The Digital Anthropologist

The Digital Anthropologist examines the intersection of technology and humanity, exploring how digital advancements affect human culture, social structures, and identity. It covers AI, the evolution of language, societal adaptations to technological changes, the impact of digital surveillance, and the philosophical implications of new tech on human existence and future.

Artificial Intelligence Cultural Impact of Technology Digital Age Adaptations Human-Technology Interaction Societal Changes Technological Disruptions Privacy and Surveillance Futurism and Human Longevity Language Evolution Technology and Play Internet and Information Flow Smart Home Technologies Geopolitical Aspects of Technology

The hottest Substack posts of The Digital Anthropologist

And their main takeaways

How A.I. Could Hurt Humanity Soon

0 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Risk Assessment Consciousness Governance
  1. AI could potentially cause significant harm to humanity, driven by humans in unexpected ways.
  2. Current limitations include the need for significant processing power, data, and energy for AI to pose serious risks.
  3. The lack of guardrails in place for AI development raises concerns about ethics, governance, and the potential for malicious use by rogue actors.

UFOs: Why We Believe In Them

0 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Anthropology Beliefs Society
  1. Belief in aliens and UFOs is driven by a desire for a saviour or higher power to address world uncertainties, offering psychological comfort.
  2. Mythologies and stories around aliens provide context for the unknown, easing psychological discomfort in uncertain times.
  3. Humans seek social connection, reflected in the longing for alien societies to avoid feeling alone and to satisfy a need for social order and structure.
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Technology: Why We Love & Hate It

0 implied HN points • 15 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Impact Society Future Reality Development
  1. Our relationships with technology are deeply rooted in culture and history, influencing how we love or hate a technology.
  2. Determining our feelings towards technology depends on its impact on our imagined futures and reality, shaped by cultural factors.
  3. Understanding the societal, economic, and individual impacts of technology helps in governing and innovating more human-centric products.

Is Technology Getting Too Far Ahead of Culture?

0 implied HN points • 24 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Technology Social norms Behavior Traditions
  1. Culture needs time to adapt to new technologies on a societal level, impacting norms, behaviors, traditions, and structures.
  2. Some technologies have caused negative impacts, like social media behaving as a bully or smartphones isolating individuals.
  3. Successful integration of technology with culture requires patience, empathy, and understanding of how change should happen, leading to a better societal state.

Cultural Agency & Digital Technologies

0 implied HN points • 01 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Cultural Artificial Intelligence Society Business Ethics
  1. AI's success in society depends on the cultural agency it is given, determining how it is used and its ultimate impact.
  2. Cultural agency is more than just about economics; it encompasses societal values, norms, and governance.
  3. Technological adoption is shaped by culture more than capitalism, with debates about AI reflecting deeper philosophical discussions.

Why Dictators Fear Artificial Intelligence

0 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Geopolitics Surveillance Ethics Autocracies
  1. Dictatorships fear Artificial Intelligence more than expected, which could have positive outcomes for humanity.
  2. Autocracies like China and Russia have developed sophisticated AI tools for control and surveillance.
  3. The fear of losing power drives autocratic regimes to develop AI with guidelines that protect their control, potentially benefitting democracies in governing AI.

A.I. Hype: Culture & Consequences

0 implied HN points • 18 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Society Cultural impact Innovation
  1. The AI sector may have overhyped itself, causing skepticism and potential harm to the sector and society.
  2. Despite valid applications in fields like medicine and environmental management, the current AI hype may risk overshadowing the technology's benefits.
  3. The tech industry must navigate society's changing attitudes towards AI, as cultural acceptance plays a significant role in the adoption of new technologies.

The Hyperbole of Artificial Intelligence

0 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Consumer Products AI Tools
  1. There is a phase of hyperbole surrounding Artificial Intelligence, leading to creative consumer products like AI toothbrushes and mattresses.
  2. The term 'Artificial Intelligence' is becoming diluted in our culture, often used for stock price boosts and marketing tactics.
  3. Older AI tools like Neural Networks are quietly making progress, while society grapples with the hyperbolic promises of new AI technologies.

What If A.I. Just Disappoints Us?

0 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Generative AI Machine Learning Natural Language Processing
  1. AI may not live up to the grand promises or catastrophic fears set for it, but change is inevitable as with past technologies.
  2. There's a real possibility that AI might just fizzle out due to factors like limited electricity, quantum computing breakthroughs, or water scarcity.
  3. Generative AI tools could reach a limit in their advancements, settling to quietly assist in mundane or important tasks rather than revolutionize entire industries.

How The A.I. Industry Hurt Itself So Quickly

0 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Tech industry Ethics Market Impact
  1. Tech industry hype around A.I. led to overhyped tools and false promises, causing more harm than good in the A.I. industry.
  2. A healthy skepticism from industry leaders like CIOs and CTOs is crucial to see through marketing hype and focus on real technology benefits.
  3. Disillusionment with overhyped A.I. tools can lead to a more critical and realistic approach to technology development and consumer trust.

Digital Diaspora in the Digital Age

0 implied HN points • 26 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Cultural Identity Cultural heritage Cultural Exchange
  1. Digital diaspora communities play a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage and enhancing community value in our hyperconnected world.
  2. Digital diaspora communities can help individuals navigate dual cultural identities, enrich the cultural tapestry of their new home countries, and facilitate cultural exchange to reduce racism and fears in new communities.
  3. Studying and engaging with digital diaspora communities provides valuable insights into cultural preservation, public policy development for immigrants, and fostering better cultural engagement in new countries.

The System Clashes of our Digital Age

0 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Digital Age Artificial Intelligence Blockchain Social media
  1. We are currently experiencing significant systemic changes globally across various sectors due to the rapid advancement of digital technologies.
  2. Technological advancements, such as Artificial Intelligence, blockchain, and social media, are reshaping our societal, economic, and political systems, leading to both positive and negative outcomes.
  3. The role of technology in driving systemic changes is crucial, and while technology itself is neutral, it is how humans choose to use it that determines the impact on our sociocultural systems.

Regulating A.I.? It’s Complicated.

0 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🕹 Technology AI Regulation Innovation Ethics Global impact
  1. Regulating AI is essential for society but complex, requiring a balance between innovation and oversight.
  2. Different countries have varying approaches to AI regulation based on values and governance systems.
  3. Regulating AI involves navigating challenges like privacy concerns, cultural impacts, and the need for complex systems thinking.

Why Blockchain Remains in the Shadows

0 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain Regulation Energy consumption Innovation
  1. Blockchain struggles to gain cultural relevance due to human societies' operation with opacity and grey areas.
  2. Many people have limited understanding of blockchain technology, hindering its adoption outside of tech circles.
  3. The challenges facing blockchain include transparency issues, lack of scalability, technology debt, and dwindling investor attention compared to other tech sectors.

How We Use Play To Adopt Technologies

0 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Play Learning Socialization Entertainment Emerging technologies
  1. Play is a cultural tool that helps us adopt new technologies and understand where they fit in our lives and societies.
  2. Playing with technologies sparks imagination, leads to discovering new uses for them, and shows how they impact our social norms and behaviors.
  3. When a new technology emerges, playing with it is one of the first things we do, leading to social experimentation and learning about its capabilities.

The Existential Challenge for Search Engines

0 implied HN points • 25 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Search Engines Human behavior Generative AI SEO
  1. Search engines face challenges similar to newspapers did with increasing ads and advertorial content, blurring lines between sponsored and genuine content.
  2. Consumers are now more aware of SEO tactics and the dominance of ads on search engines, leading them to seek valuable results on second or third pages.
  3. There's a shift in how people want and expect to search, leaning towards in-app search features and a desire for context-driven results over mere links.

How Crime Could Stop A.I. From Taking Over

0 implied HN points • 03 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Blockchain Cybersecurity Scams Generative AI
  1. Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies may face challenges from criminal activity and mass disillusionment, similar to what AI may encounter.
  2. Fake websites generated by AI, AI-written spam emails, and AI scams highlight potential risks associated with the widespread use of artificial intelligence.
  3. Criminals, hackers, and scammers exploiting AI could inadvertently lead to a societal distrust of AI and a shift towards more human-centric approaches, potentially preventing the negative impacts of artificial intelligence on humanity.

The Hidden Value of Web3 Technology

0 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Cryptocurrency Blockchain Digital Identity
  1. Web3 technologies offer hidden value for the future of the internet by challenging current systems and empowering individuals.
  2. Key Web3 technologies include NFTs for ownership rights, DAOs for egalitarian ownership, and Ethereum for digital identity.
  3. Despite criticisms and confusion, the continuous development and passion behind Web3 technologies ensure ongoing benefits and innovation in the online world.

Will We Become Hunter-Gatherers Again?

0 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
🔬 Science Anthropology Technology Wealth Distribution Egalitarianism
  1. The concept of becoming hunter-gatherers again in the future is speculated due to integrating technology and redefining what it means to be a hunter-gatherer.
  2. As digital technologies evolve and become invisible, we might shift towards hunting for experiences and gathering knowledge and ideas.
  3. Hunter-gatherer societies are often more egalitarian, encouraging communal wealth distribution and democratic engagement, hinting at potential changes in societal structures.

The Role of Unions in the Digital Age

0 implied HN points • 08 Apr 23
💼 Business Labor Technology Politics Social justice Digital
  1. Unions have a long history but today represent less than 10% of workers in developed nations, facing challenges adapting to the digital age.
  2. Unions need to evolve by increasing their understanding of digital technologies, exploring opportunities in cryptocurrency and blockchain, and addressing issues related to data privacy and technology bias.
  3. There is a growing urgency for unions to adapt to societal changes driven by advancements in technology, or they may face further decline and be replaced by new systems.

Imagining New Societies in the Digital Age

0 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Societies Technology Ideologies Revolution Communication
  1. Throughout history, humans have created new societies, and in the digital age, this continues through online connections and shared ideas.
  2. Revolutionary technologies like the internet have connected us globally, enabling the sharing of cultural norms and the imagining of new ways to organize society.
  3. There is a trend of exploring new societal structures, with some groups seeking physical spaces, creating virtual societies, or forming communities within existing cities with more autonomy.

Societal Change in the Digital Age

0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Societal Change Digital Age Technology Religion Ideology
  1. Technological advancements lead to significant societal changes, and the Digital Age is currently driving profound shifts.
  2. The evolution of societies through major transitions like from foraging to agricultural societies takes time, often thousands of years, with technology playing a key role.
  3. Different societies and nations utilize digital technologies in varied ways based on cultural norms, with technologies like AI, robotics, and the internet shaping societal structures and governance.

Libraries in the Digital Age

0 implied HN points • 16 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Books Technology Community Art Evolution
  1. Libraries have a long history starting in religious institutions and evolving to become central to culture, transforming with digital technologies like AI and VR.
  2. Libraries are community hubs, adapting to include spaces for creativity alongside traditional reading areas, maintaining importance in a changing world.
  3. The future of libraries may involve AI, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality, enhancing the experience through technology to engage the community in new ways.

What The Internet & Printing Press Have In Common

0 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Technology History Literature Philosophy Science
  1. The printing press played a significant role in the technological evolution that led to the invention of the internet.
  2. Both the printing press and the internet serve as crucial means of cultural transmission and have had profound impacts on humanity.
  3. The printing press and the internet have led to an explosion of knowledge and a transformation in the way societies function, impacting everything from communication to individualism.

Why Data Needs Global Governance

0 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Data Governance AI Tech Companies Regulations
  1. Our personal data is being used in various ways by known and unknown companies, which highlights the need for effective governance over data usage.
  2. Data is a crucial resource in the digital age, powering advancements in technologies like AI, robotics, and genetic engineering, but inadequate regulation poses risks in balancing innovation and privacy rights.
  3. The lack of global governance over data flow between nations and industries, coupled with the increasing influence of AI, emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts involving citizens, non-profits, governments, and industries to establish effective data laws and regulations.

Social Media’s Lessons for Artificial Intelligence

0 implied HN points • 08 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Social media Artificial Intelligence Ethics Regulation Impact
  1. Social media history teaches us that we shouldn't have grand delusions about the positive impacts of AI; we must acknowledge its potential drawbacks.
  2. The rapid evolution of AI demands swift governmental response to establish regulations without hindering innovation.
  3. Lessons from social media highlight the need for industries to reevaluate capitalism's focus and prioritize societal benefits over profit.

The Internet: A Global Sociocultural Experiment

0 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Internet Sociocultural Communications Innovation Human Impact
  1. The internet is the largest sociocultural project humanity has undertaken, enabling global communication and societal evolution.
  2. Revolutionary communication technologies, when combined with speed and global scale, can spark significant sociocultural impacts.
  3. Human societies throughout history have always evolved, and the internet is a major tool driving sociocultural change worldwide.

The Digital Age & Social Structures

0 implied HN points • 09 Jan 23
🕹 Technology Digital Age Social Structures Society Complex Systems
  1. Technological revolutions throughout history have led to profound impacts on societies, economies, and social structures.
  2. The current digital age is characterized by rapid and deep changes, driven by computer technology, the internet, and combinations of innovative technologies.
  3. Digital technologies like social media, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrencies are reshaping societal norms, behaviors, laws, and traditions, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach for understanding and navigating these changes.

Technology’s Evolution Was Messy

0 implied HN points • 12 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Evolution Innovation Collaboration Culture Communication
  1. Technology's evolution has been messy with fits and starts, lost inventions, and cultural rejections or adaptations.
  2. Technocultural convergence is happening now, allowing for rapid global collaboration and innovation like never before.
  3. The rapid innovation in technology today is driven not just by the combining effects of technology, but by collapsing barriers in communication, collaboration, and geography.

On Humans And Our Love of Data

0 implied HN points • 16 Sep 23
🔬 Science Data Mathematics Technology Statistics History
  1. Our brains love patterns, math, and language to comprehend the world and shape realities.
  2. Humans have a deep-rooted history of creating, analyzing, and utilizing data for various purposes throughout civilizations.
  3. Data, when transformed into information and knowledge, holds significant value and potential for enhancing human evolution and species advancement.

Ho We Use Language About Technology

0 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Language AI Data Analytics Search Engines
  1. Language is a crucial human technology that has enabled collaboration, storytelling, and sharing different realities.
  2. Our language is evolving to describe technologies in a more human-like manner, impacting how we interact with and perceive technology.
  3. The way we use language to shape our relationship with technology is undergoing a significant shift, influencing our self-perception in relation to technology.