More 1975 inflection
Continuing from 1975 as a point of inflection in the growth of Deepstate.

Again from Computers and Automation, Feb 74 issue.

Charles Suskind narrates the history of ethics versus technology. He starts with the County Extension Agent system, a successful use of 'light-handed' government to spread the latest research to farmers. The agents had to gain the trust of farmers, the most realistic people in the world, and convince them to try new plowing methods or new seeds. It didn't always work, and the new methods WEREN'T always better than the old. Suskind doesn't seem to grasp the latter point.

Suskind then shows how Hitler expanded the allegedly 'moral' goal of euthanasia for suffering terminal patients into a total extermination of Untermenschen.

Here we have a perfect echo in this year's holocaust, which began with Gaian eugenics and euthanasia and switched abruptly to extermination of Untermenschen. Greta ordered doctors and governments to Kill Granny, and they followed the order.

Suskind suggests a Hippocratic Oath for engineers, which misses two crucial points.

I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of humanity. I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude which is their due; I will be loyal to the profession of engineering and just and generous to its members; I will lead my life and practice my profession in uprightness and honor; whatever project I shall undertake, it shall be for the good of mankind to the utmost of my power; I will keep far aloof from wrong, from corruption, and from tempting others to vicious practice; I will exercise my profession solely for the benefit of humanity and perform no act for a criminal purpose, even if solicited, far less suggest it; I will speak out against evil and unjust practice wheresoever I encounter it; I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, party politics, or social standing to intervene between my duty and my work; even under threat, I will not use my professional knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity; I will endeavor to avoid waste and the consumption of non-renewable resources. I make these promises solemnly, freely, and upon my honor.

The good of humanity is the main problem. Euthanasia and eugenics are ALWAYS grounded on the greater good of humanity. Governments ALWAYS claim to be improving the breed of humanity by culling SUBHUMANS. Culling was quite open in Hitlerian language, and it's equally brazen in the language of both Gaians and Virans. "Science deniers" and "vax deniers" are subhuman vermin.

Serving INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMERS is the best way to be moral. When you want to SELL MORE PRODUCTS, you want to have MORE LIVING AND PROSPEROUS CUSTOMERS who can buy your stuff. Share Value broke this connection, leaving tech solely tied to Deepstate and Epstein.

And Epstein brings us to the other missing point, secrecy and blackmail.

Engineers were NOT secret-keepers before 1946. They respected patents and trade secrets, but patents aren't killers. A trade secret protects an amortized skill. It doesn't induce blackmail.

After the rebirth of Deepstate, the NSF and the nuclear program started bringing engineers into the fold. The sudden shift was visible in tech magazines between '45 and '46. The classic 'open source' attitude was still there in '45, spreading knowledge without breaking patents. In '46 everything was closed down to "protect against commie spies", who were of course really working for FBI.

Secrecy was well underway in 1957. I remember talking with one of my engineer uncles who was working at Los Alamos. He said he was working on rockets, and that's all he would say. In '58 Ike lamented the fast shift of tech firms from PROFIT AND CUSTOMERS to government contracts and secrecy.

By 1974 this shift was complete in electronics, but hadn't yet infected the newer software industry. Other writers in the same magazine were seeing it, but Suskind missed it.

His first example, the county extension program, belongs to the open source world. Serving the customer with some help from the government. His second example, Hitler's euthanasia/eugenics, belongs to the secret-keeping world, slaughtering the customer with plenty of help from the government. Engineers were already in the secret-keeping world in '74, so no pledge could pull them back.

Suskind also salutes Gaia at the end of his pledge, which would have helped to enable Greta's euthanasia/eugenics.

I'll try to be charitable and assume he was just a poor prophet, but I'm not in a charitable mood this year.

= = = = =

Continued here.

Labels: AI point-missing, defensible times, endless hell

  ¶ 11:53 AM