No mea culpas necessary, Uncle Ken, but I still don't know where you want to go with your thoughts on automation. There are both good and bad aspects of automation but it is not inevitable in all circumstances. Certain applications of automation fail miserably; I recall an old patent for a mechanism that would automatically tip your hat; nothing came of it. I don't know how broadly you define automation, but it inevitably leads to unintended consequences. It was a big deal when Eli Whitney developed the cotton gin, but I doubt that he could have predicted the great increase in the subsequent slave trade in the South, and we know where that led. There wasn't a lot of money in the cotton business until the cotton gin caught on, and then it was greater productivity, bigger plantations, and more slaves. Automation is one of those things that has an unpredictable outcome and we don't know what will happen until it happens. Come to think of it, how many scientific predictions have actually come true? None come to mind, and runaway automation is a fanciful notion, at best; I'll keep an open mind but entropy will exact it's toll. There are limits, even if we don't know what they are yet.
Without knowing exactly what is meant by "elite" I don't buy the scenario that a small (and rich?) minority will live in fortified bunkers while the unwashed masses clamor at the gates. People are simply too interconnected and dependent on one another and most problems can't be solved by buying an app. I'd like to see some examples of people who are considered the "elite." Is it a status thing?
-----
It's not hard for my imagination to run out of control, thinking of all kinds of dystopian possibilities for the future, and I will blame the media, all media. Modern media lacks the gravitas of the good old days, when guys like Cronkite and Murrow laid it our for our understanding. Today, media is fragmented into different factions, all competing for our eyeballs (and advertising revenue) and at odds with each other. Broadcast TV vs. Cable TV vs. traditional newspapers and magazines vs. Radio, vs. bloggers vs. Tweeters. Did I leave anybody out? We are inundated with little bits of information (and rumor), seldom in a meaningful context, but not much is covered in depth; our diminishing attention span is largely to blame and our memories are short. It's like every bit of breaking news is equally important when, obviously, it is not, but we can't tell. Should I be concerned about rat lungworm disease, or the growing amounts of plastic waste found in the Arctic Ocean?
-----
I was wondering about Cheboygan, and rather than consult Wikipedia or other online sources, I'd like to ask Mr. Beagles directly. So, who are the movers and shakers up there? Is one business, industry, or family considered predominate or is it spread around somewhat equally? Do some entitites have more clout than others? Simple idle curiosity on my part; no conspiracy theories at hand.
-----
Uncle Ken's mention of "robot armies" is amusing; I keep thinking of the movie Terminator. Fun to think about, but probably not cost effective. As machines get more complex, they become less reliable and require more maintenance; the point of diminishing returns arrives quickly and superior technology doesn't always win the battle. When you run out of ammo the guy with the knife has a distinct advantage; a good blade never jams or misfires.
-----
I know Uncle Ken likes to post at the same time, every day, Monday through Friday, but it's okay if he breaks his schedule, isn't it? I'm not aware of any timetable that must be rigorously adhered to, and if he requires a bit more time to gather his thoughts he should take it. That's my excuse for my erratic posting schedule; I don't mind letting my ideas slowly develop into something that makes sense, even if only to me. Others may argue, but that's my objective reality of the day and I'm sticking to it.
-----
So, does anybody have any plans to create a better future? Starting now, and everything is on the table.
No comments:
Post a Comment