This is a nuanced, masterful essay. Your discussion of pluralism (or the lack thereof) and the surface sophistication of rationality masking an underlying theological framework is well supported by allusions to the Thirty Years' War, Gutenberg’s printing press, and the groups that initially benefited most.
As you’ve synthesized so much of your book club reading into this piece, some of the nuances might escape readers who haven't tracked how your perspective has evolved over the last few years. Thank you for sharing this. I hope you and the Protocolized Institute (did I get that right?) emerge as a balancing influence—perhaps even triggering a new Republic of Letters. 😊
You know what happens to us ants when elephants fights. Maybe better if there is only one, even if it stomps on us by mistake. Though having a herder who keeps the peace is also a solution.
and many books have been written about the need to choose between loyalty to a friend and to a tribe. These footnotes seem to solve the problem and may be possible due to a performative and (non?)enduring aspect of relationships over the internet. Also, the internet makes it easy to find and belong to multiple tribes. Compare to Sherlock Holmes, for example, where a person can be neatly pegged in a tribe by one glance of teh master.
Great post — also noticed this fun tweet that’s got 1.7M likes and counting https://x.com/banteg/status/2100619607648121199
this part is really funny “calculator starts smoking” lol
>open calculator
>humanity could survive for an astronomically long time
>could colonize galaxy
>could have trillions upon trillions of descendants
>maybe digital people too
>maybe simulated civilizations
>maybe dyson spheres full of happy uploaded minds
>calculator starts smoking
This is a nuanced, masterful essay. Your discussion of pluralism (or the lack thereof) and the surface sophistication of rationality masking an underlying theological framework is well supported by allusions to the Thirty Years' War, Gutenberg’s printing press, and the groups that initially benefited most.
As you’ve synthesized so much of your book club reading into this piece, some of the nuances might escape readers who haven't tracked how your perspective has evolved over the last few years. Thank you for sharing this. I hope you and the Protocolized Institute (did I get that right?) emerge as a balancing influence—perhaps even triggering a new Republic of Letters. 😊
Protocol Institute. Protocolized is the name of our magazine :)
I note the federal view of safety from government by balance between opposing forces. What others are there?
Not sure, tbh. But currently there isn’t even breathing room for them to take shape. It feels like EA sort of sucks all the air out of the room.
You know what happens to us ants when elephants fights. Maybe better if there is only one, even if it stomps on us by mistake. Though having a herder who keeps the peace is also a solution.
Friends with footnotes deserves its own post. Is it a creation of the internet?
I don’t think so? There have always been guarded friendships across tribal lines.
and many books have been written about the need to choose between loyalty to a friend and to a tribe. These footnotes seem to solve the problem and may be possible due to a performative and (non?)enduring aspect of relationships over the internet. Also, the internet makes it easy to find and belong to multiple tribes. Compare to Sherlock Holmes, for example, where a person can be neatly pegged in a tribe by one glance of teh master.
I found it funny that they announced this today. https://x.com/anthropicai/status/2101039819870937247?s=46