“The Singularity” is a notion posited by futurists, most popularly Ray Kurzweil, about a point in the future past which we cannot make effective predictions

Kurzweil et al suggested the root of this shift would be “strong AI”

Thinking machines who’d make more thinking machines. But I think the futurists got it wrong

There is indeed a point past which we cannot make effective predictions about the future. But it’s not ahead of us.

We’re past it. We’re off the edge of the map, where the dragons are.

We are living in an age without precedent.

A lot of software developers LOVE to opine on management and management theory.

Partly, it's because like any worker, software developers are often subject to mismanagement, but unlike most workers, have a domain (code) where they have some (or significant) autonomy But mostly, I think, we see a lot of software developers talking about management because we are paid to be system thinkers, and management is the system which most dramatically impacts our everyday lives

Often, negatively

This tweet is very stark but I says something I’ve been trying to put into words for awhile now.

Let’s see if I can assemble a rough sketch of a proof that Libertarianism is just white nationalism wearing intellectual clothes

https://twitter.com/knuckleb0ne/status/1017791154853744641

One of the central complaints against libertarianism—and my chief concern with it—is that in espousing the supremacy of ~the market~, it takes no interest in the lingering effects of colonialism

To wit: European and US interests robbing black/brown people for hundreds of years

Look:

It’s time to go to yellow alert.

This administration is building internment camps. They’re facing resistance, but so far no one within the system of checks and balances is actually stopping their long term ambition to imprison The Other.

I advise caution and vigilance. We are at an impasse.

On one side, we have humans just trying to live.

On the other, we have people who openly, actively deny their humanity.

This is not a situation with a legal or rational resolution. This is a situation which, historically, has led to civil war.

I’m just a mess this week. I don’t know how you can watch what’s happening and not lose your mind over it.

But I’ve been thinking: it’s important not to lose sight of how absurd it all is.

A president who can’t even follow the basics of tax law

‘enforces law’ like it’s sacred these families, fleeing violence, risking everything to come here

(because home is such a shitshow, fleeing HERE was a better idea)

we’re told they deserve anything they get, because coming here was illegal

while the President commits financial crimes in plain view of EVERYONE

My friends who are straight women:

- are divorcing with glee and relief and exhaustion

- or despair at ever getting married because all the dudes they’re meeting ain’t shit

something is falling apart: men’s standards for themselves are collapsing, while women’s grow

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Has it always been this way?

I’m leaning toward no. I think we’ve got a couple generations of men who’ve been told they’re not responsible for growing up

Smashing up against a couple generations of women who are more economically independent than ever

I want to tell you about Surviving Mars.

The short version is: this is the best software toy I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with.

50 hours in, I still can’t get enough. My joy at this “game” only makes sense in a context:

I grew up playing Sim Earth, Sim Ant, the Sim City series, of course, Sim Tower

All of these were unique in my experience: elaborate little systems to manipulate and master. Experiments in creating tiny ecosystems.

I appreciate where this thread is coming from, but speaking as someone who has worked with youth and met hundreds of gen Z in the last few years

It IS a fundamentally different generation. In ways I have found staggering, if largely encouraging

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First, consider temporal context

Gen Z is the first generation of universal digital natives. Even kids growing up in the hood almost all have cell phones (and I worked with underserved youth, I saw this with my own eyes)

Not just digital natives, either. Social software natives

We’re a year into the hell of our kakistocracy. I’m exhausted by it. Would rather not think or speak of it.

But since the fate of billions hangs in the balance, it’s something we gotta check in on from time to time. Why are we here?

The short version is: white supremacy and toxic masculinity. These two vile problems have brought this nation, perhaps this planet, to the brink of destruction. It’s so discouraging to behold.