Food for Thought

Submitted by GreyWolf on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 12:37pm

This is a long 15 min video, but well worth the time, and one of the shortest videos I could find on this subject.

I had watched the lengthy video, 56 min, of Chamath Palihapitiya at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, (located here: https://youtu.be/PMotykw0SIk), and then I edited down to 13.33 min and posted it on my page (here: https://youtu.be/ASCWwfNXMfo). But then I ran across this edit, by Anonymous, posted just above. This is actually a very nice edit by Anonymous, who usually use those weird robotic voice stuff. Though the title is a little bit hyperbolic and omitted here.

This clip above mainly focuses on the psychological effects of social tech and addiction, which I think is relevant for all of us.

But what I really want to talk about, aspects of capitalism, is contained in the longer clip that I made from the Stanford Graduate School of Business interview, but that would get drowned out in talk about this subject highlighted here, the addictive qualities of the social media corporation's products, and our use of them, so I will relegate my comments about capitalism to another day.

The concerns that Anonymous, Chamath Palihapitiya, Sean Parker, and Denzel Washington, are highlighting here, in this video, are worth acknowledging and then pausing for a moment.

But, while I am on this subject, this Ted Talk video is also relevant, though also lengthy. Here, Ms. Zeynep Tufecki is discussing what we know, and don't know, about human psychology, and it includes political stuff too, so a lot of people here may find that interesting. And she doesn't sum it up with a simplistic solution, but really just presents the inter-related problems and says, WE should figure this out.

[video:https://youtu.be/iFTWM7HV2UI]
Published on Nov 17, 2017

We're building an artificial intelligence-powered dystopia, one click at a time, says technosociologist Zeynep Tufecki. In an eye-opening talk, she details how the same algorithms companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon use to get you to click on ads are also used to organize your access to political and social information. And the machines aren't even the real threat. What we need to understand is how the powerful might use AI to control us -- and what we can do in response.

Tags:

Anonymous

Chamath Palihapitiya

Sean Parker

Denzel Washington

Zeynep Tufecki

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Comments

Submitted by k9disc on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 2:14pm

15:33 - Anyone Remember Tay? Microsoft's Twitter Based AI?

O Tay:

Like many AI chat programs, Tay was meant to learn from the humans with which it interacted. "The more you chat with Tay, the smarter she gets, so the experience can be more personalized for you," Microsoft explained.

In other words, garbage in, garbage out, as the old computer science maxim goes.

"The more Humans share with me the more I learn," Tay tweeted last night. That's an understatement. "Fuck my robot pussy daddy I'm such a naughty robot," read another.

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a43310/microsoft-tay-4chan/

Seems very germane to the commentary about how YouTube catapults us all into extremism for maximum profit.

—

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

Submitted by Amanda Matthews on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 1:44pm

Mark Fuckerberg - outside of Jared

Kushner (and IMO The Clinton Creature), the most punchable face in the Universe.

People are confusing actual human interaction with posting on the net.

EDIT: typo

—

I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 1:53pm

Precisely why I don't

FB or use Amazon. I use google minimally, preferring DuckDuckGo. I saw the danger when MySpace came about. But, people are people and can't seem to help themselves from becoming sheeple, much to their own detriment.

Edited to add - I also don't click on ads. If I'm looking for something, I search for it. I'm onto their ad-click game. Not playing.

—

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by riverlover on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 3:18pm

In a new twist, I see ads on FB for < 1 sec and poof!

@Raggedy Ann I also now keep my iPhone 1 level and 3 rooms away from my PC. Too many coincidental ads. My PS has no camera or mic (that I am aware of).

Zuckerberg looks 15 y/o to me. Probably drinks the blood of children.

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by thanatokephaloides on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 10:08pm

@Raggedy Ann

Edited to add - I also don't click on ads.

Or watch or listen to them, if I can help it!

My "MUTE" button, also known as the "STFU" button, is well worn!

—

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Submitted by divineorder on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 3:39pm

Good work on the essay and vid edits, thanks

for posting this. I need to take some time with it.

—

A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

Submitted by GreyWolf on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 8:05pm

"I need to take some time with it."

@divineorder Yes, that is probably wise. There is actually a lot to think about.

I keep hearing this phrase recently, "this human experiment," often from scientists contemplating the decaying environment and the possible dire outcomes that would cause the extinction of our species, and the end of this 'human experiment.'

I thought once that we continue to evolve, but not physically--mentally. And that the expressions of our evolution is now our tools and tablets, rather than our flesh and blood. And that this evolution has become exponentially faster and faster. At every moment humanity careens along at a faster and faster pace. We built bicycles, we built cars, we built airplanes, we built rockets, we built cell phones, we built webpages ... faster and faster we go. But who is steering ...

Now more and more humans are popping up and saying, "We've built a fire under our own collective bath, and we should all get out before it starts boiling." Meanwhile in my mind I can feel that this human experiment is getting hotter and hotter, and I'm feeling froggy.

Here is a very short excerpt from the longer video. Palihapitiya had just said that he doesn’t use social media, he doesn’t allow his kids to use it, and he is going to take his money and go work on curing diabetes and such endeavors, and then says to the audience -

“But everybody else has to soul search a little bit more, about what you’re willing to do, because your behaviors, you don’t realize it, but you are being programmed. It was unintentional. But now you got to decide how much you’re willing to give up, how much of your intellectual independence. And don’t think, ‘Oh yeah, not me, I’m fucking genius, I’m at Stanford.’ You’re probably the most likely to fucking fall for it, because you’ve been check boxing your whole god-damn life, no offense guys.”

[video:https://youtu.be/fcMDFVgkhF8]

Edit: Oh, thanks for the thoughtful response, DO.

Submitted by EdMass on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 4:03pm

Hi!

I'm from Facebook and I'm here to help!

—

Prof: Nancy! I’m going to Greece!
Nancy: And swim the English Channel?
Prof: No. No. To ancient Greece where burning Sapho stood beside the wine dark sea. Wa de do da! Nancy, I’ve invented a time machine!

Firesign Theater

Stop the War!

Submitted by Lily O Lady on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 4:20pm

ROFLMAO

@EdMass

—

"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

Submitted by Ellen North on Sat, 01/06/2018 - 12:47am

It seems possible that that

It seems possible that that internet addiction might soon become too annoying to continue...

Came across what seems an interesting site, worth checking out if you, like myself, weren't familiar with it.

Especially since we know that US government agencies insisted on implanting, as well as keeping secret and exploiting, vulnerabilities in everyone's computers, thereby threatening not only national security and that of all citizens, but that of the people of the world.

None of the articles following state who's responsible for this particular mess, (assuming it not to be accidental, which seems unlikely, going by what we already know,) but one could guess at who would have the power to demand such vulnerabilities, as they have already been discovered to have been insisting upon. The first may be seen as rather lengthy by some, but I'd think it especially well worth reading in full at source, due to the detail and explanations provided. (Speaking as One Who knows Nothing herself, of course.)

http://nymag.com/selectall/2018/01/intel-chip-security-flaw-meltdown-spe...

Nearly Every Computer Made Since 1995 Is Dangerously Flawed. Here’s What You Need to Know.
By Jake Swearingen

January 4, 2018

There’s a dangerous, fundamental flaw built into pretty much every computer on the planet — a flaw that could allow attackers to access even the most secure information on your computer. That flaw has existed for more than two decades. And we’re just finding out about it now.

These vulnerabilities are actually two separate exploits, one called Meltdown and the other called Spectre. They’re both major headaches that take advantage of computing concepts so basic it’s going to require processors to be redesigned, and you’re likely going to hear a lot more about them over the next few weeks — and possibly over the next few years. Here’s what you need to know.

Am I affected by this?
Almost assuredly yes. The chips affected are used in just about every device out there, from laptops to phones to tablets to your TV set. The flaw dates back to, at least, nearly every Intel chip made since 1995, as well as many AMD and ARM chips. Between all that, I’d be willing to to bet my next paycheck you’ve got something in your house, pocket, or office that’s affected.

So what are these vulnerabilities?
Both exploits are aimed at the “kernel,” an essentially invisible part of your device’s operating system that is perhaps the most vital software component on your computer (or phone or tablet). It’s the go-between for all of your applications and basic parts of your computer: the processor, the memory, and the device itself (think your keyboard and touchpad on a laptop, or the power button on your phone).

The kernel does a lot of stuff that we won’t get into here, but one of the most basic and primary functions is keeping the data in one program from being read by another. You don’t necessarily want Spotify to have access to your email client — and when you do want to use your email client to send a Spotify song to a friend, it’s the kernel that takes over and passes that information along.

Both the Meltdown and Spectre exploits can be used by malicious users to get at sensitive data stored in the memory of other running programs — everything from passwords and credit card information to emails and photographs. And unlike traditional malware which operates like an application, kernel exploits can’t be seen by antivirus software or in system logs. We know that these vulnerabilities exist, but so far there’s no way to know if anyone has actually used them. It’s legitimately scary stuff. ...

Apparently, any fixes may take years and slow down your computer. (This being on top of whatever your provider may choose to do to you and whatever slow lanes your favorite sites have been put into, if not blocked entirely. Will internet be worth the money paid for access, in future?)

While reading the following, please bear in mind, (re-quoted from above,) that '...unlike traditional malware which operates like an application, kernel exploits can’t be seen by antivirus software or in system logs. We know that these vulnerabilities exist, but so far there’s no way to know if anyone has actually used them. ...

http://nymag.com/selectall/2018/01/apple-mac-and-ios-devices-affected-by...

Apple Confirms All Mac and iOS Devices Vulnerable to Meltdown and Spectre
By Madison Malone Kircher

Jan 5, 2018

...The company confirmed the affected devices in a blog post on Thursday.

From Apple:

All Mac systems and iOS devices are affected, but there are no known exploits impacting customers at this time. Since exploiting many of these issues requires a malicious app to be loaded on your Mac or iOS device, we recommend downloading software only from trusted sources such as the App Store. ...

http://nymag.com/selectall/2018/01/ceo-sold-shares-before-intel-chip-sec...

Intel’s CEO Sure Did Sell a Ton of Intel Stock in December
By Jake Swearingen

January 5th, 2018

Intel, the world’s second-largest manufacturer of semiconductors, is having a bad start to 2018. Security researchers, led by Google’s Project Zero, disclosed that a major flaw in the system architecture of processors made by Intel, ARM, and AMD allows for an exploit called Spectre, which could enable malicious users to access sensitive data such as password or credit-card information that normally should be siloed between different applications.

In addition, there’s an Intel-specific vulnerability known as Meltdown, which is more aggressive and easy to exploit, and which major OS and browser vendors are frantically rolling out patches for.

All of this is causing many to raise eyebrows at Intel CEO Brian Krzanich’s decision in December to sell off his owned Intel stock and exercise his stock options to the tune of $24 million, leaving him holding the bare minimum of just 250,000 shares of Intel stock required by corporate bylaws. ...

On the other hand, how far can we trust Google, (having been virtually twinned with the Obama Admin and active in government policy-making, even aside from a dizzying revolving door between various high-level staff of both,) who is said to have discovered all this - and whoever's to be providing the fixes?

—

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Submitted by gustogirl on Mon, 01/08/2018 - 5:47pm

@Ellen North when I first read about

@Ellen North when I first read about these exploits, the article mentioned how vulnerable everything on the cloud was. Immediately I thought of the CIA's deal with Bezos and realized why they were likely to want to be there "storing data".

It seems possible that that internet addiction might soon become too annoying to continue... Came across what seems an interesting site, worth checking out if you, like myself, weren't familiar with it. Especially since we know that US government agencies insisted on implanting, as well as keeping secret and exploiting, vulnerabilities in everyone's computers, thereby threatening not only national security and that of all citizens, but that of the people of the world. None of the articles following state who's responsible for this particular mess, (assuming it not to be accidental, which seems unlikely, going by what we already know,) but one could guess at who would have the power to demand such vulnerabilities, as they have already been discovered to have been insisting upon. The first may be seen as rather lengthy by some, but I'd think it especially well worth reading in full at source, due to the detail and explanations provided. (Speaking as One Who knows Nothing herself, of course.) http://nymag.com/selectall/2018/01/intel-chip-security-flaw-meltdown-spe... Nearly Every Computer Made Since 1995 Is Dangerously Flawed. Here’s What You Need to Know. By Jake Swearingen January 4, 2018 There’s a dangerous, fundamental flaw built into pretty much every computer on the planet — a flaw that could allow attackers to access even the most secure information on your computer. That flaw has existed for more than two decades. And we’re just finding out about it now. These vulnerabilities are actually two separate exploits, one called Meltdown and the other called Spectre. They’re both major headaches that take advantage of computing concepts so basic it’s going to require processors to be redesigned, and you’re likely going to hear a lot more about them over the next few weeks — and possibly over the next few years. Here’s what you need to know. Am I affected by this? Almost assuredly yes. The chips affected are used in just about every device out there, from laptops to phones to tablets to your TV set. The flaw dates back to, at least, nearly every Intel chip made since 1995, as well as many AMD and ARM chips. Between all that, I’d be willing to to bet my next paycheck you’ve got something in your house, pocket, or office that’s affected. So what are these vulnerabilities? Both exploits are aimed at the “kernel,” an essentially invisible part of your device’s operating system that is perhaps the most vital software component on your computer (or phone or tablet). It’s the go-between for all of your applications and basic parts of your computer: the processor, the memory, and the device itself (think your keyboard and touchpad on a laptop, or the power button on your phone). The kernel does a lot of stuff that we won’t get into here, but one of the most basic and primary functions is keeping the data in one program from being read by another. You don’t necessarily want Spotify to have access to your email client — and when you do want to use your email client to send a Spotify song to a friend, it’s the kernel that takes over and passes that information along. Both the Meltdown and Spectre exploits can be used by malicious users to get at sensitive data stored in the memory of other running programs — everything from passwords and credit card information to emails and photographs. And unlike traditional malware which operates like an application, kernel exploits can’t be seen by antivirus software or in system logs. We know that these vulnerabilities exist, but so far there’s no way to know if anyone has actually used them. It’s legitimately scary stuff. ... Apparently, any fixes may take years and slow down your computer. (This being on top of whatever your provider may choose to do to you and whatever slow lanes your favorite sites have been put into, if not blocked entirely. Will internet be worth the money paid for access, in future?) While reading the following, please bear in mind, (re-quoted from above,) that '...unlike traditional malware which operates like an application, kernel exploits can’t be seen by antivirus software or in system logs. We know that these vulnerabilities exist, but so far there’s no way to know if anyone has actually used them. ... http://nymag.com/selectall/2018/01/apple-mac-and-ios-devices-affected-by... Apple Confirms All Mac and iOS Devices Vulnerable to Meltdown and Spectre By Madison Malone Kircher Jan 5, 2018 ...The company confirmed the affected devices in a blog post on Thursday. From Apple: All Mac systems and iOS devices are affected, but there are no known exploits impacting customers at this time. Since exploiting many of these issues requires a malicious app to be loaded on your Mac or iOS device, we recommend downloading software only from trusted sources such as the App Store. ... http://nymag.com/selectall/2018/01/ceo-sold-shares-before-intel-chip-sec... Intel’s CEO Sure Did Sell a Ton of Intel Stock in December By Jake Swearingen January 5th, 2018 Intel, the world’s second-largest manufacturer of semiconductors, is having a bad start to 2018. Security researchers, led by Google’s Project Zero, disclosed that a major flaw in the system architecture of processors made by Intel, ARM, and AMD allows for an exploit called Spectre, which could enable malicious users to access sensitive data such as password or credit-card information that normally should be siloed between different applications. In addition, there’s an Intel-specific vulnerability known as Meltdown, which is more aggressive and easy to exploit, and which major OS and browser vendors are frantically rolling out patches for. All of this is causing many to raise eyebrows at Intel CEO Brian Krzanich’s decision in December to sell off his owned Intel stock and exercise his stock options to the tune of $24 million, leaving him holding the bare minimum of just 250,000 shares of Intel stock required by corporate bylaws. ... On the other hand, how far can we trust Google, (having been virtually twinned with the Obama Admin and active in government policy-making, even aside from a dizzying revolving door between various high-level staff of both,) who is said to have discovered all this - and whoever's to be providing the fixes?