[verisimi]

You've got to love the declaration at the end of the article:

> The research was supported by grants from the US Office of Naval Research; the US Army Research Office Laboratory for Physical Sciences; the US Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity; Lockheed Martin; the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group, Sydney Quantum; a University of Sydney-University of California San Diego Partnership Collaboration Award; H. and A. Harley; and by computational resources from the Australian Government’s National Computational Infrastructure.

This is sponsored by the military.

[TheRealPomax]

Sure, but you're using the internet, courtesy of military-funded research, using electricity that's been routed through distribution and substations that exist thanks to military-funded research, travel places based on GPS, courtesy of direct military research, your modern life is only possible because just like everyone else, the military has a budget allocated for researching computing and electronics advances that they can use, which invariably translates to things the private sector can use.

So what's your point?

[verisimi]

Well, it does make it clear that human advancement is along the terms set by military diktat - there's nothing natural about it.

Why should we be worried that the military fund the internet, quantum computing, etc? Can there be any reason for concern?

Could it be that the military is less concerned about external threats, but way more concerned about managing internal ones? And that funding technology to create a technocratic panopticon has been long in the making? If directing technology towards technocratic infrastructure, such goals are really pretty complete, when you think about it.. Surely only a couple more elections before it is switched on, if that.

[TheRealPomax]

There's nothing natural about modern society, so again: what's your point? Because not being natural is kinda of literally the whole point of society itself: we removed ourselves from "the natural order of things" because that allowed us to kick progress into higher gear.

You live in a highly curated society brought to you by, for an incredibly long period of time, military advances making its way into civilian life. (Does that mean only military advances? Of course not, don't pretend that ∃A, A→B means ∄ C, C→B)

Especially since, and this is something people seem to forget, the US military actually works for the US. Unlike congress or the NSA, it doesn't give a shit about oppressing fellow Americans, it literally funds projects it knows will benefit progress. Sure, it funds whackjob cultists like Raytheon too, because they need weapons for playing war, but the vast majority of US military research is actually for things that benefit everyone, not just the military.

[verisimi]

> There's nothing natural about modern society, so again: what's your point?

It makes it very clear how society and its technology is being steered by the military. Most people are under the impression that scientists etc are free to decide how best to uncover truth. But no, this is not a free investigation - it is directed.

> You live in a highly curated society brought to you by, for an incredibly long period of time, military advances making its way into civilian life.

I agree. But the military is in service to money and power, just like everything else. They are there for specific jobs, including funding the technology they want.

> Because not being natural is kinda of literally the whole point of society itself: we removed ourselves from "the natural order of things" because that allowed us to kick progress into higher gear.

What "we"? What choices did anyone make? This is all forced behaviour.

> Especially since, and this is something people seem to forget, the US military actually works for the US. Unlike congress or the NSA, it doesn't give a shit about oppressing fellow Americans, it literally funds projects it knows will benefit progress.

Why would the military not be subject to the laws of money and power, as opposed to other agencies? None of these institutions are there for our benefit. They are there to control.

You might like the subjugation, and feel comforted by the fact some powerful force is running things, preserving you from all the fears they tell you are out there. Personally I would like to experience reality without the manipulations and orchestrations of all these governance institutions. This is also known as freedom. But then, people are so trained and invested in this nonsense, as if it was some sort of God, they would be unable to function if this strong guidance were taken away.

[shepherdjerred]

Is that a bad thing? Isn't a large amount of computing research paid for by the military?