Exponential Tech Progress Will Accelerate
Species evolve very slowly, by nature. They usually differentiate over long periods of time, it takes another chunk of history for the one that is the most resilient to become the dominant species, and then, unless they are unlucky like the dinosaurs, it may take another important time for it to fade away and be replaced by something else as the dominant species (either an improved version of itself or a new species which takes its place at the top of the food chain).
All these periods are extremely long relative to the lifespan of a human, but relatively insignificant for the lifetime of Earth.
For example, our version of Homo sapiens came into being around 160,000 to 90,000 years ago, and took many dozens of thousands of years to remain the only species of Homo sapiens on Earth.
By comparison, our civilization started about 5,000 years ago, when early systems of writing (Sumerian cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphs) were invented, so only a fraction of our history on Earth.
The last few hundred years though, if we carve out the periods of intense conflict, turbulence, internal and global wars, brought exponential progress.
And since the exponential curve rises much steeper as time goes by, it's natural that progress is much quicker these days than a hundred or even a few dozen years ago, to the point it is difficult to remain up to date with novelties as a human.
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The technological sector is absolutely booming at this point, being at the brink of a series of major breakthroughs in different domains, that separated but mostly together will change life as we know it (they already started it).
We are witnessing history in the making. Normally, very few people are so lucky to experience such shifts as they happen, and not learn about them from the history books.
The interesting part is the exponential curve of technological progress will only accelerate as the discoveries in the domains like AI, robotics, energy, quantum, crypto, biotech, etc. roll out and converge. Are we ready for that? My guess is we are far from ready, even if we think we are!
Looks like people are too slow... at communicating. They may become too slow at thinking too, but they are definitely slow at communicating, whether in writing or in speaking. Especially compared to machines.
The question is, would you upgrade the speed of your "communication device" by implanting some electrodes in your brain, like you would change the CPU of your computer? Maybe not you, if you are not in your 20s... How about the next generation? Would they? They would if it becomes a trend...
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Progress is very fast these days unlike before when it takes much time to achieve something
The advantage is you can live history instead of learning about it from books written by previous generations. But it's hard to adapt to changes.
I can never implant electrodes in my brain
I think that’s too much to do just because I want to be a fast communicator
The society might pressure people into doing it, at some point.
We've all been cyborgs for a long-time, whenever we started wearing spectacles and using an ear trumpet.
You are true, of course. But these are the non-invasive ones. Opening the brain surgically to implant electrodes inside (from what I read very deep), is another level, unless you need it, like if you can't communicate in a different way due to injuries or illness.
Mmmm ... stents, pins, pacemakers ... these are only the ones I know about ... and only vaguely about prosthetic limbs and digits which work from nerve impulses.
Inside us or outside us, there is increasing technology and it carries the paradox of both enabling and surveying us.
I guess it is challenging ideas about what it is to be human.
Sure... But how many would insert them in their body without needing them for their health? I was thinking this with the electrodes in the brain may become a trend to "improve" humans, not as a way to resolve punctual health issues.
I think there will be people who take it up, especially super-rich people, they'll believe that it gives them an edge or a cachet, like they have cosmetic surgery and their legs broken to make them taller, because that's perceived as more desirable (an improvement?) 😁.
Many people, not just the super-rich, use nootropics, another form of technology, just like people use steroids, speed, ketamine etc.
And we are messing with the genome, apparently to manage or eliminate problematic health conditions, but how soon will you be able to buy the genetic option for your children to have long legs and guaranteed height, rather than have their legs broken later in life? (my answer: sooner than we think).
Capitalism, being what it is and running out of options to ensure its survival through gobbling up the earth's resources, will turn, is turning, to how can we modify and, at the same time, exploit humans and their endless vanity?
Research into the human gut microbiome has been commodified, rather than being freely available and taken up by health services, much to my disappointment and the continued impoverishment of the common wealth, as opposed to those who can pay for it.
Yes, I know some who already put their names on waiting lists, at least verbally, in podcasts. So you are not wrong in the assumption the super-rich will take the chance for the potential edge against the others.
I also saw a few who are more reluctant, at least in the first phase, since it involves brain surgery.
It's interesting that with all this race to become wealthier, we might not know what form will money take maybe a decade or two from now, due to the advancement of AI.
Tech will continue too boom because there's so much money in it. Things today are radically different that in the 90's, it a whole different world. My grandmother as a young girl grew up with a horse and cart for transportation and then watched men walk on the moon. Our progress today is so much faster that we can't see the future in even five years from now. It's an interesting time to be alive for sure.
Electrodes in the brain will remain a risky business. What if there is a 5% complication rate and a 1% chance of death from developing a serious brain infection. That will be hard sell even in your twenties!
How things have changed even then! But space was mostly a race between superpowers without any focus on profitability. It needed the private sector to enter this race to make it a sustainable business.
That's what I was thinking too... Maybe after a track record of successful surgeries, plus a marketing push comparing the before and after, enough would be convinced. After all, it's a matter of risk and reward. I assume the first human test subjects that aren't in need of such implants to be able to communicate would need some convincing or are high risk-takers.
We're definitely not ready for what's coming ahead! For us who've an inkling for what life was like before, we can be more discerning in the choices we make but the younger and future generations may not have that capability. If becoming a cyborg is trendy or cool, people will just go for it without any thought about the effects or consequences.
I hope this will not be treated as easily as taking a new smartphone model. Some things are irreversible!
I think that's probably how it will be marketed by the inventors of such products, nothing crazy, have fun, life is boring already, here's an amazing gateway to have endless fun and be a superhuman :)
All they need is one or two of their friends to have it and showcase its capabilities, and they're sold into it.
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STOPIt's a weird question but if it's widely accepted, I think the next generation will gladly do so. I don't think I can really accept it though.
Yes, it is a weird question. But the subject is pushed as a future eventuality already. Perhaps so we can get used to it.
There is a clear trend here and younger generations will become more open to Big Tech + government spying on their brain activity.
Oh wow! 29%? I guess the argument "what do you have to hide?" really works on them.