When Mexican beer attacks! Corona Virus

[chickenstrip]

[stinkwheel]

I'll tell you one thing.

If the decision was left up to an AI and raw computation. Motorbikes would be banned immediately.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Ste]

And BCF.

[Bhud]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

It’s a poor substitute for reality though.

[Bhud]

At the moment, you may be right.

However, I've seen some of these games on Oculus Quest, and I've been blown away. Some of them are REALLY good. Fighter plane simulations, an RPG, etc. It's still early days and big money is going into these, and developing them apace.

I think the frame of reference, for comparison, may be important. It may never be possible to encapsulate the feeling of riding a bike, using synthetic sensory input devices. I'm not sure. However, it will definitely be possible to activate areas of the brain that offer the same dopamine "hit" as riding one. People right now, like us, understand the little effects of swings in brain chemistry caused by using social media, using forums, etc. Everyone understands that. However, fewer and fewer people will understand or experience the total "zoom out" effect of something which has real effects on dopamine... It will be cycling, the gym, or the immersive reality. That's speculation, on my part. But some pleasures will simply have no further frame of reference and, as such, won't be missed by people in the future.

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

Somewhere between now and that gaming future there has to be a moment where a generation says, “Yes, we will trade real-world stimuli for a fantasy world.” No matter how immersive, what would be their motivation?

[chickenstrip]

[chickenstrip]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

You’ve skipped the ‘moment’ I referred to. It’s also a bit cynical about youth.

[Islander]

[chickenstrip]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[chickenstrip]

[Im-a-Ridah]

[stinkwheel]

I'm probably more tech savvy and computer literate than 90% of the people at my work. Most of whom, I'd sad to say, are considerably younger than me.

I'm also the only one who doesn't have a smart phone...
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Im-a-Ridah]

[Easy-X]

Humans have foot in two worlds: the realm of the real and the realm of symbols. The Bruce Willis film Surrogates is a cheesy but interesting take on bridging the two. Gamer with Gerard Butler is more likely though
____________________
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Bhud]

Some interesting points have been raised about human productive output.

Everyone depends on productivity. Someone has to produce something. This takes effort and energy.

I think the easiest way to roughly work out how the interim steps will be accomplished is to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Let's plot a couple of coordinates on an imaginary scalar: 1) basic transhumanist metaverse/digital existence (the building blocks and rudimentary forms of this tech are already in existence); 2) much higher goal postulated by futurists, e.g. AI singularity (much more controversial - some people don't think it's going to happen, rudimentary forms of the tech aren't here yet but are only theoretical, etc.)

Here's my idea: the demands of objective (1) pose a challenge uniquely suited to America's hegemonic domination of the world by force.
Need: new resources e.g. rare earths, which are located in central Asia, China, Africa, South America and not here.
Development: smart people to develop tech (this is what I think is going to be the easiest bit - ideas stage; high level software, gaming, digital products, etc.)
Production: need smart people and slave-like oppressive social structure to efficiently produce high tech stuff.
Problem: can't get all these things here.
How to get: you have to use strategic means to make other people dig them out of the ground, and then you take them out of the hands of those people and use them here. Taiwan is responsible for roughly 60% of the world's semiconductor production. Whoever controls Taiwan has a huge advantage. Therefore, and this is just a short-term play as an example, you point to the west and attack to the east. It's swings and balances. Basic example: China wants Taiwan, and gets Russia on-side. Builds massive army and arsenal. West puts on a theatre show in Ukraine (just to keep Russia busy with 2 fronts, so that things don't get out of hand elsewhere). Conflict happens "accidentally" in South China Sea (and perhaps also in Ukraine). Ukrainians try to fight hard but we've set them up to lose and won't commit for them as the object is Taiwan. US-led conflict over Taiwan. US forces lose as it's a staged, contained, conventional conflict (i.e. that's the plan). Taiwan threatens to destroy its semiconductor output. China makes assurances to Taiwan (as with Hong Kong) and begins to administer Taiwan even more efficiently (like HK). Peace deal is quickly signed. The CCP gets a chance to look benevolent, and also gets a "win" under its belt. China's happy because it got Taiwan. Russia's happy because it got Ukraine. China can make Taiwan make more stuff. Russia can make Ukraine make more energy to sell to Europe. We start getting cheaper and cheaper electronic goods in exchange for the money we print (China takes our money because it feels threatened and/or feels a desperate need to expand, or build up its military)

That's just a sort of model I have in mind for how we might end up getting what we need to make objective (1) happen, harnessing others' mind power, actual mineral resources, and basic human drives (e.g. fear of war) to get stuff made and delivered to us without actual voluntary productivity. It's possible this could all go wrong and this model could break, in which case we're back in the industrial age again. I may be wrong about the specifics of the interim steps, but as long as this sort of theatre can be played out without getting too serious, it will create enough activity for people in the relevant zones to produce stuff and swap it for our money. Could be apples, oranges, bread or electric vehicle batteries. It's not nice but it's just a stopgap until we get to objective (2) and don't actually need the organic intelligences any more

[Easy-X]

The world changes quickly. In the Regan era towards the end of the Cold War one could be forgiven for thinking the American Way would trump everyone. Now look at them

Anyhoo, what are you going to do with the large swathes of people who won't sign up to the new system? Go to war?!

[Bhud]

They'll want it - no brutality required.

It's like the wristwatch, the smartphone, or even a vaccine... Most people will see how it's better to be a part of it than be left behind and left out. Nobody is actually hardcore enough against this new world - richer, safer and healthier than ever before - to hide out in a disused bunker and stock up on tins of baked beans. It's all about convenience, hygiene, removing pointless jobs and pointless chores and pointless hardships. It's progress. Remember the local shops and grocers? The supermarkets took over because they're better, even if they're ugly. More convenient, cheaper, more choice, etc. When you go to the supermarket, you see the self-service checkouts there. That's how it's going. The young don't want fast food jobs, the middle-aged want to work from home, etc. It's just the direction it's going.

Just mentioning the procurement of resources side of things because things will get cheaper in real terms, but there will be a bit of mystery as to how it gets there. How did the drone get your groceries to your door? Why did xyz country accept our currency, etc. It's a little awkward to say, but there's no such thing as real (I mean, sincere) war any more. Not in the age of nukes and biological weapons. Putin is likely one of the top 5 richest people on earth. He is smart, not attached to any arbitrary notions. Most leaders are. Deals will be struck - Russia gets this or that, he will get to look good, we get cheap resources, etc. And some people will die, unfortunately, in a small-scale battle (if there even is one). But this is just an interim stage en route to the elimination of all human suffering. It's how we will get what we need without actually making stuff.

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[stinkwheel]

This is sounding more and more like the rantings of a James Bond villian.

Bhud, people aren't like that. Speaking as someone who has neither a digital watch or a smartphone.

What you are selling isn't what will make people happy. It will make them discontented in the long run and they will subvert the system just to be difficult.

Build a system to control people, they will break it.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[chickenstrip]

[Islander]