Earthly Fortunes

Earthly Fortunes explores the intersections of geography, energy, industry, and the lesser-seen aspects of modern life and history. It delves into the impact of technology, music, cybersecurity, power dynamics through history, societal trust, perceptions of aging, and copyright law in the context of human agency and AI.

Technology and Society History and Power Dynamics Music and Art Cybersecurity Societal Trust and Misinformation Perceptions of Aging Geography and Perception Copyright Law

The hottest Substack posts of Earthly Fortunes

And their main takeaways

A Lesson in Music

255 implied HN points • 25 Mar 23
  1. The importance of learning deeply from a skilled mentor in music.
  2. The value of playing music from the mind rather than just the fingers.
  3. The significance of serving music and art above all else.

Twilight of Truth?

235 implied HN points • 11 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Truth Language Society Ethics
  1. Language AIs have flaws, but they sparked our care for truth again.
  2. Machines producing statistics aren't always truthful. There's a difference between probable and actual truths.
  3. We shouldn't rely on truth engines for moral decisions. Humans hold moral truths and should be cautious about giving up our values to machines.

Of Napoleon and Kafka: A (Brief) Genealogy of Power, Part Three

176 implied HN points • 20 May 23
🕹 Technology Software Organization Productivity Hierarchy Bureaucracy
  1. In the past, power shifted from the church to civil services during the Industrial and French Revolutions.
  2. Napoleon revolutionized modern warfare and governance by implementing structured hierarchies, rules, and specialist roles.
  3. Software companies today mirror bureaucratic structures with defined hierarchies, rules, and organizational processes.
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Civilization and Its Distrusts

176 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Trust AI Impact Democracy
  1. Generative AI tools can be used as weapons to spread untruths and break the foundations of trust in society.
  2. Untruth campaigns have historically led to the downfall of nations, like the story of Guatemala in 1954.
  3. Trust is the foundation of society, and defending it from the constant barrage of untruths is crucial to prevent societal breakdown.

If You Want Good, Prepare for Evil

176 implied HN points • 08 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity AI Automation
  1. Threat modeling is essential in cyber-security to build defense against evil.
  2. Avoid extreme mindsets and focus on practical, realistic approaches in threat modeling.
  3. Hyperboles, speculations, and strong emotions detract from effective threat modeling in cyber-security.

Seeds of Time

157 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Art Beauty Aging Time Society
  1. The concept of 'growing up' and 'aging' creates a false boundary in society.
  2. Beauty and goodness come from experiences and memories, not just appearance.
  3. Getting older is like planting a 'seed of time' to grow into a tree of life and memories.

Of Gods and Steam Engines: A (Brief) Genealogy of Power, Part One

157 implied HN points • 06 May 23
  1. Software governs our lives in various unseen ways, setting rules and controlling behaviors.
  2. In ancient times, power and laws were believed to come from divine sources like gods and prophets.
  3. The Industrial Revolution empowered kings to govern directly, bypassing the need for outsourcing governance to local elites.

Moving Places

157 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Technology History Music Science Literature
  1. The concept of being at the center of the map is an old idea that dates back to before the 1650s, and it is not a reflection of reality.
  2. Different readers interpret and react to written work in unique ways, similar to how chefs create different dishes using the same recipe.
  3. Maps, both physical and metaphorical, play a significant role in how we perceive importance and authority, shaping our understanding of the world.

Of Chemistry and Office: A (Brief) Genealogy of Power, Part Two

137 implied HN points • 13 May 23
💾 History Industrial Revolution
  1. The French Revolution led to a shift in power from the church to the state, and the establishment of civil services to govern local lives.
  2. Industrial expansion typically coincided with the growth of civil services in different regions.
  3. The structure of civil services, developed during times of industrialization, has been adopted by big companies and institutions.

Lawless

137 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Law History Technology Society AI
  1. Administrative procedures can greatly impact our lives, regardless of their perceived significance.
  2. Laws can come from various sources, not just high-ranking officials or big institutions.
  3. Invisible law-givers, often empowered by technology like AI, play a significant role in shaping laws and regulations.

Laws of Art (and AI)

1 HN point • 11 Feb 23
  1. Copyright laws have evolved over 500 years, starting with royal monopolies on publishing.
  2. Fair use and transformative works are key in copyright law, impacting AI image-generators and artistic expression.
  3. The future of artistic expression is debated in court cases involving AI image-generators and copyright infringement.