It is not uncommon to see engineers attempt to venture into fields beyond their expertise, such as philosophy or physics, only to struggle and sometimes even become crackpots. While there may be several reasons for this, one major factor is the agency drive hardwired into firmware, which leads them to see the world exclusively in…

The Underpants Gnomes episode of South Park provides an amusing but thought-provoking look at the issue of political economy. The premise of the episode is that a group of gnomes has been stealing underpants from the residents of South Park as part of a grand plan to achieve profits. However, when asked about the second…

Person: Ugh, I can’t believe Technology X doesn’t support this corner case scenario. It’s so frustrating! Person 2: Hmm, have you tried my favorite technology Y? It’s completely unrelated to your corner case, but it might be worth checking out. Person: Sure, I’m open to new options. What does technology Y do? Person 2: Well,…

The idea of withdrawing from an environment that goes against one’s principles is a concept that has been explored by philosophers throughout history. Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, believed that it is better to suffer injustice than to commit it. Similarly, Confucius, the Chinese philosopher, emphasized the importance of maintaining one’s personal values and principles…

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about income inequality and the concentration of wealth among a small group of individuals in the United States. According to a report by the Institute for Policy Studies, the top 1% of Americans own more wealth than the bottom 90% combined. This concentration of wealth and…

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies has led to concerns about the future of work and the potential displacement of human labor. Some have argued that these technologies will commoditize cognitive grunt work and make the human touch less valuable. However, this view is misguided, as AI and automation will actually make…

A larp wrapped in Braudilliana inside a simulation. Web3 is a concept that refers to the decentralized web, where data, applications, and services are no longer controlled by a central authority but are instead distributed across a network of nodes. This idea of a decentralized internet is a shift away from the current Web2 model,…

Techowatermelon: Big heavy looking outfit or startup that goes to pieces on first test. It’s a Nassim Taleb neologism. Nassim Taleb introduces the concept of the “techowatermelon” as a neologism to describe a startup that appears big and heavy-looking but ultimately falls apart upon its first test. This term is a metaphor for the fragility…

I think large exits are toast. The narrow focus is stifling, the incentives misaligned and the concentration will eat itself. I think that’s what the sudden concern with fractional reserve banking is suddenly about. By doing the headless chicken act they’re probably speeding up the outcome they all have been trying so hard to avoid.…

As someone who has spent years mastering complex verbal prestidigitation, I can say that the statement “Only verbally inept shape rotators are that impressed by GPTx” oversimplifies the issue. While it’s true that GPTx has limitations and can’t replicate the nuances of human language, it’s also true that the technology has shown impressive capabilities in…