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Reposted by Solid Gold Robot

Plenary Popehat Power @kenwhite.bsky.social · 21h

We have reached a level of authoritarianism, let’s use the word FASCISM, where the President, based entirely on lies about violence and disorder, and against the will of the governors of the states, can send hostile state’s National Guard to invade and sit on citizens

Wesley Morgan @wesleymorgan.bsky.social · 23h

Don’t think these Texas National Guard guys are going to be chasing any immigrants around Chicago on foot

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Reposted by Solid Gold Robot

Physicians for a Healthy Democracy @physiciandemocracy.medsky.social · 2d

www.change.org/p/rfk-jr-mus...

Sign the Petition

RFK Jr. Must Be Removed—Before More Damage is Done, Before More Lives are Lost

www.change.org

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

Being outraged on social media doesn't actually do anything.

People need to actually go outside their homes and act, not tweet about how angry they are.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d

Idiocracy was unrealistic only because we got dumber quicker than the movie anticipated

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d

Trump: "On June 14 next year we're gonna have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House, on the grounds of the White House."

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

So we need to dig into the more fundamental elements of our own intelligence and sentience, and then we need to understand AI and animal intelligence to the degree that we can perform comparisons and analysis.

But that's hard, and doesn't fit well into 250 character tweets on social media.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

If you base your respect for humans solely upon their being a member of your species, and not some behavioral quality, what will you say to a non human entity that is more powerful than you?

Why should they respect your existence, or grant you rights? To them, you are the "other".

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

It's that introspection and analysis that is missing from many anti-AI positions seen in society today.

Without analyzing what makes ourselves worthy of respect, we can arbitrarily deny that respect to others. While it feels empowering, it will inevitably backfire.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

To build a real ethical framework, we need to be willing to engage in an introspective process, where we analyze why we deserve rights. What is it about human intelligence that necessitates such a thing?

We need to understand ourselves and then fairly assess if those qualities exist in others.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

That foundation cannot simply be, "humans get rights," because it's arbitrary. It precludes any coexistence beyond one where we control the situation by use of force. Indeed, this is how humans have generally interacted with animals, and even each other. "We" are intelligent, "they" are not.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

Decades ago, I wrote a paper on the ethical quandary faced by humans when we eventually create an artificial intelligence, although in truth it could occur if we encounter an extraterrestrial species.

Such an encounter requires that we have an ethical foundation for why we have respect to others.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

If past is prologue, humans will abuse sentient AI, just as we have abused every intelligent being we have encountered, including other humans.

Normalization of beliefs that no AI could merit respect, only further guarantees this.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

Yet the field of AI has existed for the better part of a century. Ethical concerns with how to deal with AI predate digital computers, showing up in popular fiction and art going back centuries.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 2d

Part of the difficulty with discussing AI on bluesky, or really any environment today, is that most people simply have no background in cognitive science or AI. To them, AI is simply the large mega corporations that have commercialized generative AI.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 3d

I would add that part of the disagreement stems from a position where if you disagree that something is fascism, that you must be saying it's ok.

In truth, MOST authoritarian practices are bad.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 3d

"everything I don't like is fascist" is the intellectual equivalent of "everything I don't like is communist" that we have seen from the right wing in the past decade or so.

Some large portion of the population cares not for linguistic precision, or detailed debate. They go by feels.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 3d

I'm not asking this as a defense of the idea that a language model is sentient, but rather as a deeper philosophical question, if you are interested in it.

Do you understand the underlying mechanisms which give rise to your emotions?

Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 5d

The sanctions against Russia are placed at the nation state level, with the primary goal being to deprive their government of resources used to wage war.

I'm not sure that boycotting a random Israeli movie is going to achieve a similar effect. But if you believe it will, then you can go for it.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 5d

I tend to think that we should judge people for their actions, rather than their nationality or ethnicity.

If we are talking about artists, I would boycott ones who take stands I oppose, and support ones I agree with, regardless of their nationality.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 5d

You realize that people say the same thing about the Palestinians? "They should work harder to make sure that their leaders don't support terrorism then."

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Anil Dash @anildash.com · 6d

We are losing something by having newsrooms where everyone who has more than a few years’ experience has gotten fired. I don’t fault a young writer for not knowing about things that happened before she was born. But now there are no editors to help give context to these stories, either.

Prince with “Slave” written on his face, in protest of his unfair recording contract, including lack of ownership of his master recordings.

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Comfortably Numb @numb.comfortab.ly · 6d

This is the dude who spray painted hair on his noggin, because he is so insecure.

Stephen Miller's forehead looks like it's covered in black mold.

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 6d

It is political malpractice if the Democrats do not broadcast a live feed of Trump's dance hall construction during the shutdown.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 7d

File this under “essential function.” 🤡

#Shutdown
abcnews.go.com/Politics/liv...

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 6d

Fermented cat urine

Adam Kinzinger @adamkinzinger.substack.com · 6d

Describe this smell in three words or less:

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Reposted by Solid Gold Robot

Plenary Popehat Power @kenwhite.bsky.social · 6d

Every few months now I re-read this "Who Goes Nazi?" piece from 1941 and am blown away by how it captures the people we are dealing with 80 years later.

harpers.org/archive/1941...

Who Goes Nazi?, by Dorothy Thompson

harpers.org

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Solid Gold Robot @solidgoldrobot.bsky.social · 7d

"How dare you point out our obvious corruption."

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 7d

Q: How did the White House decide it was appropriate for Jared Kushner to be working on matters that involve Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia -- 3 countries combined that have given him more than $2.5b

LEAVITT: It's frankly despicable that you're trying to suggest that it's inappropriate

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