THE SINGULAR IS NEAR, by Ray Kurzweil ” cause it’s going to be the future soon and all my imperfections will be engineered away. ” -not an accurate quote from THE FUTURE SOON.
I recently read, THE SINGULAR IS NEAR- When Humans Transcend Technology, by Ray Kurzweil.
In case this name is not familiar to you, he is the gent who discovered FACIAL RECOGNITION.
As an artist, I have long been skeptical of Artificial Intelligence.
Having read the words in this book, I can see more potential ramifications, more than just the loss of, ” true art”.
Something much more villainous than say, how my granddaddy felt when digital music began to drown out the smooth classical notes that came from vinyl.
AI is a much more ominous form of technology.
I am drawn to books with maps, charts and graphs. I like statistics. The book has plenty of these, but reader beware, they are sort of eerie.
In SIN, Ray uses trajectory charts to demonstrate EXPONENTIAL GROWTH of TECHNOLOGY, he makes predictions based on those trajectories mostly about how the human race will be impacted by AI. As I said, it’s deep.
Ray’s trajectory, explaining the time line for AI and humanity, is one which depicts an exponential curve rather than an linear curve.
Let’s word it out:
Math wasn’t always my best subject but I have a great understanding of, “exponents “.
exponents: mathematical expression to indicate the operation of raising to a power, one that exemplifies.
I have heard older folks, for years, talk about the societal effects of the internet; technology increasing with rapid speed; how damaging this can be for our lives.
Some would say, ” it’s prophetic “.
This book and it’s crafty little charts really paints a picture of the potential coup on humanity.
exponential: 3: expressible or approximately expressible by and exponential function, esp….. characterized by or being an extremely rapid increase ( as in size or extent )
an exponential growth rate.
and even more powerful and darker to a word nerd like myself:
exponentiation: the act or process of raising a quality to a power called also INVOLUTION.
According to my Webster’s-
involution: 1. a: the act or an instance of enfolding or entangling.
b: complexity, intricacy.
” The instance of enfolding or entangling”, would not seem so grave, until you apply the word to OUR WORLD.
The trajectory points to this fast coming, future entanglement where technological progress accelerates beyond human control and comprehension, forever changing life on earth.
While reading the book, my mind took me back to one of my many trips to Austin, Tx. and a visit with my best friend Katy.
I was scheduled to speak at a fundraiser for TRUTH-BE-TOLD, a non profit that I was working with at the time; where we entered the Texas Prisons and taught them to heal through creativity. I taught the women at the Hilltop unit how to paint the worst part of their life’s journey and give it to a loving audience, therefor freeing them from that pain and much negative emotion.
I am grateful to say, I have repeated this workshop here at Aliceville.
Katy, at the time, was a child psychologist and had planned our tannery for the weekend to include a seminar on
TECHNOLOGY AND THE EFFECT IT WAS HAVING ON CHILDREN, was the topic.
There was a huge room filled with specialists in the field of children’s mental health. They were basically testifying as to their observations on how children were Bing effected by, specifically, the hand held devices which seemed to be replacing the MATERNAL BOND between mother and child.
I think of the beautiful years of a young person when, ” why mommy ” is the most common phrase.
Now, I hear stories of 4 and 5 year old’s who get the answers to their “why’s ” from google.
The women here think it’s cute that their children and grandchildren are 4 and 5 and asking for “V-Cash” or whatever it’s called when you buy stuff to add to your game on the phone or computer.
I guess I am truly and old hippie because I think that in a perfect world, children that age should be learning about rocks and seashells, animals and how to cook and make art. Tumble around in the yard, climb a tree, swim or ride a bike.
Maybe I am out of touch.
What I am not out of touch with is the decline of character and moral decline of the youngest generations in Federal Prison.
Technology seems to have created a generation of folks who want things quick, fast and in a hurry, with no care as to whom or what is effected by their person mission of instant gratification. When told to wait or told no, this generation seems to actually have a negative physical reaction; as if their brains and cellular being are wired to melt down when this instantaneous result of gratification is stalled.
Now, imagine you are an AI. The book talks about this generation or league of humans who have been enhanced through integration with technology and you have a clear chart in your head that shows you the risks of living a certain way on this planet, i.e…. – leaving an unreasonable carbon footprint, basically bringing nothing to society but waste and a daily barrage of likes and dislikes on social media- slackers beware, the may be intelligent enough to eradicate you.
On the flip side, Ray’s most ambitious predictions is the possibility of achieving immortality though Nano technology. Can you imagine a soon and future world where, if you have enough cash, coin or the 1% insurance you can live forever by backing up your brain and regenerating your tissue?
I have always been one of those people who would love to have just a little more time each day to accomplish my goals, even here in Federal Prison, where my peers are going to bed early, sleeping late, hoping the weeks will pass quickly, I am on a tight schedule to fit it all in. It being the various ways I celebrate and honor my life.
Carpe Diem.
I have recently read in Bloomberg ( in the LONGIVITY ISSUE ) about how, if we are to live to be 103 like Jiminy Cricket, we will need to restructure the Social Security System, making changes like to provide for access for benefits while you are birthing and raising children.
We will need to change with this trajectory.
So the idea of having just a little more time on earth to accomplish more, see more, experience more of this beautiful life’s journey, is quite enticing.
My last thought is that of plastic surgery. For many years of my life, I thought that my beauty would sustain me, like a shield of armor that protected me and allowed me to gain the advantages that a smart person would have….I never thought I was very smart. The point is that I began thinking about having some plastic surgery, much like many of my peers, when I was in my 30’s. Then I decided I would wait until I really needed it when I was like in my 50’s. One day, in a deep pool of thought, I began to imagine a potential threat.
“What if “, there is a plane somewhere where we are crossing over to some next place, some would see it like a gate, regardless, what if there is something we must pass through where it’s not just our deeds on this earth that are under scrutiny, but also what if we are unable to pass if we can’t be identified as our true self due to the fact that we have replace to much or our original self with ” upgrades “.
Kurzweil’s Predictions:
2030s: Nanobots in the bloodstream to enhance health and cognition.
2040s: Full integration of humans and AI, allowing for backups of human minds and virtual realities undistinguishable from physicals reality.
2045: The singularity, where AI surpasses human intelligence, fundamentally transforming life on Earth
For me, the takeaway is that it is more important than ever to ‘TREAD LIGHTLY ACROSS THE EARTH’ and be kind.
