Outstandingly brave of you. Thank you for doing your civic duty in revealing this existential threat. The good news is that AI chips aren't organic matter. While humanity still has control of the physical world we must decide to forbif AI chips from being developed or fabricated in factories until we can get some international laws.
Very brave and impressive! Thanks. I found Juan Sebastian Pinto's post today and a few weeks back found Yanis Varoufakis's book Techno Feudalism. Their ideas about current technology and it's effect on the trajectory of economics and society are very compatible. Good to see good ideas like these published.
I took some time and became familiar with Andy G's other posted comments after chatting with him over a couple days. Having satisfied myself doing that I'm good to get back to my original comment about Juan's piece.
(Amendment added 3/16/25):
Having struggled with understanding antisemitism since I first learned the word decades ago up to now, today I listened to Chuck Shumer's interview with NYT, and in the past week read Timothy Snyder's recent post on the topic. I realize now that my first thought was correct when I read "genocide" in this post was a "not sure that's what I'd call it". It took me awhile obviously but now I have to criticize the use of the word as being incorrectly applied here. Andy G.'s harsh criticism may or may not have helped me come around to this, as I think he's smart but definitely not clear on all his motives. Is he the self-appointed "rhetoric police"? Maybe "something more" going on there, I don't know. But still, does he have a point? I think so.
As I listened to Shumer's ideas about "shading over" as he shows examples of some ways different uses of words, concepts, and ideas can have that effect really helped me understand antisemitism better. I'll read his book which will come out soon. And btw...I think he made the right call on the Yes to CR vs. shut down.
So yeah, it's a horrible slaughter of innocents in Gaza and I don't believe in any way Netanyahu/Israel have prosecuted the war righteously. But it's not actually "genocide" any more than dropping the nukes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were that. Indiscriminate slaughter of innocents? Sure. Both situations. Both terrible and war-crime level actions IMO. Not easy to distiguish from "genocide" but it's clearer to me now.
1.5 million German POWs murdered by the US after the war?
Could you please provide evidence of such a claim?
"U.S. and German sources estimate the number of German POWs who died in captivity at between 56,000 and 78,000, or about one per cent of all German prisoners..."
I thought the number was 1.5 million. I’ll have to go check that. We deliberately murdered a lot of those POW’s that summer, though. That’s a simple fact.
I hear you. Let me read pinto’s piece over with your comments in mind. I’ll see if I can do some good with that and get back to you regardless if I find a good path or not. Meantime I suppose it would be helpful if you ponder my comments and dismay about Trump’s “Gaza Riviera” type talk and how the USA is facing down the love of money or God question. I think that’s what Pinto read that made him want to subscribe to my account. (I copy/pasted this from my 12-hr earlier message which seems to have been sent as a reply to my original message.)
Wow. How plausible is it that we can create movements to ditch smart phones and social media so they can’t track us? It seems the only viable solution.
I feel like there is almost a 0% chance of humans ever giving up a tool or technology once they're reliant on it. However, I am very curious how more articles such as this, and more individuals like the author becoming disillusioned with this kind of work being used by companies like Palantir, will increase public knowledge on these topics and create a market for "more ethical" alternatives.
It seems as is the case with most big businesses, we're unlikely to see a truly ethical AI company succeed and reach enough users to outperform the competition, but all a company has to do is offer a slightly more ethical alternative. Once consumers begin to spend money or use the more ethical alternative, it puts pressure on competition to change their practices. In this case, a company would only need to provide even slightly more privacy and freedom from the algorithm than it's competition to get a leg up.
I feel like COSTCO capitalizing on simply offering an alternative to the anti-DEI movement, or even the sudden influx of users from places like Reddit to Substack are great examples of this. I am almost 100% sure both of these companies have other practices that probably make them far from ideal, but you can still get a significant number of consumers to switch from other companies by offering a slightly better alternative. I actually switched to Substack for that very reason, but I do dislike the algorithm control here, and not having the option to sort feeds based on recently added vs top comments. I also read the other day the creators of this platform have ties to Musk. I'll try to find that post and link it here.
I don't know anything about business/marketing, but I hope there is a field already studying the psychology behind profiting on ethical alternative. Obviously it's not ideal, but realistically I think it is probably our only hope against these gigantic corporations (especially as related to tech and AI) that will push their own agendas until financial pressure forces them to do otherwise. If anyone sees this comment and is aware of any blogs that cover this sort of thing please let me know.
We are trying to shut the barn door after the horse has already bolted. About twenty years ago when phones began to intermediate everyday tasks and consumers were not in a position to protect themselves from unrealized and intrusive technology, someone should have required programmers to have a professional license to practice. When a knowledge and skill set is held in the hands of a few experts and that skill set can be used to harm people who rely on these experts, we require them to adhere to a set of ethical principles so that they can be disciplined and/or lose their ability to practice their skills. The marketplace will not discipline these experts should they hurt consumers, see this article for examples.
Just as a lawyer takes an ethical oath not to take advantage of a client's trust, as a doctor takes an oath to 'do no harm', programmers should take an ethical oath. When they cannot work without a license because their peers will take away their license, they will program ethically, despite whatever goodness or badness is in their heart of hearts.
Professional licenses help employers too because they know their competitors' programmers are not going to unethically program either. Because business is driven by profits, even if the business has the capacity to do the right thing, it won't because if its competitors are doing the wrong thing, then it will have to do so also in order to stay competitive.
You have to force business to be pro-social. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but capitalism operates on a spectrum of anti-social to amoral to sociopathic. Unless there is a referee, market participants are going to cheat and they are going to exploit and harm humans. I would like to see governments make the push for professional ethical codes and licenses for the tech industry. Even if it fails, the push would perhaps wake consumers up enough they can take steps to protect themselves.
Well of course government isn't perfect. However, the difference in its mission statement gives us more to work with than the mission statement of business. The profit directive creates a conflict with the public good. On the other hand, government is a public service. Its mission is aligned with the public good. Capitalism is fine as far as it goes. However, I would much prefer government regulating business than vice-versa.
Excellent piece, just exactly the kind of informed presentation on the current use of AI in military applications. Great focus on its simultaneous rollout as all-purpose convenience-thingie/plaything and deadly killing apparatus.
"Now I fear Palantir’s involvement in ICE deportations could help scale one of the most terrifying and ambitious projects of mass resettlement in human history." Sorry, lost me here. These illegals do not belong in the US, send them back and save our tax payer money. No more handouts, we can't take care of the entire world my dude
I am ready to #takeonthiel and feel that it's time to creatively protest Palentir and Anduril and all of Thiel's other companies to make his employees think twice about working there, to bring their work out of the shadows, and to ultimately hit Thiel in the wallet.
Plus I also just saw the video you made for MPU - great work also.
Well done JSP, you're doing great things to detail the more sinister aspects of Palantir et al.... which now I come to think of it, is all of it. Being an insider adds more credibility to the info in the eyes of the public, I feel.
Outstandingly brave of you. Thank you for doing your civic duty in revealing this existential threat. The good news is that AI chips aren't organic matter. While humanity still has control of the physical world we must decide to forbif AI chips from being developed or fabricated in factories until we can get some international laws.
Andy you are out of your mind.
I was happy to discover that blocking Andy removed all of his comments from my sight when I refreshed the page.
genocide is the willful destruction of a people...like what the Israelis are doing to the Palestinians...there is no other right word.
When MSF calls it Genocide, lemme tell you, it's genocide.
Very brave and impressive! Thanks. I found Juan Sebastian Pinto's post today and a few weeks back found Yanis Varoufakis's book Techno Feudalism. Their ideas about current technology and it's effect on the trajectory of economics and society are very compatible. Good to see good ideas like these published.
Note: This message previously posted incorrectly, see reply to Andy G reply beginning with; "I hear you."
I took some time and became familiar with Andy G's other posted comments after chatting with him over a couple days. Having satisfied myself doing that I'm good to get back to my original comment about Juan's piece.
(Amendment added 3/16/25):
Having struggled with understanding antisemitism since I first learned the word decades ago up to now, today I listened to Chuck Shumer's interview with NYT, and in the past week read Timothy Snyder's recent post on the topic. I realize now that my first thought was correct when I read "genocide" in this post was a "not sure that's what I'd call it". It took me awhile obviously but now I have to criticize the use of the word as being incorrectly applied here. Andy G.'s harsh criticism may or may not have helped me come around to this, as I think he's smart but definitely not clear on all his motives. Is he the self-appointed "rhetoric police"? Maybe "something more" going on there, I don't know. But still, does he have a point? I think so.
As I listened to Shumer's ideas about "shading over" as he shows examples of some ways different uses of words, concepts, and ideas can have that effect really helped me understand antisemitism better. I'll read his book which will come out soon. And btw...I think he made the right call on the Yes to CR vs. shut down.
So yeah, it's a horrible slaughter of innocents in Gaza and I don't believe in any way Netanyahu/Israel have prosecuted the war righteously. But it's not actually "genocide" any more than dropping the nukes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were that. Indiscriminate slaughter of innocents? Sure. Both situations. Both terrible and war-crime level actions IMO. Not easy to distiguish from "genocide" but it's clearer to me now.
It’s absolutely a genocide but the atom bombs were not, correct. But the US murder of 1.5 million German POWs after the war was absolutely a genocide.
1.5 million German POWs murdered by the US after the war?
Could you please provide evidence of such a claim?
"U.S. and German sources estimate the number of German POWs who died in captivity at between 56,000 and 78,000, or about one per cent of all German prisoners..."
James Bacque gives 900,000. I think he’s correct.
I thought the number was 1.5 million. I’ll have to go check that. We deliberately murdered a lot of those POW’s that summer, though. That’s a simple fact.
I hear you. Let me read pinto’s piece over with your comments in mind. I’ll see if I can do some good with that and get back to you regardless if I find a good path or not. Meantime I suppose it would be helpful if you ponder my comments and dismay about Trump’s “Gaza Riviera” type talk and how the USA is facing down the love of money or God question. I think that’s what Pinto read that made him want to subscribe to my account. (I copy/pasted this from my 12-hr earlier message which seems to have been sent as a reply to my original message.)
Wow. How plausible is it that we can create movements to ditch smart phones and social media so they can’t track us? It seems the only viable solution.
I feel like there is almost a 0% chance of humans ever giving up a tool or technology once they're reliant on it. However, I am very curious how more articles such as this, and more individuals like the author becoming disillusioned with this kind of work being used by companies like Palantir, will increase public knowledge on these topics and create a market for "more ethical" alternatives.
It seems as is the case with most big businesses, we're unlikely to see a truly ethical AI company succeed and reach enough users to outperform the competition, but all a company has to do is offer a slightly more ethical alternative. Once consumers begin to spend money or use the more ethical alternative, it puts pressure on competition to change their practices. In this case, a company would only need to provide even slightly more privacy and freedom from the algorithm than it's competition to get a leg up.
I feel like COSTCO capitalizing on simply offering an alternative to the anti-DEI movement, or even the sudden influx of users from places like Reddit to Substack are great examples of this. I am almost 100% sure both of these companies have other practices that probably make them far from ideal, but you can still get a significant number of consumers to switch from other companies by offering a slightly better alternative. I actually switched to Substack for that very reason, but I do dislike the algorithm control here, and not having the option to sort feeds based on recently added vs top comments. I also read the other day the creators of this platform have ties to Musk. I'll try to find that post and link it here.
Here it is if you’re interested: https://substack.com/@davetroy/note/c-93259630?r=5783cf
I don't know anything about business/marketing, but I hope there is a field already studying the psychology behind profiting on ethical alternative. Obviously it's not ideal, but realistically I think it is probably our only hope against these gigantic corporations (especially as related to tech and AI) that will push their own agendas until financial pressure forces them to do otherwise. If anyone sees this comment and is aware of any blogs that cover this sort of thing please let me know.
This is the scariest thing I've read for a long time, and these days that's saying a lot. Thanks very much for this!
We are trying to shut the barn door after the horse has already bolted. About twenty years ago when phones began to intermediate everyday tasks and consumers were not in a position to protect themselves from unrealized and intrusive technology, someone should have required programmers to have a professional license to practice. When a knowledge and skill set is held in the hands of a few experts and that skill set can be used to harm people who rely on these experts, we require them to adhere to a set of ethical principles so that they can be disciplined and/or lose their ability to practice their skills. The marketplace will not discipline these experts should they hurt consumers, see this article for examples.
Just as a lawyer takes an ethical oath not to take advantage of a client's trust, as a doctor takes an oath to 'do no harm', programmers should take an ethical oath. When they cannot work without a license because their peers will take away their license, they will program ethically, despite whatever goodness or badness is in their heart of hearts.
Professional licenses help employers too because they know their competitors' programmers are not going to unethically program either. Because business is driven by profits, even if the business has the capacity to do the right thing, it won't because if its competitors are doing the wrong thing, then it will have to do so also in order to stay competitive.
You have to force business to be pro-social. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but capitalism operates on a spectrum of anti-social to amoral to sociopathic. Unless there is a referee, market participants are going to cheat and they are going to exploit and harm humans. I would like to see governments make the push for professional ethical codes and licenses for the tech industry. Even if it fails, the push would perhaps wake consumers up enough they can take steps to protect themselves.
Well of course government isn't perfect. However, the difference in its mission statement gives us more to work with than the mission statement of business. The profit directive creates a conflict with the public good. On the other hand, government is a public service. Its mission is aligned with the public good. Capitalism is fine as far as it goes. However, I would much prefer government regulating business than vice-versa.
Excellent piece, just exactly the kind of informed presentation on the current use of AI in military applications. Great focus on its simultaneous rollout as all-purpose convenience-thingie/plaything and deadly killing apparatus.
Thank you.
"Now I fear Palantir’s involvement in ICE deportations could help scale one of the most terrifying and ambitious projects of mass resettlement in human history." Sorry, lost me here. These illegals do not belong in the US, send them back and save our tax payer money. No more handouts, we can't take care of the entire world my dude
This is an extremely important exposure of what is being done to us now.
The coming of a dystopian night mare…a revelation of the endgame that we, as American citizens cannot allow to come to pass…
I am ready to #takeonthiel and feel that it's time to creatively protest Palentir and Anduril and all of Thiel's other companies to make his employees think twice about working there, to bring their work out of the shadows, and to ultimately hit Thiel in the wallet.
Way more than 75,000 dead. There are 306,000 dead and only 8,000 were fighters. 97% of the dead were civilians.
How do we escape?
Holy shit!!!
Thank you.
see you in stockholm - 14th june 2025 for the Bilderberg - there u will find a supportive cadre of journalists Jose....
Plus I also just saw the video you made for MPU - great work also.
Well done JSP, you're doing great things to detail the more sinister aspects of Palantir et al.... which now I come to think of it, is all of it. Being an insider adds more credibility to the info in the eyes of the public, I feel.