The American Dream Has Been Perverted

Over the course of the past several decades, the original concept of the American Dream - the belief that anyone, regardless of their background, could achieve great success through hard work and determination - has largely been replaced by a culture of mediocrity. The defining characteristic of the American Dream today appears to be an emphasis on acceptance rather than striving for excellence, with many individuals seeking a comfortable, unremarkable existence rather than taking risks and working towards greatness.

One of the primary reasons for this shift is the deterioration of traditional societal structures, which were once instrumental in promoting and nurturing individual achievement. A lack of emphasis on traditional family values, combined with the commodification of education and the rise of mass media, has created a culture that discourages intellectual curiosity and values conformity over innovation. As a result, rather than striving to stand out from the crowd through sheer merit, many Americans are content to simply blend in.

Additionally, economic realities have contributed to the erosion of the American Dream. The gradual disappearance of jobs that provide a decent standard of living, combined with the soaring cost of living, has led to widespread disillusionment with the idea of working hard to achieve financial stability. Despite the continuing rhetoric of meritocracy, the reality is that the majority of Americans will never attain the kind of financial success that was once a hallmark of the American Dream, further fueling a sense of mediocrity.

Finally, the hyper-political nature of contemporary America has shifted the discourse away from the idea of individual achievement and towards group identity politics. Rather than being seen as a country of individuals united by a common dream, America is increasingly defined by the various labels that its citizens attach to themselves. In this new paradigm, the concept of personal responsibility has been supplanted by a focus on one's position as a member of a particular group.

Ultimately, the shift towards a culture of mediocrity has multiple causes, but it is clear that it is a deeply entrenched phenomenon. To rekindle the original American Dream and recapture a spirit of excellence, it will be necessary to reconsider these causal factors and work towards a society that once again values individual achievement and intellectual curiosity as desirable traits.

 Unlikely Buddha 2023

AI is not the enemy, bad journalism is

AI is not the enemy, bad journalism is

Today I count 17 Twitter articles about the imagined threats from AI, not even searching for #AI, mostly articles from reporters working for main publications. All of them coming up with orwellian-like ideas. This is nothing but fad reporting and fear mongering. AI is not nearly the threat that ridiculous reporting is. It’s time to get back to real news.

AI, or artificial intelligence, is a broad term that encompasses many technologies and applications, from computer vision to natural language processing, from machine learning to robotics. AI has been advancing rapidly in recent years, thanks to the availability of massive data sets, powerful computing resources and innovative algorithms. AI has also been delivering many benefits to society, such as improving health care, education, entertainment and productivity.

However, AI also poses some challenges and risks that need to be addressed responsibly and ethically. For example, AI can have an impact on human rights, such as privacy, fairness and accountability. AI can also have an impact on labor markets, social cohesion and security. These are legitimate and important issues that deserve careful and informed discussion and action.

Unfortunately, some media outlets and journalists have been sensationalizing and exaggerating the dangers of AI, often without providing sufficient evidence or context. For instance, a recent statement from the Center for AI Safety warned that “mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war”. The statement was signed by some prominent figures in the AI field, such as Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. However, the statement did not offer any concrete suggestions or solutions on how to mitigate such a risk, nor did it acknowledge the diversity of opinions and perspectives among AI experts and stakeholders.

The statement was widely reported by various media outlets, such as The Verge  and WIRED  which amplified its alarmist tone and gave the impression that there is a consensus among AI researchers and leaders that AI poses an existential threat to humanity. This is misleading and irresponsible journalism that ignores the complexity and nuance of the AI debate and creates unnecessary fear and panic among the public.

AI is not a monolithic entity that has a will or agenda of its own. AI is a tool that can be used for good or evil, depending on who uses it and how. AI is not inherently dangerous or malicious, but it can be misused or abused by humans with malicious intent or negligence. Therefore, the real threat is not AI itself, but bad actors who exploit AI for harmful purposes.

Instead of focusing on hypothetical scenarios of AI taking over the world or destroying humanity, we should focus on the real and present challenges of AI governance and ethics. We should ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a way that respects human dignity, values and rights. We should ensure that AI is transparent, accountable and fair to all stakeholders. We should ensure that AI is inclusive, diverse and participatory to reflect the needs and interests of different groups and communities.

We need more constructive and balanced journalism that educates and informs the public about the opportunities and challenges of AI, rather than sensationalizes and scares them. We need more dialogue and collaboration among AI researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, civil society organizations and citizens to shape the future of AI in a positive and responsible way. We need more real news about AI, not fake news.

-Unlikely Buddha 2023