[godelski]

I don't know the answer. But I just want to say that you're not alone. One of the things that motivates me to study ML is I want to help create a world where everyone can be free to pursue their passions, to be... the most human they can be. (I also really love studying mathematics and intelligence, so it aligns well) There are so many things that frustrate me about the area I work in, but I think these things will always exist. I think it is best to just focus on your passion and not others. But it is also difficult to focus on your passions when you have to worry about living. I don't want to say that the answer is to go back and get a traditional job. It may be the answer due to environmental constraints, but I hope not.

So the little advice I have is to remember what made you passionate in the first place. Don't think about others and how you compare, think about yourself. I think the motivation dies when you lose that passion or that passion gets tainted. If it means taking other work, then do that. If it doesn't, then that's great! But no matter what, make sure there is something in your life that you can find passion and joy in doing. If you don't have this thing, all other things fall apart.

[marxisttemp]

Do you believe that what you are working on will really help free people to work on their passions? Every other efficiency increase has gone to line the pockets of the already-rich. I have lost hope for a brighter world. I can find happiness in my own life, but I find a bitter rage grows in me each day against the owners of the means of production.

“We are trapped in the belly of this horrible machine, and the machine is bleeding to death.”

[godelski]

> Do you believe that what you are working on will really help free people to work on their passions? Every other efficiency increase has gone to line the pockets of the already-rich.

It is actually something I'm really concerned about and have put a lot of thought into. But yes, I do think it will. I don't know how to solve the momentum or "gravitational" problem, or whatever we want to call the fact that having more resources makes it easier to get more resources. But I think if you look at the long term trend, we have always seen human lives improve. But this is not always true for short term trends and the swings can be rough. It is not a smooth function, it has a lot of noise.

I think post scarcity is one of the most important problems we can be working on. But there's a lot more than technology to get there. I want a lot more people thinking about how to transition to a post scarce society. What do we do when say 10% of people cannot be employed because you've automated their jobs (and no replacement. Not to mention replacement is still usually rough)? It will take a complete restructuring of our economic systems, the way we measure value of people, and so much more. But I don't think this should stop us. I want to get people thinking about this before we have to solve it with blood. But I'm only one person. This will happen with or without me. With me, at least I can help steer the ship.

Fundamentally I think these issues are about being short sighted. A lot is about how we measure and compare, missing all the nuances and interactions. How alignment drifts and there's never perfect alignment. I think even the rich benefit from the poor living better lives, but I think this is not obvious if you live in a world where you're the main character.

It is a bet. I can't predict the future and either way is a bet. We live in a causal universe, there is no such thing as inaction. But I think the potential benefits are worth the risks. We can make humans more free than any human of any status has ever been in all of history. More free than the post powerful and richest of kings. But you are correct to note that this same power can be used to for a novel form of abuse. But it is hard to say if this will be worse off as much of human (historical) life has been extremely tragic. I have faith in people that they will fight tooth and nail to go back. But I'm unsure if we have the foresight to do things the "right" way. We definitely have the capacity, but it seems we waste a lot of our potential getting caught up in the moment.

Edit: I listen to a lot of GSY!BE and F#A#∞ is my favorite album, so that line hit hard.

Edit 2:

> but I find a bitter rage grows in me each day against the owners of the means of production.

I feel this too, but I think we must be careful. It is easy to let this feeling metastasize and corrupt. For it to accumulate in the culture and misalign from what caused the feelings in the first place. And when that happens, we may have killed the beast but to only create a new one. So rage against __the__ machine, but be careful that this does not cause you to hate all machines nor to replace one devil with another. For the path to hell is paved with good intentions, not because of any ill will or malice, but because the divine path is treacherous and deceptive. Little mistakes easily lead us astray because we are navigating an incredibly complex maze. So do not fear the man that preaches good and evil, fear the man who preaches simplicity. For that's what our little minds want, and will make us true believers. No malice needed, only laziness.

So do not go gentle into that good night. Rage against the dying light. But remember that the light never dies. Nor does the darkness.

[marxisttemp]

Much love, I agree completely. I hope we can find a way to bring justice and care back into this world.

[godelski]

Fwiw, I think things are coupled. The more we free people the more power we give them to free others. I think this is part of why we continue to progress. But don't lose track of the overall trend while trying to fix the local "noise."