New Yorker
Recently, Chen returned to the subject. In a piece published a few weeks ago, he described what it felt like to be at the center of a classic Internet storm, playing the role of expert and soothsayer. “If the metrics testified to my enormous influence, why did I feel so powerless? This question illustrates the problem with treating the spread of information as primarily a numbers game.” Technology: it’s people.
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Hostile Americans
The Industrial Revolution was a revolution, that we have not understood very well. Living in Latin America, that was largely unaffected by this, I can see its advantages and disadvantages clearly.
One advantage, that everyone one could see, was affluence - North America has money, Latin America does not. One contrast also easy to see, however, was the friendliness of Latinos - they do like people. They are incredibly corrupt, but friendly.
It would be easy to say, that Americans are rich and unfriendly - and Latinos are poor, but friendly. And also easy to say, that building a country that is rich and friendly, has not yet been done. The two objectives seem to be incompatible.
It is worth spending some time contemplating this. What the heck is going on?
It is useful to examine the historical relationships between the US and Mexico. The US went to war with Mexico, and grabbed much of its territory. That much is clear.
Having spent much of my life in California, once part of Mexico - I can see the advantages and disadvantages of that lifestyle. Many Mexicans have immigrated to California (legally and illegally) and are now part of its economy. This is part of a process that has been going on for centuries - America was a country of immigrants.
California is still tolerant of its immigrants - from all over the world. But most Americans are not - and want to get rid of them. They do not like people, who are not like them - but will not admit this.
This is the the reason they elected Trump - who wants to build a wall between Mexico and the US. And deport all immigrants living here - even if it means sending them to their death!
This single issue clarifies my assertion - that Americans do not like people. Which means they do not like many Americans!
I will conclude with this link Trump calls Oakland mayor’s immigration warning ‘a disgrace’
One advantage, that everyone one could see, was affluence - North America has money, Latin America does not. One contrast also easy to see, however, was the friendliness of Latinos - they do like people. They are incredibly corrupt, but friendly.
It would be easy to say, that Americans are rich and unfriendly - and Latinos are poor, but friendly. And also easy to say, that building a country that is rich and friendly, has not yet been done. The two objectives seem to be incompatible.
It is worth spending some time contemplating this. What the heck is going on?
It is useful to examine the historical relationships between the US and Mexico. The US went to war with Mexico, and grabbed much of its territory. That much is clear.
Having spent much of my life in California, once part of Mexico - I can see the advantages and disadvantages of that lifestyle. Many Mexicans have immigrated to California (legally and illegally) and are now part of its economy. This is part of a process that has been going on for centuries - America was a country of immigrants.
California is still tolerant of its immigrants - from all over the world. But most Americans are not - and want to get rid of them. They do not like people, who are not like them - but will not admit this.
This is the the reason they elected Trump - who wants to build a wall between Mexico and the US. And deport all immigrants living here - even if it means sending them to their death!
This single issue clarifies my assertion - that Americans do not like people. Which means they do not like many Americans!
I will conclude with this link Trump calls Oakland mayor’s immigration warning ‘a disgrace’
They Do Not Think for Themselves
I'm back thinking about the same thing - how the America I grew up in, went wrong.
I am different that way - I was convinced that something was terribly wrong with that world, and it was my job to find out what that was.
One obvious thing (at least to me) was that they did not like other people, including their own children. But they were not aware of this - and could not be made aware of this.
I must return to my original assertion - that America had gone bad. It had been founded on Enlightenment principles - in the late 18th Century. But had changed completely in the 19th Century.
This is not to say it originated in a pure state - the Founding Fathers were far from perfect. But they had the right ideas - Liberal Democracy. Gradually, these were replaced with Industrial values. And these values were not people-friendly.
I am not saying anything new here - this point has been made, over and over, by people more qualified than I am. I can only repeat what they have said, the entire complex, we refer to as - Industrialization, Capitalism, or the Market Economy - produced a society that was not good for the people in it.
But they were not aware of this - and were forbidden to be aware of this.
I am different that way - I was convinced that something was terribly wrong with that world, and it was my job to find out what that was.
One obvious thing (at least to me) was that they did not like other people, including their own children. But they were not aware of this - and could not be made aware of this.
I must return to my original assertion - that America had gone bad. It had been founded on Enlightenment principles - in the late 18th Century. But had changed completely in the 19th Century.
This is not to say it originated in a pure state - the Founding Fathers were far from perfect. But they had the right ideas - Liberal Democracy. Gradually, these were replaced with Industrial values. And these values were not people-friendly.
I am not saying anything new here - this point has been made, over and over, by people more qualified than I am. I can only repeat what they have said, the entire complex, we refer to as - Industrialization, Capitalism, or the Market Economy - produced a society that was not good for the people in it.
But they were not aware of this - and were forbidden to be aware of this.
Friday, March 9, 2018
Costa Rica Schools Have Better Security
Latin America has always been a dangerous place to live in. The Spanish and Portuguese were violent people - to the native peoples they conquered, and even to each other.
Homes were surrounded by high walls, with broken glass on the top. The windows are covered with metal grating. And strong gates, were the only way to get in. Security guards were common, and inexpensive.
The schools are built the same way - you have to enter by a gate, and the gatekeeper will only let people in that he can identify personally.
In America, a killer with an assault weapon, can just walk in - and start firing at anyone.
Homes were surrounded by high walls, with broken glass on the top. The windows are covered with metal grating. And strong gates, were the only way to get in. Security guards were common, and inexpensive.
The schools are built the same way - you have to enter by a gate, and the gatekeeper will only let people in that he can identify personally.
In America, a killer with an assault weapon, can just walk in - and start firing at anyone.
Understanding the Philippines
I am reading In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines, and am finding it interesting.
America's decision to acquire this possession, was one of its biggest blunders. And has resulted in another failed country, that they are responsible for.
America tried to make the Philippines like itself - but failed completely.
Largely because the Filipinos themselves, made this impossible. But also because the Americans accommodated themselves to its corruption - instead of fixing it.
Geographically, the Philippines are part of Asia, very far from the US - but close to China.
America's decision to acquire this possession, was one of its biggest blunders. And has resulted in another failed country, that they are responsible for.
America tried to make the Philippines like itself - but failed completely.
Largely because the Filipinos themselves, made this impossible. But also because the Americans accommodated themselves to its corruption - instead of fixing it.
Geographically, the Philippines are part of Asia, very far from the US - but close to China.
Thursday, March 8, 2018
My Brain Scan
I got this yesterday. I was told to lay down, and not move, while powerful rotating magnetic fields scanned my brain. What this amounted to, I do not know - the theory behind this, it too exotic for me to understand. The results are placed on an Optical Disk (like a DVD).
The Disk is given to a specialist, who produces a written report (in Spanish) that ordinary people cannot understand. This report is send to my Neurologist, that had requested the scan - after he had diagnosed me as subject to drop attacks - loss of control over my legs.
If the scan produces results, that he thinks I should know about - he will call me.
So far, no phone call.
The Disk is given to a specialist, who produces a written report (in Spanish) that ordinary people cannot understand. This report is send to my Neurologist, that had requested the scan - after he had diagnosed me as subject to drop attacks - loss of control over my legs.
If the scan produces results, that he thinks I should know about - he will call me.
So far, no phone call.
The Digital Attention Crisis
Search for Tristan Harris
This guy is billed as the conscience of silicon valley - and has some fine things to say, about how the companies who run the Valley, are making money - by exploiting the people who use their products.
He thinks the Valley should reform itself, and notes the many ways in which this can be done - all of which would reduce its profits, but improve the emotional health of its users.
I cannot help but compare this advice to that which might be offered to the Drug Industry - make drugs that are less addictive!
To understand what is going on here, we have to back up to the middle of the 19th Century - when Industrialization (Manufacturing and Transportation) was running the world - and the people in it.
It considered people to be one of the resources it had to manage. And it produced more products, and cheaper products - than ever before. It also produced WWI, that killed more people than ever before. And also produced the masses - who were behaving entirely differently.
There was no lack of ideas, back then - of how things could be improved, and some of them were implemented. I am living now on my Social Security income that was introduced as part of the New Deal, that tried to overcome the Great Depression.
Perhaps the Industrial Economy could have reformed itself, after WWII - but powerful new technologies took over instead - Television and the Computer. That changed everything - without people noticing this.
This lack of awareness was the most important result of this vast change. The screen of the TV, or the Computer - was so fascinating, people were not interested in what was going on around it, in the real world. For them, it ceased to exist!
This guy is billed as the conscience of silicon valley - and has some fine things to say, about how the companies who run the Valley, are making money - by exploiting the people who use their products.
He thinks the Valley should reform itself, and notes the many ways in which this can be done - all of which would reduce its profits, but improve the emotional health of its users.
I cannot help but compare this advice to that which might be offered to the Drug Industry - make drugs that are less addictive!
To understand what is going on here, we have to back up to the middle of the 19th Century - when Industrialization (Manufacturing and Transportation) was running the world - and the people in it.
It considered people to be one of the resources it had to manage. And it produced more products, and cheaper products - than ever before. It also produced WWI, that killed more people than ever before. And also produced the masses - who were behaving entirely differently.
There was no lack of ideas, back then - of how things could be improved, and some of them were implemented. I am living now on my Social Security income that was introduced as part of the New Deal, that tried to overcome the Great Depression.
Perhaps the Industrial Economy could have reformed itself, after WWII - but powerful new technologies took over instead - Television and the Computer. That changed everything - without people noticing this.
This lack of awareness was the most important result of this vast change. The screen of the TV, or the Computer - was so fascinating, people were not interested in what was going on around it, in the real world. For them, it ceased to exist!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
