Recently my old job from a company I helped built asked me to come back to work for them after I left because I grew disgusted with how they operated and you know what I did?
I applied to be a DJ for a radio podcast I heard streaming from a video game, did a radio demo, etc (I didn't get it, fyi), but that's besides the point. Now I'm waiting to apply for another startup that I may also get rejected from. Just trying a new thing, seeing a problem from a new angle made me feel so uncomfortable and so much better.
My point is that I agree with you: get wild, protect your why, all of it. As a neurodivergent self-advocate, I get that question from parents like the art student's all the time. She's essentially being unreasonable.
My slightly modified quote from Shaw sums it up well: "The reasonable person adapts themself to AI; the unreasonable person persists in trying to adapt AI to themself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable person."
If humanity has to come to the point that the only way to protect that art student's why is to implement a Basic Income for the Arts like Ireland, then so be it.
I'm rereading The Freak Factor, Pink Goldfish, and Rejection Proof for that exact reason. I won't let the sadistic AI overlords take my why without a goddamn fight. They'll have to pry it from my cold dead fingers. I'll get mean, I'll get angry, I'll get crazy, and I won't give up. More people gotta get like that or frankly humanity won't survive.
I don't want violence to get this. But no matter what the future holds, I believe AI WILL make people wild, desperate, struggle, and freak out. Personally, I think that's a FANTASTIC thing. It'll show us who we are in extremis.
Wowza, 183 articles, that is epic. Go Wild! Love all your writing style and articles. This one especially landed for me. The framing of an Age of Competence captures exactly what many people are feeling but have not yet articulated. When everyone can be good, being good is no longer the differentiator. Voice, judgment, courage, and a protected why are. Resonating the call to get wild in a thoughtful way and to stop outsourcing identity to tools. Be yourself folks, the truest and realest you - and use AI to do the boring routine stuff so you can shine in your "you-ness" even more. This is a sharp, honest piece that cuts through the AI noise by focusing on what still makes us human and what still makes us matter.
(And Sarah Shahi is divorced from Steve Howey -- is there more of an actor transformation than his from the goofy son-in-law on "Reba" to the badass on "Shameless"? -- and she broke up last April with her then-boyfriend. So, yes, she is single.)
I thought after such a terrific post, you deserved the good news. :-)
Jia - Thanks, I really needed this. One of the best things I have read in a while.
The other day, I read the following quote after somebody listed everything going on in the US and the world these days -- "You're Not Crazy, They Are". Then he said, "There is nothing wrong with thinking this, and by the way, you are correct".
I think this ties into your suggestion of "Go Crazy", and to always protect your "Why".
I have suffered from Imposter Syndrome, thinking that I am not as good as everybody else. This has held me back in looking for a new job, as well as focusing on my dreams
After reading this, it made me stop and think, "I am as good as anybody else", and that by showing my true passion (instead of relying on AI) will give me the advantage
Looking forward to more great insights in the future
PS - I have a blog where I write about all sorts of things that interest me. Kind of in a rut right now. Any suggestions on how to take time out and really focus? My mind wanders all the time
Your writing honestly cracks me up. Thank you for the Dictator Corner 😅😅😅😅 Oh and what a banger of a quote from Sean Connery!! A lovely reminder to just get wild and go all in on who you are. Brilliant, Jia.
Recently my old job from a company I helped built asked me to come back to work for them after I left because I grew disgusted with how they operated and you know what I did?
I applied to be a DJ for a radio podcast I heard streaming from a video game, did a radio demo, etc (I didn't get it, fyi), but that's besides the point. Now I'm waiting to apply for another startup that I may also get rejected from. Just trying a new thing, seeing a problem from a new angle made me feel so uncomfortable and so much better.
My point is that I agree with you: get wild, protect your why, all of it. As a neurodivergent self-advocate, I get that question from parents like the art student's all the time. She's essentially being unreasonable.
My slightly modified quote from Shaw sums it up well: "The reasonable person adapts themself to AI; the unreasonable person persists in trying to adapt AI to themself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable person."
If humanity has to come to the point that the only way to protect that art student's why is to implement a Basic Income for the Arts like Ireland, then so be it.
I'm rereading The Freak Factor, Pink Goldfish, and Rejection Proof for that exact reason. I won't let the sadistic AI overlords take my why without a goddamn fight. They'll have to pry it from my cold dead fingers. I'll get mean, I'll get angry, I'll get crazy, and I won't give up. More people gotta get like that or frankly humanity won't survive.
I don't want violence to get this. But no matter what the future holds, I believe AI WILL make people wild, desperate, struggle, and freak out. Personally, I think that's a FANTASTIC thing. It'll show us who we are in extremis.
Wowza, 183 articles, that is epic. Go Wild! Love all your writing style and articles. This one especially landed for me. The framing of an Age of Competence captures exactly what many people are feeling but have not yet articulated. When everyone can be good, being good is no longer the differentiator. Voice, judgment, courage, and a protected why are. Resonating the call to get wild in a thoughtful way and to stop outsourcing identity to tools. Be yourself folks, the truest and realest you - and use AI to do the boring routine stuff so you can shine in your "you-ness" even more. This is a sharp, honest piece that cuts through the AI noise by focusing on what still makes us human and what still makes us matter.
I love it Ken. The tools are there to augment us, not replace us.
Great post, Jia!
(And Sarah Shahi is divorced from Steve Howey -- is there more of an actor transformation than his from the goofy son-in-law on "Reba" to the badass on "Shameless"? -- and she broke up last April with her then-boyfriend. So, yes, she is single.)
I thought after such a terrific post, you deserved the good news. :-)
Good to know! I’m doing this for Ali though. :)
Jia - Thanks, I really needed this. One of the best things I have read in a while.
The other day, I read the following quote after somebody listed everything going on in the US and the world these days -- "You're Not Crazy, They Are". Then he said, "There is nothing wrong with thinking this, and by the way, you are correct".
I think this ties into your suggestion of "Go Crazy", and to always protect your "Why".
I have suffered from Imposter Syndrome, thinking that I am not as good as everybody else. This has held me back in looking for a new job, as well as focusing on my dreams
After reading this, it made me stop and think, "I am as good as anybody else", and that by showing my true passion (instead of relying on AI) will give me the advantage
Looking forward to more great insights in the future
PS - I have a blog where I write about all sorts of things that interest me. Kind of in a rut right now. Any suggestions on how to take time out and really focus? My mind wanders all the time
www.averageandy.com
#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#PEACE
Your writing honestly cracks me up. Thank you for the Dictator Corner 😅😅😅😅 Oh and what a banger of a quote from Sean Connery!! A lovely reminder to just get wild and go all in on who you are. Brilliant, Jia.