The hottest Futurism Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

✨ Life in an AI utopia: A Quick Q&A with futurist and philosopher Nick Bostrom

Faster, Please! • 731 implied HN points • 27 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Futurism Philosophy Ethics Innovation
  1. It's often easier for people to imagine a bad future, like in movies, than a good one. This can affect how cultures think about their future.
  2. When thinking about a perfect world, many people share similar ideas, like having peace and cleanliness. But if everything goes perfectly, we might miss out on challenges that give our lives meaning.
  3. The future of artificial intelligence could be really bright or really dark. We need to prepare for both possibilities because we are entering a new era with big changes ahead.

2024: The Year in Weird and Stupid Futures

Read Max • 2318 implied HN points • 27 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Innovation Cybersecurity Digital Culture Futurism
  1. Weird and unexpected events have been happening all year, highlighting the strange side of technology and society. It's important to stay aware of how unusual stories can reflect bigger issues.
  2. A lot of new technologies and strange occurrences have been reported, from AI mishaps to bizarre news stories. It shows how fast things are changing and how we need to keep up.
  3. There have been several reports on how people are engaging with technology, sometimes in funny or surprising ways. This can include both the good and the bad outcomes of our tech use.

The ELYSIUM Proposal

Transhuman Axiology • 337 implied HN points • 15 Oct 24
🕹 Technology AI Philosophy Society Futurism Ethics
  1. The ELYSIUM proposal suggests creating unique personal utopias for everyone, where each person can design their ideal environment. These utopias would be guided by an ideal version of themselves, ensuring their choices lead to happiness and fulfillment.
  2. While individualized utopias sound great, there will be challenges regarding resources since they might be limited. People will need to negotiate how to share and allocate these resources without conflict.
  3. For this vision to come true, it's important to establish strong property rights and ensure people control AI. If that doesn't happen, there's a risk that society could fall apart or even face extinction due to potential AI dangers.
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My Accelerated Globalists Interview

Bet On It • 85 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
🎙 Podcasts Media Culture Futurism Immigration Interviews
  1. The Accelerated Globalists podcast is gaining popularity quickly, with nearly 3000 subscribers already. It only has a few videos, showing strong interest in the topics covered.
  2. The discussions on the podcast cover a range of topics starting from immigration and moving into cultural evolution and future trends. This variety keeps the content engaging and informative.
  3. The podcast features interesting guests, including notable figures like Robin Hanson, which adds depth and credibility to the conversations.

🤔⤴ What's so conservative about conservative futurism?

Faster, Please! • 913 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conservatism Futurism
  1. The concept of 'conservative futurism' combines traditional conservative values with a focus on progress and optimism for the future.
  2. Key aspects of this ideology include upholding classical liberal values, enabling social mobility, trusting free markets and limited government, and prioritizing individual freedom and economic liberty.
  3. Some conservatives criticize this approach, preferring a return to a past without modern technological advancements or global changes.

Ten Categories of Undying Beings

The Future of Life • 19 implied HN points • 13 Jul 24
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Existence Futurism Ethics
  1. There are ten interesting ways to think about immortality. Each category represents a different aspect of how one might achieve or understand being undying.
  2. Categories like 'Biological Stasis' and 'Regenerative Longevity' suggest methods related to physical health and recovery.
  3. More abstract ideas like 'Conceptual Persistence' and 'Ontological Necessity' explore deeper philosophical notions about existence and being.

To Head Off Your Freak-Out about a Second American Civil War (the movie and/or the real thing)

Think Future • 59 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Civil War Violence Futurism
  1. The movie 'Civil War' is an illustration and warning about a potential future, not a forecast or prediction.
  2. Do not expect the sides in the movie to make sense; they are purposely meant to be nonsensical to emphasize the chaos of a civil war.
  3. The movie 'Civil War' is likely designed as a dystopian road movie, aiming to unsettle viewers with various scenes and portray violence-makers as foolish rather than heroic.

Twitter posts I'd love to talk about

Defender’s corner • 19 implied HN points • 28 May 24
🎭️ Culture Discussions Education Futurism
  1. Engaging in thought-provoking Twitter discussions can lead to fascinating real-life conversations where new perspectives are shared and learned.
  2. Understanding different perspectives and reasons behind disagreements is crucial for progress and better communication.
  3. Exploring ideas that challenge the norm can lead to insights that may be overlooked or undervalued in the present, potentially shaping the future.

Weekly Dose of Optimism #81

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 84 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Space Biotech AI Tech Culture Futurism
  1. SpaceX launched a private lander, Odysseus, aiming for the moon on a pioneering mission, marking a significant step in private space exploration and NASA's Artemis program
  2. Researchers in South Korea developed a method to grow beef on rice grains, creating a rice-beef hybrid that can enhance the nutritional value of rice-based diets in many parts of Asia
  3. A breakthrough in quantum technology allows for room-temperature quantum optomechanics, opening doors for practical applications of quantum control and observation

Me and Elon Musk - A Conversation

Random Minds by Katherine Brodsky • 74 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Interview AI Journalism Partnership Futurism
  1. The interview with Elon Musk delved into topics like freedom of speech, journalism, AI, and more, showcasing different perspectives on the future of journalism.
  2. The conversation unexpectedly lasted over three hours, involving an array of audience questions and chaotic, entertaining moments, highlighting the unpredictable nature of live discussions.
  3. Elon Musk hinted at news about Neurolink and a potential partnership with Midjourney, indicating ongoing developments in technological advancements.

How to Go to BBQ Hell via the Use of Data

Think Future • 79 implied HN points • 02 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Food & Drink Data science Critical Thinking Expertise Futurism
  1. The importance of expertise in interpreting data findings - data can sometimes lead to nonsensical conclusions without proper expertise to guide the analysis.
  2. Be cautious of drawing conclusions solely based on data - critical thinking is essential to avoid errors in analysis, like the case of Trip Advisor's BBQ city rankings.
  3. Consulting with longtime experts is crucial before accepting data-driven findings as 'rock-solid' - having seasoned professionals review results can help prevent misinterpretations and errors.

Notes from #WIRED30

The Future, Now and Then • 85 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Futurism AI Internet Tech Culture Digital Media
  1. Tech's center of gravity has shifted in the past 30 years in Silicon Valley, futurism, and WIRED.
  2. Tim Berners-Lee's effort to give users control over data faces challenges from established tech giants.
  3. WIRED is drawing boundary lines around the AI debate, embracing diverse perspectives and urging attention to the limitations of large language models.

On Techno-pragmatism (part 2)

ailogblog • 39 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Futurism Social Impact Data Privacy
  1. Engineers tend to be empiricists at work but lean towards idealism in considering the social value of their work, showing a need for a balance between pragmatism and idealism in their mindset.
  2. Probabilistic thinking is valuable for navigating uncertainties about the future, allowing for updating beliefs based on new information like in poker or medical diagnosis.
  3. Pragmatism offers a mediating force that combines pluralism and religiosity into a faith in democratic action, providing a balanced approach in a polarized world.

What if the Great Filter is complacency?

inexactscience • 19 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Cosmology Sociology Epistemology Futurism
  1. Complacency might be the reason we don't see aliens. Instead of self-destruction, advanced civilizations may just choose to stay comfortable where they are.
  2. Economic reasons for space exploration could fade as the Earth becomes richer. If we make energy and resources abundant, we may not feel the need to explore beyond our planet.
  3. As the human population is expected to decline, the drive for exploration may lessen. With fewer people, our focus might shift to improving life on Earth rather than colonizing new worlds.

We Might As Well Get Good At It

Cybernetic Forests • 19 implied HN points • 21 Mar 21
🕹 Technology Documentary Ethics Design Futurism
  1. The documentary 'We are as Gods' explores technologist Stewart Brand's controversial optimism about technology and the need for us to solve problems with it.
  2. The film raises questions about the role of technology in environmentalism and challenges the ideas of pessimism and hopelessness around its use.
  3. It emphasizes the importance of balancing tech optimism with skepticism to drive the design of safe, autonomous, environment-restoring technology.

The Motion of Progress

Jake [Building in NYC] • 1 HN point • 09 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Society Storytelling Innovation Philosophy Futurism
  1. Progress comes from ambition, which helps people imagine a better future. When people share a common vision, they work together to make it happen.
  2. Deconstructing big ideas into smaller parts makes problems easier to solve. Understanding how things work is key to building a better future.
  3. To achieve ambitious goals, we need to explore different approaches at the same time. Trying many options helps us find the best way forward.

Trusted #001 - Navigating AI Safety: Exploring the Spectrum of Perspectives on Our Future

Trusted • 1 HN point • 04 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Futurism Research Innovation
  1. The AI Safety discussion involves four main groups: Existentialists, Ethicists, Pragmatists, and Futurists.
  2. Existentialists focus on catastrophic risks from AI development, while Ethicists are concerned about immediate harms.
  3. Pragmatists prioritize learning from AI advancements and disagree with immediate moratoriums, while Futurists are optimistic about AI's potential.

Approaching the Singularity

Homo Ludens • 0 implied HN points • 19 Jun 24
🕹 Technology AI Futurism Software Development Tech Companies
  1. The Singularity is a theoretical event suggesting advanced technology will greatly impact human civilization, culture, and the human body.
  2. The survivors of the Singularity event, called Singularitarians, will likely be a blend of inorganic and organic components, making them distinct from both humans and machines.
  3. The development and timing of the Singularity remain uncertain, with challenges related to software development needing to catch up to hardware advancements.

Julianna Ham: Starterpack

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 15 Feb 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual art Futurism Sculpture Photography Painting
  1. The post discusses a future scenario through the lens of a professional managerial class woman's belongings. It explores themes of scarcity, automated labor, and a commercialized spirituality.
  2. The image in the post is a mix of digital composition, sculptures, and photographs. It blurs the lines between real and fake, future and past, rich and poor.
  3. The artwork is created using a variety of materials like Crystal Clear film, Rockite cement, pink marble, and mid-20th century glass, highlighting a blend of modern and traditional elements.

Eternal Engine: Enter The Chamber

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Exhibition Digital Art Futurism
  1. Eternal Engine explores themes like xeno-, glitch-, and cyberfeminism through visual art and technology, challenging mainstream narratives.
  2. The artists aim to create alternate realities by collaborating with AI and emphasizing emancipation and queering over surveillance and binary oppositions.
  3. The exhibition 'Enter The Chamber' offers a safe space for free-living algorithms, pushing against capitalist dystopia, and embracing fluidity and queer identities.

Leo Elia Jung: The Living Diamonds of Yakutia

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Sculptures Collaboration Futurism Natural History
  1. The work cycle 'The Living Diamonds of Yakutia' showcases sculptures based on an essay about reviving woolly mammoths to combat climate change and explores the financial interests driving such efforts.
  2. A map declares the Yamal Peninsula a collaborative wildlife park involving Pleistocene Park, Colossal, and Gazprom, blending conservation with natural gas mining.
  3. Sculptures like the 'Charging Mammoth' and 'Declaration of Independence: Patent Application' creatively reimagine the importance and implications of mammoth research and resurrection.