Random Thoughts or Whatever

[spicer]

In any intelligently managed society, PLASTICS would have been banned by 1940, when it was abundantly clear what all the toxic byproducts were.

I often think about WHO got to be in the driver's seat of civilization. Obviously, the medicos were tossed immediately from the car, along with the statesmen. Frickin' Bankers!

They weren't tossed, they were incorporated.

 

[Dretta]

As for kids using AI - maybe not doing as well on tests.

The calculator caused the same panic. Same argument, same results. "Kids won't learn...."
But in the end, it didn't matter, because everyone learned to use the ubiquitous calculator. Modern society is always and only about money, and money only cares who gets the answer fastest. There is no prizemoney to anyone for understanding how to find the cosine with a pencil and paper.

Of course, educators want to educate, so their life (meaning, job) depends on educating - not teachiing kids how to grab the money.

Humans might have, or could have, built a society that cares about beauty and education and theories, but we didn't. We built one based on money, and the only thing any kid really needs to know is "where the money?" I agree that the calculator comparison makes sense. It's also interesting how this applies to much simpler everyday tools, like PDF converters https://pdfhouse.com/.

I'm quite sure the dudes at Anthropic and Google understand this framing completely.

I think the calculator analogy is pretty accurate. Every time a new tool makes something easier, there's a fear that people will stop learning the underlying skills. But realistically, technology changes what skills are useful rather than eliminating the need to learn altogether. It's similar to PDF converters: most people don't care about the technical process behind converting a file; they just want it done quickly and correctly. AI will probably become just as ordinary, although I do think there's still a big difference between knowing how to get an answer and understanding whether that answer is actually correct.

 

[DesertRatt]

although I do think there's still a big difference between knowing how to get an answer and understanding whether that answer is actually correct.

Agreed. But the question remains: does society care enough to reward that deep learning? I think the answer is clearly, "not much." The economic contest clearly favors the aggressive, speedy player over the contemplative late arrival. Slide rule beats paper, calculator beats slide rule, computer beats calculator and so on.

 

[coonmanx]

Agreed. But the question remains: does society care enough to reward that deep learning? I think the answer is clearly, "not much." The economic contest clearly favors the aggressive, speedy player over the contemplative late arrival. Slide rule beats paper, calculator beats slide rule, computer beats calculator and so on.

Also why spend money on getting an education when they can just train a robot to do your job anyway?

 

[spicer]

Also why spend money on getting an education when they an just train a robot to do your job anyway?

An education is always valuable, especially to oneself. Schooling, that's different. The difference between the two. It is true, robots will replace many, many, more and more.

 

[geezin']

Also why spend money on getting an education when they an just train a robot to do your job anyway?

Higher education may prepare you for a certain job however that was not the intent. Understanding the world around you allows better decision making leading to a better life.

 

[DesertRatt]

Also why spend money on getting an education when they an just train a robot to do your job anyway?

Inquisitive people will educate themselves. No school needed, really.

I think the value of a college education will drop precipitously over the next decade. It really was ludicrous that a degree was required by big companies for mundane idiotic jobs that (almost) anyone can do. A degree proves one thing: You have the discipline to make it through four years of (mostly) conformity. That's pretty much all F500 companies want to see. "He can follow instructions."

 

[usedto]

It really was ludicrous that a degree was required by big companies for mundane idiotic jobs that (almost) anyone can do. A degree proves one thing: You have the discipline to make it through four years of (mostly) conformity. That's pretty much all F500 companies want to see. "He can follow instructions."

That was part of the reason for requiring the degree. Narrows the application field.

Back in the 70s I applied for a job that came down to me and one other applicant. We had almost identical qualifications. I was given the job because I had a degree although it had nothing to do with the job. It just proved I could stick with it and finish.

 

[grey]

I was given the job because I had a degree although it had nothing to do with the job. It just proved I could stick with it and finish.

This can open doors and avenues

 

[Mr Boochie]

Inquisitive people will educate themselves. No school needed, really.

On a much less serious note. I loved schools for one thing — girls. Plenty of fish in a big ocean.

Sorry, the Devil made me do it. Carry on!

 

[SolderIron]

Just my distorted thinking/reasoning/pearl of wisdom from long forgotten professor's mouth.
College education is where learning knowlege/facts/history/equation is secondary. The real gem is developed a mind set to handle, think, and solve problems. It is a given the world's problems are not static. One must have an inner system to deal with change, search for information, think, and then bust the tail to solve the problem.
The college classes (problems, long boring hours), library searches, midterms, and finals over and over are just practices developing the patience and skills.
I don't think a person needs to work beyond simple math in the future. Kinda like one don't need to know how to make a car to use one.

 

[usedto]

College taught me how to get a degree without learning anything.

 

[geezin']

Spent some time programming setting up and running CNC machines. Trig is important. Wish I'd known that in school. Took awhile to catch up.

 

[GordonW]

Inquisitive people will educate themselves. No school needed, really.

I think the value of a college education will drop precipitously over the next decade. It really was ludicrous that a degree was required by big companies for mundane idiotic jobs that (almost) anyone can do. A degree proves one thing: You have the discipline to make it through four years of (mostly) conformity. That's pretty much all F500 companies want to see. "He can follow instructions."

What's funny, is that the thing I got from education was not "following instructions", but learning enough about diagnostic procedures, that I could usually tell when the accepted instructions/methods that were being used, were going to fail. And, how to use said diagnostics, to fix problems that weren't covered BY the rote instructions. In short, knowing the procedure and the background laws of nature behind them well enough, to know not only when the rules COULD be broken- but when they SHOULD be broken.

I am sometimes known on the jobs I go on, humorously, as the "oh ____" guy. As in the one you call, when things go sideways- the "cleanup guy" that fixes what other people break or forget to provide nominal resources for.

One of my favorite little sayings, is that with some time and enough junk, I can make almost anything work again. it may not LOOK like it did before, but it usually WILL work.

Mind you, I do usually have a good sense of when things should be done EXACTLY by the standards, and how to get consistent results from such- one part of being diagnostic-aware is spotting deviations and anomalies, before they become catastrophic. But, when the unexpected happens- I am frequently the one that can "get things back on an even keel" quickly...

The thing about this skill set- is that it DOES NOT necessarily require a conventional four-year-college environment to be learned. I've seen PLENTY of people from (much cheaper) vocational schools, that were JUST as good at diagnostics, as the best I've seen from highly-regarded four-year universities. That should be good news to many people, looking to get into good employment without breaking the bank- but unfortunately, the mostly-unwarranted stigma against vocational schools lives on, despite this...

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[Mystic]

 

[SolderIron]

View attachment 3870032

Not enough ELECTricity AI used in the ELECTion

 

[Mr Boochie]

Not enough ELECTricity AI used in the ELECTion

Is there Blue Chew for AI?

 

[Mystic]

Not enough ELECTricity AI used in the ELECTion

Pretty good, it sums up well the current situation.

 

[Mystic]

Projected upside for TESLA is plummeting, but things still looking bright for SpaceX.

 

[Caveman Carl]

Projected upside for TESLA is plummeting, but things still looking bright for SpaceX.

That's because SpaceX doesn't use electric rockets. Seriously, the consumer is only realizing now how detrimental power-sucking data centers will be to EV sales if prioritized, and that they will be. I'd invest in fossil fuels.