[ExI] san jose tech museum's take on the singularity

John Grigg possiblepaths2050 at gmail.com
Mon Sep 27 22:53:56 UTC 2010


Natasha Vita-More wrote:
Some elite worked hard to acquire excellence of performance in their
respective fields. But in looking at a few dozen quotes by elites
about the word "elite", it seems that references are most often stated
with disdain, as if the elites are the ¡§others¡¨, those who we ought
to dislike. I don't fee that way.
>>

I think talking heads like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck helped
reinforce the idea that the word "elites" is ugly (they say such
people think they are much better & wiser than the average citizen,
and so think they can rule over them without much consent).  I suppose
the term is the 21st century American version of "intelligentsia" or
"bourgeoisie."

John


On 9/27/10, natasha at natasha.cc <natasha at natasha.cc> wrote:
> I was kidding.  (Maybe I was to dry.  It¡¦s that kind of day ƒº)
>
> But since you brought it up:  Artists/designers have always been
> humble and messy with the tools of creating art - designing with inks
> and blue prints;  building with brick and mortar;  sculpting dusty
> marble; mixing oil, dammar varnish and turpentine; and  working with
> wires and switches in creating interactivit6y, immersivity,
> virtuality, gaming, etc.
>
> I wonder if the term elite fits the 21st Century.  Bishop Eddie Long
> is elite in his circle, and George Carlin in his. Ray is the elite of
> the Singularity.  Some elite worked hard to acquire excellence of
> performance in their respective fields. But in looking at a few dozen
> quotes by elites about the word "elite", it seems that references are
> most often stated with disdain, as if the elites are the ¡§others¡¨,
> those who we ought to dislike. I don't fee that way.
>
> Best,
>
> Natasha
>
>
>
>
> Quoting Adrian Tymes <atymes at gmail.com>:
>
>> To truly appreciate an art, one must be aware of the often humble tools
>> and
>> approaches
>> used to create masterpieces.
>>
>> The Hoover Dam was created with massive machines, yes - and common
>> concrete.  And
>> those machines were themselves forged from the same iron and other
>> elements
>> one can
>> find in the wares of any Home Depot, using similar - if scaled-up, and
>> specialized for that -
>> processes.
>>
>> The Internet began with but a few nodes, none beyond the understanding of
>> a
>> skilled
>> engineer.
>>
>> An integral part of the Singularity, is the ability for the common person
>> -
>> or AI - to build
>> what was once available only to the elite, if available at all.  Even
>> those
>> who do not DIY
>> directly, benefit from the wider availability (and thus, lower cost and
>> increasing quality) of
>> specialized goods.  In this case, the panel is lended importance by where
>> it
>> is mounted,
>> which of course anyone (with permission) could do.  Actually crafting the
>> thing is simple.
>>
>> 2010/9/27 <natasha at natasha.cc>
>>
>>> I can't believe you are putting the field of "art" in the same email
>>> message as the paint and number crafts of "Michael's".  That in and of
>>> itself ought to cause a tsunami singularity! Now I have to go wash my
>>> mouth
>>> out with soap and sterilize my typing fingers.
>>>
>>> N
>>>
>>> Quoting spike <spike66 at att.net>:
>>>
>>> > ...On Behalf Of Adrian Tymes
>>> >         Subject: Re: [ExI] san jose tech museum's take on the
>>> > singularity
>>> >
>>> >         On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 9:08 AM, Natasha Vita-More
>>> > <natasha at natasha.cc> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >                 >>...What a great idea. (Thanks for thinking of me
>>> Amara.)
>>> > Natasha
>>> > ...
>>> >
>>> >         >...Going in through the "front door" - info at thetech.org or
>>> > 408-294-8324  -
>>> >         should work, if you identify yourself as having an exhibit and
>>> > a
>>> > funding source...
>>> >         The money is likely to be a key thing.  The Tech, like many
>>> similar
>>> > organizations right now,
>>> >         is strapped for cash...  Adrian
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > I would propose something very modest: merely a one for one replacement
>>> for
>>> > that one panel I posted yesterday, that photo which has the text
>>> >
>>> > Breaking the Law
>>> >
>>> > Progress has limits; electricity can't go
>>> > faster than the speed of light, for example.
>>> > Moore predicts that digital innovations
>>> > will soon slow.  Others, however, foresee a
>>> > singularity, when rapid technological shifts
>>> > make the world unpredictable.
>>> >
>>> > If we were to come up with a replacement panel with approximately that
>>> > amount of text, and actually make the panel, print it, laminate it,
>>> > mount
>>> it
>>> > on styrofoam, stick velcro on it and hand it to them as a one for one
>>> > replacement, that would be a first step, ja?  I would be willing to
>>> approach
>>> > them with the replacement panel if we were to agree on the verbiage.
>>> >
>>> > The local Michael's Art Supply does that kind of work, and I have had
>>> work
>>> > done satisfactorily there before (mounted a periodic chart and a
>>> > portrait
>>> of
>>> > Richard Feynman as wall decorations for my home, in case there was ever
>>> any
>>> > doubt this is a geek's den.)  Something this size (B size) wouldn't
>>> > cost
>>> > much, fifty-ish bucks perhaps.  I am an out-of-work rocket scientist,
>>> > so
>>> I
>>> > don't want to spend money.
>>> >
>>> > The Tech has the panel with a three word title and thirty five words of
>>> > text.  How do we explain the singularity to the non-geek proletariat in
>>> > about 35 words?  Picture?  Countersuggestion?
>>> >
>>> > spike
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
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>>> >
>>>
>>>
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>>
>
>
>
>
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