Decades of individual freedom in the West have proven to be fertile ground for human creativity resulting in the unprecedented pace of technology innovation that we see today. Protecting individual freedom is paramount to ensure this sparkle of creativity is cultivated to the fullest extent possible so future generations can carry on. It requires steadfast commitment to this core principle. In the words of JFK: “We are not against any man--or any nation--or any system--except as it is hostile to freedom.”
In 20 years of commercial leadership in the ‘champions league’ of the technology industry I have seen the internet evolve from a ‘system of enablement’ towards a ‘system of manipulation’ where in the words of Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff, a small group of multinationals monetise ‘behavioural surplus’ from their ability to predict people’s behavioural responses to stimulus. With sovereign democracies increasingly entangled in contractual agreements with privately funded NGO’s the internet will soon become a ‘system of oppression’. Fortunately, the very technologies that enable this undesirable perspective increasingly find use cases that protect society against systems that are hostile to freedom. And applied to the benefit of human enablement these technologies are a factor 10 more powerful. And we are witnessing an increasing group of visionaries embracing this to walk the talk. Not by protesting or direct confrontation. Just by delivering solutions that put people back in control.
I guess my message is ; don’t be afraid, be bold, create meaningful value!
Thank you for the great note and the inspiration. Sometimes I feel like we are losing the battle then I read a note like this that confirms that together we can correct the course back to "system of enablement" and not let it be "system of oppression".
The line of justice is always present. Light finds its way naturally. Just a couple of examples. What’s a better use case of AI? Replicating a Rembrand or identifying propaganda on mainstream news? Whats a better application of blockchain Smart Contracts? Keeping track of a person’s social score or transparently tracking truthfulness of science, transparently exposing research funding, scientific consensus etc. Just observe without fear. And commit yourself to the light. And enjoy the ride.
Great read as always William! Thanks for the great tips and the new chat app “Rivur Chat”, I haven’t heard of that one and I am excited to try it out when it is released!
Decades of individual freedom in the West have proven to be fertile ground for human creativity resulting in the unprecedented pace of technology innovation that we see today. Protecting individual freedom is paramount to ensure this sparkle of creativity is cultivated to the fullest extent possible so future generations can carry on. It requires steadfast commitment to this core principle. In the words of JFK: “We are not against any man--or any nation--or any system--except as it is hostile to freedom.”
In 20 years of commercial leadership in the ‘champions league’ of the technology industry I have seen the internet evolve from a ‘system of enablement’ towards a ‘system of manipulation’ where in the words of Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff, a small group of multinationals monetise ‘behavioural surplus’ from their ability to predict people’s behavioural responses to stimulus. With sovereign democracies increasingly entangled in contractual agreements with privately funded NGO’s the internet will soon become a ‘system of oppression’. Fortunately, the very technologies that enable this undesirable perspective increasingly find use cases that protect society against systems that are hostile to freedom. And applied to the benefit of human enablement these technologies are a factor 10 more powerful. And we are witnessing an increasing group of visionaries embracing this to walk the talk. Not by protesting or direct confrontation. Just by delivering solutions that put people back in control.
I guess my message is ; don’t be afraid, be bold, create meaningful value!
Thank you for the great note and the inspiration. Sometimes I feel like we are losing the battle then I read a note like this that confirms that together we can correct the course back to "system of enablement" and not let it be "system of oppression".
The line of justice is always present. Light finds its way naturally. Just a couple of examples. What’s a better use case of AI? Replicating a Rembrand or identifying propaganda on mainstream news? Whats a better application of blockchain Smart Contracts? Keeping track of a person’s social score or transparently tracking truthfulness of science, transparently exposing research funding, scientific consensus etc. Just observe without fear. And commit yourself to the light. And enjoy the ride.
Great read as always William! Thanks for the great tips and the new chat app “Rivur Chat”, I haven’t heard of that one and I am excited to try it out when it is released!
More info soon. Get a real phone number that only needs Wi-Fi! No more telco tracking. :)
No way, that seems way to good to be true! It can’t come soon enough!