My knowledge of the dismal science is sketchy at best, but I'm pretty sure the imports = good, exports = bad idea that was pushed by mercantilism was roundly trashed and replaced with the modern view that trade is good.
This'd be a good time for an economist to jump in, by the way.
This all sounds like a troll but it's more bitterness seeing complete idiots making 6 and 7 figure salaries while the "intelligent" folks are working as slaves. How did it come to this?
Yeah, I'm gonna take a leap here and not blame it on capitalism, or on the fact that all executives are immoral. The issue is that you're laboring under the deluded belief that intelligence, and a very narrowly defined type, is what gets you ahead in business. It isn't. Being charismatic, a generalist rather than a specialist, and generally likable is what gets you ahead. You can have an IQ of 200 and still work as a janitor if you're a complete asshole.
In my experience, while you do get the occasional raging sociopath amongst the "complete idiots," for the most part they are people who are good at getting people to like them. And humans have always preferred charisma to intelligence, with good reason.
Something that I've noticed recently is a trend towards virulently anti-capitalist comments in Slashdot. And I'm not talking just the generic "rich people suck" comments that have permeated mankind since the beginning of time. It really hit me hard when I saw a post declaring that tariffs were awesome and every country should close their economies off from each other rated +5 insightful. I assume that a combination of the recession and outsourcing of IT and CS jobs, previously secure from foreign competition, has alot to do with it.
Most people become terrified upon entering situations where both death and helplessness are present, like being fired at by an individual with a gun when you have none. This is nothing to be ashamed of, this is just being human. You might be a superman capable of charging across the room and kung-fuing the gun out of a madman's hand, and I'm glad for you that you are, but don't heap disdain on those that have frozen in such situations.
I'm confused, wouldn't more hostile and aggressive governments result in a more vicious Singularity-race? I don't get what you're saying here.
Right, so you're saying that the market for augmentations will inevitably be gripped by an innovation-crushing monopoly? Bear in mind that Moore's Law has held steady, and this is what is usually used to chart the Singularity.
You can't use "my opponents are egotistic" as an argument. That is an ad-hominem. You're not supposed to use those. Ever.
I'm not that bright compared to many people on here, I know that. But that is no reason for disrespect. You may disagree with my arguments, but attacking me personally is not appropriate. I've tried to extend a respectful attitude, and I expect the same in return.
Disclaimer - I am not a Kurzweil-ite, but I am interested in some of their claims.
1. Humans won't have a damn choice. Our political and economic systems are based on competition, and the competing entities will do anything for an advantage. Think a government will turn down augmented super-soldiers, or a corporation will willingly allow its competitors to get faster computers? Like the arms race, we're caught in a loop that it's tough to break out of.
2. Bases on Venus never made economic sense. Neither did flying cars. Making your computers more flexible and powerful does. Money walks, everything else talks. Look at what capitalism needs and what it's investing in to see where technological progress will occur, IMO.
I'm looking forward to the launch. Anyone know when that is? I've heard everything from January to March from several people.
Anywho,let's hope that SpaceX succeeds. Otherwise we'll end up depending on Russia from 2010 to 2015 for our man-capable launch systems with all the political consequences that entails.
Slashdot Mirror
Isn't that an economic fallacy?
My knowledge of the dismal science is sketchy at best, but I'm pretty sure the imports = good, exports = bad idea that was pushed by mercantilism was roundly trashed and replaced with the modern view that trade is good.
This'd be a good time for an economist to jump in, by the way.
This all sounds like a troll but it's more bitterness seeing complete idiots making 6 and 7 figure salaries while the "intelligent" folks are working as slaves. How did it come to this?
Yeah, I'm gonna take a leap here and not blame it on capitalism, or on the fact that all executives are immoral. The issue is that you're laboring under the deluded belief that intelligence, and a very narrowly defined type, is what gets you ahead in business. It isn't. Being charismatic, a generalist rather than a specialist, and generally likable is what gets you ahead. You can have an IQ of 200 and still work as a janitor if you're a complete asshole.
In my experience, while you do get the occasional raging sociopath amongst the "complete idiots," for the most part they are people who are good at getting people to like them.
And humans have always preferred charisma to intelligence, with good reason.
Something that I've noticed recently is a trend towards virulently anti-capitalist comments in Slashdot. And I'm not talking just the generic "rich people suck" comments that have permeated mankind since the beginning of time. It really hit me hard when I saw a post declaring that tariffs were awesome and every country should close their economies off from each other rated +5 insightful. I assume that a combination of the recession and outsourcing of IT and CS jobs, previously secure from foreign competition, has alot to do with it.
I thought his "A Colder War" was quite good. Blended two favorite subjects of mine, the Cold War and Lovecraft, quite well.
You can find it all over the net. If what you're saying is true, Stross is a far better short story writer than he is a novelist.
Most people become terrified upon entering situations where both death and helplessness are present, like being fired at by an individual with a gun when you have none. This is nothing to be ashamed of, this is just being human. You might be a superman capable of charging across the room and kung-fuing the gun out of a madman's hand, and I'm glad for you that you are, but don't heap disdain on those that have frozen in such situations.
I'm confused, wouldn't more hostile and aggressive governments result in a more vicious Singularity-race? I don't get what you're saying here.
Right, so you're saying that the market for augmentations will inevitably be gripped by an innovation-crushing monopoly? Bear in mind that Moore's Law has held steady, and this is what is usually used to chart the Singularity.
You can't use "my opponents are egotistic" as an argument. That is an ad-hominem. You're not supposed to use those. Ever.
I'm not that bright compared to many people on here, I know that. But that is no reason for disrespect. You may disagree with my arguments, but attacking me personally is not appropriate. I've tried to extend a respectful attitude, and I expect the same in return.
Disclaimer - I am not a Kurzweil-ite, but I am interested in some of their claims.
1. Humans won't have a damn choice. Our political and economic systems are based on competition, and the competing entities will do anything for an advantage. Think a government will turn down augmented super-soldiers, or a corporation will willingly allow its competitors to get faster computers? Like the arms race, we're caught in a loop that it's tough to break out of.
2. Bases on Venus never made economic sense. Neither did flying cars. Making your computers more flexible and powerful does. Money walks, everything else talks. Look at what capitalism needs and what it's investing in to see where technological progress will occur, IMO.
3. This just seems like a standard ad-hominem.
I'm looking forward to the launch. Anyone know when that is? I've heard everything from January to March from several people. Anywho,let's hope that SpaceX succeeds. Otherwise we'll end up depending on Russia from 2010 to 2015 for our man-capable launch systems with all the political consequences that entails.
Anyone know what launch vehicle they're planning to lob it to the moon with? SpaceX Falcon? OSC Pegasus?
http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/82cab/index.html
Useful analysis of the effects of a nuclear war.
Overkill is a myth.
"Somebody in this camp ain't what he appears to be. Right now that may be one or two of us. By spring, it could be all of us."