, USA is a totalitarian country. Really? I think the USA is still more or less a democracy." Actually, "representative republic" may be a more accurate term.
Really? I think the USA is still more or less a democracy.
"2, if social interaction becomes unnecessary.. does that not imply that interaction with databases become more and more important?"
Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on how society and the species turn out, and it still doesn't require national ID cards. Reducing social interaction without depending on databases has always been possible. I have much less social interaction than most people, but I don't interact with databases more than they do.
On the other hand, depressive symptoms can pass the time and prevent boredom.
If hibernation could stop or slow down aging, I would like to hibernate right here on Earth until I can be modified to become immortal and survive a long trips through just about any environment.
In response to the person who believes that acting as a group for the good of the group embraces social interaction: I much prefer the ultra-invidividualistic Western philosophy. (I'm Chinese-American, by the way.) Social interaction is unnecessary and will soon be obsolete as technology improves and new super-diseases are discovered, not to mention that it's just plain boring. Most people say the same things anyway. Also, I don't see the point of supporting group interests over your own interests unless they happen to be very compatible.
I woke up one day and decided that I wanted to be a criminal. (I'm exaggerating ...the decision was a bit more gradual, and it's more of a thought that I've been playing with rather than a real decision.) The actual criminal acts don't appeal to me so much as the concept of being a bad guy. But it's not easy to be a successful criminal, which is why I haven't committed any serious crimes and probably won't. The easy way out is to be like everyone else and take the well-traveled path of getting a regular job, like it or not. But with this economy, even the easy way doesn't look too easy.
But at least you have skills and a work ethic. I don't even qualify for freelance jobs except for $20 homework problems on Rentacoder, nor do I have the perseverance to make 100s of bids a day. I don't think I have the skills for McDonald's, either, considering how much trouble I have just preparing a frozen dinner, folding my clothes, or washing dishes.
I admit that I've thought briefly about the spam business. I personally don't mind spam all that much. At one point it filled up my secondary email accounts and threatened to swamp my main account, but now that the free spam filters I use have been very effective, the memory is fading. -- Eileen
When I'm under pressure, I don't crack, I just ignore it. I don't care whether my work matters because I hate working. Right now I'm starting my own business, but I only work about two hours a day, which may be why my business has not made a penny yet in over a year.
I think the "uncanny valley" theory is somewhat plausible. Sometimes other people make me uncomfortable because they resemble me but are not really me. I imagine this would be worse with a humanoid robot.