To get away from algorithms, away from being locked in and dependent on the platform, away from big tech chasing our attention, back to real connections as opposed to losing our followers with the Death of the Follower. We need open platforms such as Open Social Media and an open web, where the power isn’t in the platform, but in us as the producers. We need to get out of the algorithms, free from big tech, and back to real connections. But how?
We have designed a system that automates a standardised way of writing. We have codified la langue at a specific point in time.
What we have left to play with is la parole. No language model will be able to keep up with the pace of weird internet lingo and memes. I expect we’ll lean into this. Using neologisms, jargon, euphemistic emoji, unusual phrases, ingroup dialects, and memes-of-the-moment will help signal your humanity.
Not unlike teenagers using language to subvert their elders, or oppressed communities developing dialects that allow them to safely communicate amongst themselves.
This leaves us with some low-hanging fruit for humanness. We can tell richly detailed stories grounded in our specific contexts and cultures: place names, sensual descriptions, local knowledge, and, well the je ne sais quoi of being alive. Language models can decently mimic this style of writing but most don’t without extensive prompt engineering. They stick to generics. They hedge. They leave out details. They have trouble maintaining a coherent sense of self over thousands of words.
Hipsterism and recency bias will help us here. Referencing obscure concepts, friends who are real but not famous, niche interests, and recent events all make you plausibly more human.
After the forest expands, we will become deeply sceptical of one another’s realness. Every time you find a new favourite blog or Twitter account or Tiktok personality online, you’ll have to ask: Is this really a whole human with a rich and complex life like mine? Is there a being on the other end of this web interface I can form a relationship with? “Relationship” in the holistic sense – friend, acquaintance, pen pal, intellectual interlocutor, frenemy, drinking buddy, and sure, maybe a lover.
Before you continue, pause and consider: How would you prove you’re not a language model generating predictive text? What special human tricks can you do that a language model can’t?
The dark forest theory of the web points to the increasingly life-like but life-less state of being online. Dark Forest Theory of the Internet by Yancey Strickler Most open and publicly available spaces on the web are overrun with bots, advertisers, trolls, data scrapers, clickbait, keyword-stuffing “content creators,” and algorithmically manipulated junk. function l(o){const r=document.createTreeWalker(o,NodeFilter.SHOW_TEXT,null);let t,e=!0;for(;t=r.nextNode();)if(t.textContent){const n=t.textContent.replace(/\s+/g," ");e?(t.textContent=n.trimStart(),e=!1):t.textContent=n}}const a=document.querySelectorAll(".intro-paragraph");a.forEach(l);
It’s like a dark forest that seems eerily devoid of human life – all the living creatures are hidden beneath the ground or up in trees. If they reveal themselves, they risk being attacked by automated predators.
Humans who want to engage in informal, unoptimised, personal interactions have to hide in closed spaces like invite-only Slack channels, Discord groups, email newsletters, small-scale blogs, and digital gardens . Or make themselves illegible and algorithmically incoherent in public venues.
Secretária de imprensa da Casa Branca Karoline Leavitt encerrou abruptamente a coletiva de imprensa da Casa Branca segundos antes de completar 65 minutos.
Na plataforma Kalshi, havia um mercado apostando se a briefing duraria mais de 65 minutos. Minutos antes do fim, as odds davam 98% de chance para “sim”, tornando a aposta no “não” muito barata.
Quando ela parou exatamente antes da marca, quem apostou no “não” lucrou cerca de 50x em segundos.
Suspeitas de insider trading surgiram porque Leavitt olhou para cima (possivelmente para um relógio ou sinal) antes de cortar.
Nas redes, muitos acreditam que alguém da equipe ou próxima à Casa Branca apostou no “não” nos momentos finais, usando informação privilegiada.
正如当年的硬盘矿币泡沫，如今的内存矿币热潮亦难逃兴衰交替的宿命。对于见多识广的投资老兵而言，此情此景不免发出苦笑：历史不只会押韵，它还会一再地精确复制。
正如当年的硬盘矿币泡沫，如今的内存矿币热潮亦难逃兴衰交替的宿命。对于见多识广的投资老兵而言，此情此景不免发出苦笑：历史不只会押韵，它还会一再地精确复制。
the Internet was, from its inception, a military weapon. It did not originate with California hippies, but with the Pentagon during the Vietnam War.
the Internet was, from its inception, a military weapon. It did not originate with California hippies, but with the Pentagon during the Vietnam War.
When analyzing the history of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” and their founders, a pattern emerges that is far removed from free-market capitalism
When analyzing the history of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” and their founders, a pattern emerges that is far removed from free-market capitalism
Academic studies note that "reliance on surveillance-based approaches to monitoring online activities of children (aged 5-14) may actually be leading to a greater danger: a decrease in opportunities for children to have experiences that help them develop autonomy and independence."
Academic studies note that "reliance on surveillance-based approaches to monitoring online activities of children (aged 5-14) may actually be leading to a greater danger: a decrease in opportunities for children to have experiences that help them develop autonomy and independence."
As surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden warned: "A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all. They'll never know what it means to have a private moment to themselves, an unrecorded, un-analyzed thought."
This isn't speculation. As surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden warned: "A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all. They'll never know what it means to have a private moment to themselves, an unrecorded, un-analyzed thought."
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
The age of enshittification is upon us and this is our opportunity.
Provokant gesagt: Europa wird nicht bombardiert, es wird ausgehöhlt. Und die Rechnung liegt bereits auf dem Tisch.#peace
Provokant gesagt: Europa wird nicht bombardiert, es wird ausgehöhlt. Und die Rechnung liegt bereits auf dem Tisch.
Die Rechnung folgt zeitversetzt. Inflation frisst Kaufkraft, Ersparnisse verlieren an Wert, Löhne hinken hinterher. Staaten reagieren mit noch mehr Schulden, während steigende Zinsen den finanziellen Spielraum weiter einengen. Das Ergebnis ist kein spektakulärer Kollaps, sondern ein langsames Ausbluten: weniger Investitionen, weniger Innovation, weniger Aufstiegschancen.
Die Rechnung folgt zeitversetzt. Inflation frisst Kaufkraft, Ersparnisse verlieren an Wert, Löhne hinken hinterher. Staaten reagieren mit noch mehr Schulden, während steigende Zinsen den finanziellen Spielraum weiter einengen. Das Ergebnis ist kein spektakulärer Kollaps, sondern ein langsames Ausbluten: weniger Investitionen, weniger Innovation, weniger Aufstiegschancen.
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Its best to think of cyberspace as being structured in three interdependent macro-layers. The first is the physical layer, which revolves around infrastructure that enables a network of connectivity to be established: the datacentres that host LLMs, servers and most the various types of cables used to power low voltage data cabinets to large intercontinental fibre optics controlled by nation states. The second is the logical layer: protocols, languages, information systems. And the last, the semantic or cognitive layer, refers to all the applications in direct contact with the user.
The UK's multi-agency safeguarding infrastructure reflects a fundamental tension: the need to protect vulnerable children versus the privacy rights of families. Getting this balance right is extraordinarily difficult, and the current system arguably errs too far toward surveillance, particularly for families already disadvantaged by poverty, mental health issues, or involvement with police.
The UK's multi-agency safeguarding infrastructure reflects a fundamental tension: the need to protect vulnerable children versus the privacy rights of families. Getting this balance right is extraordinarily difficult, and the current system arguably errs too far toward surveillance, particularly for families already disadvantaged by poverty, mental health issues, or involvement with police.
A child who had a difficult period in Year 3, perhaps related to family stress, friendship issues, or developmental challenges, carries that record through secondary school and beyond, even if they've long since moved past those difficulties.
A child who had a difficult period in Year 3, perhaps related to family stress, friendship issues, or developmental challenges, carries that record through secondary school and beyond, even if they've long since moved past those difficulties.
Parents often don't know what's recorded about their child in CPOMS. Schools are not required to proactively inform parents of every entry, particularly for "low-level concerns" that don't trigger formal safeguarding procedures.
Parents often don't know what's recorded about their child in CPOMS. Schools are not required to proactively inform parents of every entry, particularly for "low-level concerns" that don't trigger formal safeguarding procedures.
This creates an extraordinarily detailed chronicle of a child's school life, with particular focus on moments of vulnerability, difficulty, or concern.
This creates an extraordinarily detailed chronicle of a child's school life, with particular focus on moments of vulnerability, difficulty, or concern.
The cure is not cognitive. It is behavioral.
Theory cannot solve this. More reading will not help. Additional podcast episodes change nothing. The cure is not cognitive. It is behavioral.
understanding alone does not cure learned helplessness.
The problem is not lack of understanding. The problem is that understanding alone does not cure learned helplessness. Reading Rothbard does not deprogram you. Watching YouTube lectures on Austrian economics does not break the conditioning. Agreeing intellectually that taxation is theft while filing your 1040 changes nothing.
Yet we have almost nothing to show for it.
Yet we have almost nothing to show for it.
Während durch einen Anschlag von Linksextremisten in Berlin 30.000 Haushalte bei Minustemperaturen weiter ohne Strom auskommen müssen, widmet die „Tagesschau“ Südafrika viel Zeit.
A chatbot can produce software routines that perform some well-scoped task, but one thing they can't do is maintain the wide, deep "context window" at the heart of software engineering – a linear increase in a chatbot's context window results in a geometric increase in the amount of computation the chatbot has to perform:
This is the boom. It feels like prosperity. Asset prices rise. Employment expands. Everyone congratulates themselves on the brilliant management of the economy. But the boom is built on a lie, on false signals, on the confusion of money with wealth.
This price signal, perhaps the most important in any economy, allows millions of independent actors to coordinate their plans without central direction.
When people save less, rates rise, warning that capital is scarce. This price signal, perhaps the most important in any economy, allows millions of independent actors to coordinate their plans without central direction.
What would you personally do differently if you woke up tomorrow and there were no government? How many of those things could you do right now?
What would you personally do differently if you woke up tomorrow and there were no government? How many of those things could you do right now?
If the social contract is real, can you show me where I signed it? If consent can be implied by residence, can any terms be imposed on residents by those claiming authority?
If the social contract is real, can you show me where I signed it? If consent can be implied by residence, can any terms be imposed on residents by those claiming authority?
If you had been raised in a society without government, do you think you would be advocating for creating one?
If you had been raised in a society without government, do you think you would be advocating for creating one?
Your job is not to save everyone but to be a candle in the dark, providing light for those ready to see while not burning down relationships with those who are not. The candle does not chase people through the room demanding they look at its flame. It stays lit, and those with eyes eventually notice.
Your job is not to save everyone but to be a candle in the dark, providing light for those ready to see while not burning down relationships with those who are not. The candle does not chase people through the room demanding they look at its flame. It stays lit, and those with eyes eventually notice.
Suíça congela bens ligados a Maduro após prisão nos Estados Unidos
as women work longer hours they are more likely to make lifestyle choices that are associated with weight gain.
Employment was associated with more weight gain and less weight loss. Among the employed, working longer hours was associated with more weight gain, especially at the higher levels of weight gain where the health consequences are more serious. These findings suggest that as women work longer hours they are more likely to make lifestyle choices that are associated with weight gain.
Heavy pressures at work seem to predispose women to weight gain
Heavy pressures at work seem to predispose women to weight gain, irrespective of whether they have received an academic education. This is shown in a study of more than 3,800 Swedes...
”We were able to see that high job demands played a part in women’s weight gain, while for men there was no association between high demands and weight gain”
The person who keeps sending you articles hasn't been captured by a cult. They've encountered questions that changed how they see the world, and they cannot in good conscience keep those questions to themselves while watching people they love proceed on unexamined assumptions.
The person who keeps sending you articles hasn't been captured by a cult. They've encountered questions that changed how they see the world, and they cannot in good conscience keep those questions to themselves while watching people they love proceed on unexamined assumptions.
While staying away from exploring the details of more sensitive topics, even in the UK there appears to be legal precedence from Scottow -v- CPS judgment that while harassment is a crime, speech that “offends, shocks and disturbs” is protected by article 10 of the Public Protection of Harassment Act 1997.
“Freedom only to speak inoffensively is not worth having”
While staying away from exploring the details of more sensitive topics, even in the UK there appears to be legal precedence from Scottow -v- CPS judgment that while harassment is a crime, speech that “offends, shocks and disturbs” is protected by article 10 of the Public Protection of Harassment Act 1997.
“Freedom only to speak inoffensively is not worth having”
Attention, at the end of the day, is all we really have. It’s finite. It’s super super super finite. We have so little time. We have only so much energy.
Attention, at the end of the day, is all we really have. It’s finite. It’s super super super finite. We have so little time. We have only so much energy. It’s hard to focus at the best of times, and here we are, on a daily basis, being either:
Attention, at the end of the day, is all we really have. It’s finite. It’s super super super finite. We have so little time. We have only so much energy.
Attention, at the end of the day, is all we really have. It’s finite. It’s super super super finite. We have so little time. We have only so much energy. It’s hard to focus at the best of times, and here we are, on a daily basis, being either:
Attention, at the end of the day, is all we really have. It’s finite. It’s super super super finite. We have so little time. We have only so much energy.
Attention, at the end of the day, is all we really have. It’s finite. It’s super super super finite. We have so little time. We have only so much energy. It’s hard to focus at the best of times, and here we are, on a daily basis, being either:
ConversationZohran Kwame Mamdani@ZohranKMamdaniWith Trump threatening our city's LGBTQ+ community, New Yorkers need a mayor unafraid to stand up for them.
Proud to receive the endorsement of @JimOwles, @SDNYC, and @LIDbrooklyn—three clubs that have led the fight for equality and justice.
See new postsConversationZohran Kwame Mamdani@ZohranKMamdaniTrump’s spectacle in NYC today is a direct attack on everything we stand for. We’re showing up in Bryant Park at 4 PM to say NO to his union-busting, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT agenda. NYC rejects fascism in all forms—see you there!
The same way the human body was not prepared for a world of abundant food, and we thus transformed our cities into feeding zones full of fat people, the human mind is not prepared for a world with infinite content and information.
We are drowning in information and data. So much so that we’re obese in the mind. The same way the human body was not prepared for a world of abundant food, and we thus transformed our cities into feeding zones full of fat people, the human mind is not prepared for a world with infinite content and information. Less than two decades into social media and the world is already full of morbidly obese minds that cannot think or focus, let alone produce anything novel anymore.
See new postsConversationZohran Kwame Mamdani@ZohranKMamdaniGot mad love for my Ismaili’s but I’m actually Ithna-Asheri 7:26 PM · Nov 26, 2019
I care about my family, my business, my team, making money, and creating beautiful moments in my life that I will remember on my deathbed.
I care about my family, my business, my team, making money, and creating beautiful moments in my life that I will remember on my deathbed.
I stopped listening to podcasts, using X, IG, Substack and Nostr, and really ceased caring about anything that’s going on in the world beyond my family, business and my home.
I stopped listening to podcasts, using X, IG, Substack and Nostr, and really ceased caring about anything that’s going on in the world beyond my family, business and my home.
Die Linke ist in all ihren Erscheinungsformen voller Verachtung für die Unterschicht und die Schwachen.
In Zehlendorf, Lichterfelde, Schlachtensee, Wannsee und Nikolassee sieht man nach dem Stromausfall die Reichen ihre Range Rover vollpacken und dann ab nach Mitte ins Hotel fahren, der Gärtner übernimmt die Wacht im Haus, und die Armen müssen sich irgendwie durchkämpfen. Die Linke ist in all ihren Erscheinungsformen voller Verachtung für die Unterschicht und die Schwachen.
Time and order have a very intimate relationship.
Time and order have a very intimate relationship.