"governance is no longer about human relations—it’s about computation. Everything from labor to welfare to justice can, in their eyes, be reduced to an optimization problem." Well said!
I'm a systems person, and use Systems Theory to analyze everything -- including politics. I didn't realize I did this until recently when it was pointed out to me.
I've run into problems even discussing the much older system (social programming, social hierarchies) of Racism. People have been convinced (social programming) that this is about individuals being rude or something, when it is actually an indoctrinated social hierarchy. So many people, nearly always White people, get angry at any discussion of actual racism and believe they are individually being accused of something.
Like a fish, unaware of water as it is everywhere, feeling personally accused because someone spoke about water making things wet.
Given we live in a society that can't even rationally talk about much older systems, how are we to expect people to recognize, seek understanding of, and protect themselves from newer systems: especially those involving computers which far too many people allow themselves to think of as "magic"?
I also tend to see the world through systems, and this is partly where I get some optimism from. Honestly whether I'm optimistic or pessimistic depends on my emotional state and my blood sugar. Part of me believes these new systems will emerge on their own, as a consequence of culture, and that the issue is how people respond. I'm optimistic that we'll see mass protests come Spring, but if we don't, I'm gonna become rather pessimistic fast. 😎
"governance is no longer about human relations—it’s about computation. Everything from labor to welfare to justice can, in their eyes, be reduced to an optimization problem." Well said!
How optimistic or pessimistic are you?
I'm a systems person, and use Systems Theory to analyze everything -- including politics. I didn't realize I did this until recently when it was pointed out to me.
I've run into problems even discussing the much older system (social programming, social hierarchies) of Racism. People have been convinced (social programming) that this is about individuals being rude or something, when it is actually an indoctrinated social hierarchy. So many people, nearly always White people, get angry at any discussion of actual racism and believe they are individually being accused of something.
Like a fish, unaware of water as it is everywhere, feeling personally accused because someone spoke about water making things wet.
https://r.flora.ca/p/observing-white-fagility
Given we live in a society that can't even rationally talk about much older systems, how are we to expect people to recognize, seek understanding of, and protect themselves from newer systems: especially those involving computers which far too many people allow themselves to think of as "magic"?
I also tend to see the world through systems, and this is partly where I get some optimism from. Honestly whether I'm optimistic or pessimistic depends on my emotional state and my blood sugar. Part of me believes these new systems will emerge on their own, as a consequence of culture, and that the issue is how people respond. I'm optimistic that we'll see mass protests come Spring, but if we don't, I'm gonna become rather pessimistic fast. 😎