[ExI] ai in education

Fri Mar 13 17:07:07 UTC 2026

From: John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> 
Sent: Friday, 13 March, 2026 5:54 AM
To: spike at rainier66.com
Cc: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>; Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [ExI] ai in education

On Thu, Mar 12, 2026 at 4:00 PM <spike at rainier66.com <mailto:spike at rainier66.com> > wrote:

>…Now I will ask you about a hypothetical of my own, one I wish was also impossible but unfortunately it is not. What if in 2028 He Who Must Not Be Named decrees that the presidential election has been canceled, the Constitution has been suspended…

> John why do you suppose that has never happened? 

>…We've been lucky….

On the contrary.  It is because of the constitution.  Do you trust the constitution John?  We do.  Do you trust the constitution more than you trust AI?  I do.

> I can offer an answer: the constitution is the source of power for POTUS. 

>…That's exactly what I was afraid you were going to say….

Your fears are fully justified.

>…but I was hoping I would be proven wrong…

Your hope is in vain, you are proven wrong.  

>… but you also believe it is impossible to suspend a piece of paper called "the constitution"….

You are right on that.  The constitution has proven robust at every challenge.  It is the law of our land.  It empowers our nation’s leaders.  It works.  It is a really great piece of paper John.  Its design is amazing in its complexity and sufficiency.  It distributes power in such a way that it creates a marvelous balance.  Inspired by the Magna Carta and carefully crafted by the top minds of the day, the constitution is a gift.

>…because the piece of paper happens to say that it can't be suspended….

It does say that.  It has the military and the militia seeing to it that it is not suspended.  Aren’t you glad we have a military and a militia?  So are we.  They protect the constitution, so the constitution can protect us.  I rejoice in that piece of paper.

>… I have no choice but to reluctantly deduce that you value tribal loyalty more than critical thinking….

The constitution has nothing to do with tribes.  I do hold a firm belief in the durability of the constitution, which has held for well over 200 years, thru plenty of presidents who would be king if they could do it.  As an obvious test case, note that the current POTUS has been POTUS before.  He didn’t suspend the constitution that time, or take over the government that time.  So why do you worry now?

> I am quite confident the military would not join him in a coup to take over the USA.

>…Why on earth would you be "quite confident" of that?

I have known high ranking military officers personally, well enough that they talk to me as one of their peers and trusted friends (I have never served in uniform.)  If it makes you feel any better, the current POTUS (and at least four of his recent predecessors) have been very unpopular with the brass.  Some of them have an attitude similar to yours and (the possibly AI created) James Carville, but they don’t talk politics at work.  They don’t talk politics at all, except to family and very trusted friends.  

In a corporate leadership structure, the same applies: I worked with a guy for over two decades and had no clues where he was on the political spectrum, nor did he have any idea about mine.  We had both been retired 20 yrs before we discovered a common bond: libertarian thru and thru.  Corporate discipline means never discussing politics, sex or religion at work, or even with colleagues.

The military brass will follow legal orders, but not illegal ones.

>… so he has already fired any General who has not shown unwavering fealty to him regardless of how brave he is or how skillful he may be at strategy or tactics or logistics….

They will follow legal orders only John.  It would help if you get to be friends with a military guy, even a retired one.  Bird colonel or above if you can.  A navy captain is the USN’s equivalent of a full chicken colonel.  Find one, get to be friends, talk and listen. 

>… to me it's starting to look like the Iran war that he started is going south, it could be his Waterloo….

Well there ya go.  If so, your troubles are over, ja?

>…In the past every military action that the government instigated started off as being very popular although as it dragged on it usually became less so; but this time it started out as already being unpopular, and that is unique. It has nowhere to go but down. 

John K Clark

You might be right.  If so, you and (the possibly AI generated) James Carville shall rejoice.  I will not, however.  My fond hope is that Iran’s military forces can be neutralized by their having fired everything they have.  We shall see.

spike

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