Technology, Environment, and Art

This Substack explores the intersections of technology, environment, and art with a critical perspective on consumerism and capitalism. It advocates for sustainability, reduced tech reliance, and creative authenticity, while emphasizing the need for systemic change and personal action towards a harmonious relationship with nature and rejecting the dominance of AI.

Environmental Sustainability Technology and Society Creative Expression Consumerism and Capitalism Artificial Intelligence Conservation and Biodiversity Social and Economic Systems

The hottest Substack posts of Technology, Environment, and Art

And their main takeaways

Specialized thinking leads to ineffectual actions

59 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Renewable Energy Environmental Impact
  1. Specialized thinking can lead to actions that may not be effective or truly sustainable.
  2. Efforts focused on finding the most environmentally friendly solutions may just be a minimization exercise within the existing industrial system.
  3. To truly move towards sustainability, we should focus on reducing industrial production, global trade, energy and material usage, and emphasize local dependence.

My visit to a dying local park

99 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Nature Technology Sustainability Wildlife
  1. Wildlife photography can reveal beauty that is hard to see in real life, but it may not capture the feeling of peace of just observing wildlife.
  2. Our consumerist and hyper-capitalistic system hides its destructive nature by providing entertainment and analgesics for its killing. It destructs relationships with nature.
  3. The need for a global philosophy and moral resolve to live harmoniously is essential for a sustainable future. Being around nonhuman life can inspire us to fight for solutions.

Why real environmental action is so hard

39 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Capitalism Science Consumerism Sustainability
  1. The global capitalistic-consumerist system is fundamentally destructive and promotes unsustainable practices, causing cognitive dissonance in individuals.
  2. Efforts to address environmental issues are often evaluated based on their ability to further global consumerism rather than their actual impact.
  3. To truly make a difference, we need to challenge the current industrial and capitalistic systems, reassess our reliance on technology, and make significant lifestyle changes to prioritize sustainability over convenience.

False sharing and the suppression of creativity

39 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Creativity Technology Art
  1. Sharing in the context of social media has shifted from self-expression to generating content for consumerism and mass appeal.
  2. Technology platforms often train us to modify our expressions to fit their standards, sacrificing true creativity for recognition.
  3. To maintain genuine creative expression, prioritize creating what you want over chasing likes and followers, and be wary of distorting your content for tech platforms.

Be open to your own creativity

59 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Creativity Self-Expression Human connection Philosophy Consumerism
  1. Be open to your own creativity and avoid large online sharing platforms to nurture your expression.
  2. Big online platforms aim to profit and can potentially hinder rather than support your creative output.
  3. Limit the use of soulless big tech platforms, be true to yourself, explore offline sharing, and nurture your creativity away from large corporations.
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My own feelings on technology use

39 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology
  1. The author enjoys using technology for certain activities like photography and making videos, but aims to use technology as minimally as possible in their life.
  2. The author believes that reducing one's dependence on technology can lead to a more fulfilling and connected life with nature.
  3. Encouragement for everyone to try eliminating some technology from their lives, such as reducing internet and phone usage, to potentially improve overall well-being.

We can do something, we are not helpless

39 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Education Technology Companies Community
  1. Recognize that despite facing significant problems, we are not powerless. There is a need to address the imbalance between our primal instincts and inner nature to create positive change.
  2. Education systems worldwide are inadvertently contributing to reinforcing a destructive global economic system. We require more critical thinkers questioning the foundation of our current societal structure.
  3. To combat the negative impacts of technology and global capitalism, it is vital to form self-sufficient communities, spread awareness of the issues, and dedicate time to contemplate solutions. Collective action is key to building a better world.

New newsletter, as suspicious of technology as ever

39 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
🕹 Technology AI Automation Content creation Digital ethics Technological Impact
  1. The author warns against AI and advocates for a cautious approach towards technology, believing AI is a significant danger to humanity
  2. Not all AI developments are beneficial; the author strongly objects to AI taking over creative tasks and emphasizes the importance of human connection over AI-driven efficiency
  3. The author calls for resistance against the advancement of AI, encouraging individuals to avoid AI tools and take a stand against the pervasive use of technology for the sake of genuine human interaction and creativity

Two guides for a healthy biosphere

19 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Philosophy Environmental Impact Sustainability Education
  1. Human happiness and contentment is tied to the health of the biosphere, including all life forms, not just humans
  2. We need more thinkers who ask basic, general questions without relying on specialized knowledge, encouraging a return to fundamental philosophy
  3. We should move beyond prioritizing profit and measurable variables to embrace a new philosophy emphasizing harmony with the biosphere and a shift towards empathetic and wise thinking

The three types of changes for a sustainable future

19 implied HN points • 18 Dec 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Ecology Conservation Environmental Activism
  1. Type I changes are superficial changes that may sound good but do little to solve sustainability issues.
  2. Type II changes make a significant positive impact on the environment while still operating within current systems.
  3. Type III changes are radical, revolutionary changes that challenge the status quo and are essential for creating a truly sustainable future.

Science as a religion: how science harms the effort to save the planet

3 HN points • 16 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Science Climate change Consumerism Global Economy Environmental Activism
  1. Science is not a religion to be universally believed in, as there are skeptics, particularly among populists.
  2. Science's near-religious belief as a problem-solving tool for climate issues might fuel skepticism due to the focus on consumerism and capitalism.
  3. Addressing climate change requires moving away from blindly trusting science and taking more drastic actions like dismantling consumerism.

The true purpose of AI

0 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Consumerism Environmentalism Content creation
  1. Ideas and actions that seem to be for the greater good often serve to strengthen capitalism and consumerism, benefiting the wealthy at the expense of common good.
  2. Green initiatives like solar power, while seeming environmentally friendly, can unintentionally encourage greater energy usage and resource consumption, due to their integration into the capitalist system.
  3. AI, though touted for its benefits, primarily serves to make consumerism more efficient, distracts from environmental destruction, and may lead to a toxic cycle of technological dependence that harms nature and society.

The double-edged sword of tech in conservation

0 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Conservation Technology Society Economics
  1. Conservation efforts are increasingly using advanced technology like sensors and genetic techniques, leading to researchers spending more time in labs than in the field.
  2. Technology can drive a disconnect from nature, turning conservation into a numerical academic exercise; an important aspect is the need for social changes alongside numeric conservation efforts.
  3. To move towards effective and ethical conservation, we must not only focus on numbers but also work towards changing attitudes to develop empathy and care for non-human organisms, distancing from the current human-centered economic gains.