Your point about the importance of work (whatever the job) for mental health is something that is often underestimated, particularly in young people.
Feeling useful/needed, learning new skills inc social skills, interacting with colleagues from different age groups/backgrounds, sharing opinions etc on a daily basis keeps the mind constantly active. There’s no time for over analysing thoughts and feelings.
Without that daily routine it must be a lot easier to fall into depression.
UBI can be made to sound appealing but for young people it’s effectively putting them into an extremely early retirement.
Thanks for an excellent article (as always) Miri. I will definitely be nicer to pigeons from now on 😄
I completely agree with you - but what makes this worse, as I've covered in a previous article, is the WFH culture means a lot of young people lack many of the things you've described, even if they do have a job.
It's of note that all the durable occupations that AI won't take over are primarily things that can only be done outside the house, "IRL", and I do think that when it comes to "going out to work" then - especially when people are young and inexperienced - the "going out to..." bit is just as important as the "work" bit. So I would always advise any young person - look for a job that cannot be done from home. Not only is that profession far less likely to be subsumed by AI, but it also gives vital life experience that sitting on one's sofa, even if one is earning money whilst so doing, simply cannot provide.
You’re absolutely right about the ‘going out to’ work aspect being equally important.
It must be my age because whenever I think of/refer to jobs, particularly for young people, it’s almost unimaginable that it would be a ‘working from home’ job.
I’ve seen two young family members change in completely different ways due to their jobs. One took a job that was nearly full time WFH, she went from a cheerful sociable young woman to very unhappy within a couple of months. Thankfully she’s now ‘going to’ work in a new job and is happy again.
The other one left college, went straight to work in a shop and seemed to mature into a well rounded adult within about 6 months, full of confidence and always out socialising.
As you say, we should always advise the young to ‘go to’ work.
Wyatt - you have outlined some of the main issues very well, and perhaps hinted at solutions. I can't see all young people being passively herded into such a dystopia, most will rebel and at the very least will insist on congregating with their friends etc., creating clubs and other group activities.
Perhaps Miri underestimates the human spirit, the innate need for freedom, though there's plenty of evidence to justify pessimism. But I hope I'm right!
Great birds-eye view Miri. The overlords have also presided over a productive programme to render many more of the population pigeon-chested and bird-brained to increase their chances of succeeding in their avaricious agenda.
I am a 'content creator', yet the debate over AI is the same as automated engineering statistic based simulations instead of physical testing. The powerful simulations are impressive, but the correct raw data and observing the behaviour / limitations of the models is all important. Further, the simulations are based on a library of real time events. That library is at it's core is now 30 years or more old.
Endlessly recycling simulations with no fresh input or fresh interpretation leads to design stagnation - which for a commercial company can be fatal.
I see much around me is in design stagnation through lazy unimaginative application of simulation data. That is why I am not afraid of AI. Innovation relies on taking risk, and frequently doing things that are 'not the norm'. AI is stale, an apparently smart wrapper on essentially dumb ideas.
Correct - however AI is simply machine code, and it can replicate many common themes in a very, very short time. This is the defect - AI is a system that has been around for a very long time to analyse lots of information and produce trends.
It is down to us to speak / write/ think with critical thought.
AI will mimic but can't think beyond obvious logic.
Of course it would start at £1,600/month unrestricted. Then within just a few years it will start to be restricted, then reduced. 'Opposition' politicians will promise to raise it again, etc.
Brilliant synopsis and included solutions to one aspect of our current predicament Miri, well done again!
Can we use a precis of this for The Light with a link and byline back to you?
Very interesting article. Thank you Miri. It made me dwell on rabbits which were introduced to UK perhaps by the Romans, perhaps by the Normans. They were farmed in warrens but then some of them escaped... Bloody everywhere now and thriving.
UBI would be fine if it was paid in cash. That's what we should say to its proponents.
AI apparently uses SO MUCH electricity that it will be competing with us for the wind and solar generated stuff and neither of us will win.
I thought that gardeners, cooks etc. would/could not be replaced by AI along with your skilled tradespeople.
I'm not sure if the "artificial womb" technologies are quite perfected yet, but I think it's certainly extremely likely that, in the near future, virtually all couples will require IVF to conceive - and the ruling classes will be very selective about who they choose to bestow this upon.
Loved the Dame N Sturgeon Esq article. Chopping off doors to promote ventilation without understanding... ventilation. Indeed, many of the activities of the SNPeeeeee are beyond parody. By the way, what became of the minor Glasgow back street legal type who apparently liked coach-built (ie, not cheap) motor homes for two? Have the two ferries built at a total cost of close to £500 million started to work? Um. No. Does Greenshill Capital and associates still have access to the £31 million hunting lodge gained as part of the £450 million Fort William aluminium wheel factory fiasco? Um. Probably.
We can’t all write novels, produce great works of art, etc because not all of us are gifted in that way. It’s not a question of having the time, it’s whether we have the gift or skill - which I don’t. However, what I can do, I do. For me, the nearest I can get to creating something is my garden (no fruit or veg, I am afraid, in my very urban situation), which is an ongoing work and gives me much joy. But the next people who move here (in due course) will either totally neglect it (not having time, inclination or whatever it takes - I am retired), redesign it (to put in veg?) or pave it over (to make life easier). I feel sure that AI will be able to produce novels, works of art and great symphonies one of these days. Still, what we fill our time with is down to us. We can all make choices! We don’t have to be ‘entertained’ by screens, social media, etc. I already feel that reading articles (such as Miri’s), watching podcasts (such as James Delingpole’s), watching UKC news and interviews takes up too much time - they have replaced the telly for me and I’m not sure it’s a good thing! I really prefer reading literature (which I do most evenings - I aim to have no screen time in the evenings), but keeping in touch via Miri, JD, UKC, etc is a little bit addictive!
A few months ago I dramatically cut down on what I read and watched as I think it was affecting my health. So now, like you, I try to be discerning. In many ways I would adore to never have to switch my computer on again (I am quite sure we won't have to in heaven, if you believe in that), though, having been a secretary/office manager in my working life, computers were a godsend in many ways. A mixed blessing perhaps is the best way to describe them. The Seneca quote is good.
The law system knows anything based on electronic record keeping can be altered and date stamped as if it were from a particular date / time. I'm not advocating a return to ink and parchment, but it is good to challenge technology until there is a genuine improvement rather than a better version of poor idea - complete with many of the original flaws.
Well I am not only a prole, but a pauper - in cash, if not spirit - as well. The Great and the Good don't see me even if I stand in front of them. That's useful.
Your point about the importance of work (whatever the job) for mental health is something that is often underestimated, particularly in young people.
Feeling useful/needed, learning new skills inc social skills, interacting with colleagues from different age groups/backgrounds, sharing opinions etc on a daily basis keeps the mind constantly active. There’s no time for over analysing thoughts and feelings.
Without that daily routine it must be a lot easier to fall into depression.
UBI can be made to sound appealing but for young people it’s effectively putting them into an extremely early retirement.
Thanks for an excellent article (as always) Miri. I will definitely be nicer to pigeons from now on 😄
Thank you, Mick (and me too re: the pigeons!).
I completely agree with you - but what makes this worse, as I've covered in a previous article, is the WFH culture means a lot of young people lack many of the things you've described, even if they do have a job.
It's of note that all the durable occupations that AI won't take over are primarily things that can only be done outside the house, "IRL", and I do think that when it comes to "going out to work" then - especially when people are young and inexperienced - the "going out to..." bit is just as important as the "work" bit. So I would always advise any young person - look for a job that cannot be done from home. Not only is that profession far less likely to be subsumed by AI, but it also gives vital life experience that sitting on one's sofa, even if one is earning money whilst so doing, simply cannot provide.
You’re absolutely right about the ‘going out to’ work aspect being equally important.
It must be my age because whenever I think of/refer to jobs, particularly for young people, it’s almost unimaginable that it would be a ‘working from home’ job.
I’ve seen two young family members change in completely different ways due to their jobs. One took a job that was nearly full time WFH, she went from a cheerful sociable young woman to very unhappy within a couple of months. Thankfully she’s now ‘going to’ work in a new job and is happy again.
The other one left college, went straight to work in a shop and seemed to mature into a well rounded adult within about 6 months, full of confidence and always out socialising.
As you say, we should always advise the young to ‘go to’ work.
Wyatt - you have outlined some of the main issues very well, and perhaps hinted at solutions. I can't see all young people being passively herded into such a dystopia, most will rebel and at the very least will insist on congregating with their friends etc., creating clubs and other group activities.
Perhaps Miri underestimates the human spirit, the innate need for freedom, though there's plenty of evidence to justify pessimism. But I hope I'm right!
Great birds-eye view Miri. The overlords have also presided over a productive programme to render many more of the population pigeon-chested and bird-brained to increase their chances of succeeding in their avaricious agenda.
Well that was highly informative.
I am a 'content creator', yet the debate over AI is the same as automated engineering statistic based simulations instead of physical testing. The powerful simulations are impressive, but the correct raw data and observing the behaviour / limitations of the models is all important. Further, the simulations are based on a library of real time events. That library is at it's core is now 30 years or more old.
Endlessly recycling simulations with no fresh input or fresh interpretation leads to design stagnation - which for a commercial company can be fatal.
I see much around me is in design stagnation through lazy unimaginative application of simulation data. That is why I am not afraid of AI. Innovation relies on taking risk, and frequently doing things that are 'not the norm'. AI is stale, an apparently smart wrapper on essentially dumb ideas.
Correct - however AI is simply machine code, and it can replicate many common themes in a very, very short time. This is the defect - AI is a system that has been around for a very long time to analyse lots of information and produce trends.
It is down to us to speak / write/ think with critical thought.
AI will mimic but can't think beyond obvious logic.
The problem could be that logic will no longer exist in the near future.
If there is no logic there is no AI.
It might blank me!
Of course it would start at £1,600/month unrestricted. Then within just a few years it will start to be restricted, then reduced. 'Opposition' politicians will promise to raise it again, etc.
Brilliant synopsis and included solutions to one aspect of our current predicament Miri, well done again!
Can we use a precis of this for The Light with a link and byline back to you?
Peace :-) x
Very interesting article. Thank you Miri. It made me dwell on rabbits which were introduced to UK perhaps by the Romans, perhaps by the Normans. They were farmed in warrens but then some of them escaped... Bloody everywhere now and thriving.
UBI would be fine if it was paid in cash. That's what we should say to its proponents.
AI apparently uses SO MUCH electricity that it will be competing with us for the wind and solar generated stuff and neither of us will win.
I thought that gardeners, cooks etc. would/could not be replaced by AI along with your skilled tradespeople.
UBI will not be fine in any way shape or form. It just won't. It is a controlling mechanism and there is no talking to the proponents.
The 5G system will harvest people's energy and I believe it is already happening.
WBAN = Wireless Body Area Network.
Great article, Miri
Yes, absolutely. I have written a few articles around this subject:
https://miriaf.co.uk/the-trans-formation-of-family-life/
https://miriaf.co.uk/q-whats-the-difference-between-nicola-sturgeon-and-the-taliban/
I'm not sure if the "artificial womb" technologies are quite perfected yet, but I think it's certainly extremely likely that, in the near future, virtually all couples will require IVF to conceive - and the ruling classes will be very selective about who they choose to bestow this upon.
Loved the Dame N Sturgeon Esq article. Chopping off doors to promote ventilation without understanding... ventilation. Indeed, many of the activities of the SNPeeeeee are beyond parody. By the way, what became of the minor Glasgow back street legal type who apparently liked coach-built (ie, not cheap) motor homes for two? Have the two ferries built at a total cost of close to £500 million started to work? Um. No. Does Greenshill Capital and associates still have access to the £31 million hunting lodge gained as part of the £450 million Fort William aluminium wheel factory fiasco? Um. Probably.
'SNPeeeee. Reality from a different angle'.
That ended well......
We can’t all write novels, produce great works of art, etc because not all of us are gifted in that way. It’s not a question of having the time, it’s whether we have the gift or skill - which I don’t. However, what I can do, I do. For me, the nearest I can get to creating something is my garden (no fruit or veg, I am afraid, in my very urban situation), which is an ongoing work and gives me much joy. But the next people who move here (in due course) will either totally neglect it (not having time, inclination or whatever it takes - I am retired), redesign it (to put in veg?) or pave it over (to make life easier). I feel sure that AI will be able to produce novels, works of art and great symphonies one of these days. Still, what we fill our time with is down to us. We can all make choices! We don’t have to be ‘entertained’ by screens, social media, etc. I already feel that reading articles (such as Miri’s), watching podcasts (such as James Delingpole’s), watching UKC news and interviews takes up too much time - they have replaced the telly for me and I’m not sure it’s a good thing! I really prefer reading literature (which I do most evenings - I aim to have no screen time in the evenings), but keeping in touch via Miri, JD, UKC, etc is a little bit addictive!
A few months ago I dramatically cut down on what I read and watched as I think it was affecting my health. So now, like you, I try to be discerning. In many ways I would adore to never have to switch my computer on again (I am quite sure we won't have to in heaven, if you believe in that), though, having been a secretary/office manager in my working life, computers were a godsend in many ways. A mixed blessing perhaps is the best way to describe them. The Seneca quote is good.
The law system knows anything based on electronic record keeping can be altered and date stamped as if it were from a particular date / time. I'm not advocating a return to ink and parchment, but it is good to challenge technology until there is a genuine improvement rather than a better version of poor idea - complete with many of the original flaws.
That's our strength. I am certainly a prole, and I assume you are also. Apologies if this is not correct.
Well I am not only a prole, but a pauper - in cash, if not spirit - as well. The Great and the Good don't see me even if I stand in front of them. That's useful.