This resonated. The idea is that today’s tech makes more sense when considered from a Douglas Adams universe than it does from a Star Trek one. Adams world is both more ridiculous and a bit sad, a bit more out of our control. That feels much more accurate, and that feeling has been building for a while now.
A friend of mine and I1 have both noted this absurd or weird or ridiculous feeling for some time. I don’t think that’s an original observation, and even some rather old tech can give that feeling. But lately things have escalated, and I’m not really talking about the latest trends in AI.2 Just off the top of my head: mysterious bulk items from Amazon,3 unending robocalls,4 even flashes of the total perspective vortex.5 The list could go on. It probably should go on.
Anyway. It’s Douglas Adams’ world now.
Actually a few friends. ↩
The latest is Sora. But I think Rene has it more right: where’s the feeling. ↩
It’s been a while, but I’ve received these. My one weird theory is that it’s distributed garbage disposal. Can it really be cheaper to ship it out than to dispose of it themselves? Are they shipping tracers? ↩
I get these too. Who doesn’t? ↩
Aka the internet. Sort of. But also totally not. ↩
The Link: https://interconnected.org/home/2024/02/21/adams
See more links on the Interesting Links page.