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Singularity Prepping?

svetz

svetz

Works in theory! Practice? That's something else
Joined
Sep 20, 2019
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There's this famous example of two photos from NYC, one from 1901 that has one car, all the rest of the traffic is horse drawn carriages. Then another photo in 1913 where all the traffic is cars, only one horse. It took 12 years for the horse trade economy to all but vanish.

Singularity (when machines can do more than humans faster and for cheaper) is predicted to almost be upon us. People losing jobs to automation is just the harbinger of massive changes to come.

Ultimately, it should herald in a truly amazing age for all humankind (assuming the whole Mad-max / terminator / we're-the-horses thing doesn't happen).

But, a lot of folks are concerned that even though it's almost here... the economy isn't ready for it. Imagine the work force dropping 10% per decade going forward. Can you imagine having an engineering degree you worked hard for and took out student loans to suddenly find all engineering is now done by AIs? No chance of a job and a mountain of debt?

So, if you've thought about this... what do you think people can do to hedge their livelihood during what might be a very chaotic transition?
 
Consider EMP events election night from Korean and Iranian satellites. Imagine USA population dropping by 90% within a year. Study up on yesteryear's ways and methods, you will be a hero and if I'm right your debt won't matter.

Of course make sure you have food, water, shelter. Don't let your debt stand in your way.
I think you only have 105 days.
Be smart; use that education & common sense.
Good luck!
 
Lots of opinions on this. Its reasonable to posit that the entities spending the money to build and maintain this AI equipment and software are doing it to an end, i.e., to make money and thereby gain power/freedom. It stands to reason that advancing mechanization to a level that Mad Maxes the economy is counter to that goal. People have to have it to spend it.

Many, especially those in debt to their eyeballs, like to think that it won’t matter once “it” happens. It’s comforting, and may even support the idea of getting deeper in debt “to prepare.” If they turn out to be right, everyone will be in the same bucket so it won’t matter. But based on a singularity like you describe, it would be a terrible time to be below the even line, because the economy is the one thing that will matter to those making the rules. Owning nothing and owing on all you have isn’t a great plan.

No one can predict the future, and when changes will come. Reasonable preparation, including freedom from debt and educating yourself in ways to sustain your life or livelihood are reasonable actions that will benefit you now and into the future. Anything else is tantamount to hoping S will HTF. One thing you can count on if you live like that... it will hit the fan for you.
 
Interesting...

Been thinking about what sort of skills/things you could prep for now that would help families through the next great depression... so here's a few ideas....
  • Hunting/Fishing can keep meat on the table, but probably won't make much selling excess (there won't be a shortage)
  • Agrarian skills would keep vegetables on the table (possibly made easier by Froomba (Roomba for farmers))
  • Canning skills would keep food preserved for non-growing seasons
  • In an age of mass-produced AI goods, people with money will pay for quality hand-crafted goods (e.g., leather, sewing, fiber-glassing, woodwork, jewelry, metalwork, painting, sculpting, dolls, toys, furniture, soap, candles )
  • Moonshining may be a good source of illegal revenue
  • Sunshining - Selling your solar power to recharge evs and not paying the road taxes?
  • YouTuber - teach your skills, spout conspiracy, whatever sells!
  • Handy-man skills to fix the things that go wrong
  • Renting your self driving AI car out to Uber?
  • Security - Being fit and having police skills should be in demand. Someone has to hunt down those sunshiners after all.
During the great depression many had strength in the optimism they'd get a job eventually. With singularity, jobs lost won't be coming back. People will have to find ways to socialize and find value in their lives other than through a job. Actually... I'm not sure what form it would take... but monetizing that might be very profitable.
 
svetz said:
Interesting...

Been thinking about what sort of skills/things you could prep for now that would help families through the next great depression... so here's a few ideas....
  • Hunting/Fishing can keep meat on the table, but probably won't make much selling excess (there won't be a shortage)
  • Agrarian skills would keep vegetables on the table (possibly made easier by Froomba (Roomba for farmers))
  • Canning skills would keep food preserved for non-growing seasons
  • In an age of mass-produced AI goods, people with money will pay for quality hand-crafted goods (e.g., leather, sewing, fiber-glassing, woodwork, jewelry, metalwork, painting, sculpting, dolls, toys, furniture, soap, candles )
  • Moonshining may be a good source of illegal revenue
  • Sunshining - Selling your solar power to recharge evs and not paying the road taxes?
  • YouTuber - teach your skills, spout conspiracy, whatever sells!
  • Handy-man skills to fix the things that go wrong
  • Renting your self driving AI car out to Uber?
  • Security - Being fit and having police skills should be in demand. Someone has to hunt down those sunshiners after all.
During the great depression many had strength in the optimism they'd get a job eventually. With singularity, jobs lost won't be coming back. People will have to find ways to socialize and find value in their lives other than through a job. Actually... I'm not sure what form it would take... but monetizing that might be very profitable.
Click to expand...
The advantage of this mindset is that it benefits us now, improving our life now and providing a variety of options in changing conditions.

Getting ourselves debt-free works this way, as well. As I've shared with others, it was a revelation to me to discover that the only thing keeping me from having was buying. Once I quit buying things I couldn’t afford (as in pay cash for, not meaning “afford the payments”), and gradually eliminated the debt I had piled up, the freedom to decide what to do with money not used to pay utility bills and such was life-changing, literally. I’ll cut this sermon short here, because I know that people who haven’t experienced this simply won‘t understand it.

The biggest point is that there is no way to be certain of what the future specifically holds for us where we are, and when those changes might affect us. So a reasoned approach is to better our situation now, increase fitness all-around (physically, educationally, and financially) so to be best prepared for whatever comes. By the way, “educationally” would have absolutely nothing to do with a student loan. Being in poor condition now, when it’s easy by comparison, and thinking we‘re going to become warriors when times get tough is a bit of ridiculousness.

That you’re thinking about it now shows you're a bit ahead of the curve.
 
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Lots of people are going to have guns. lol Yes, I will be one of them. But...

Here's a better weapon, for the non-movie future. :)

temet01.jpg
 
svetz said:
There's this famous example of two photos from NYC, one from 1901 that has one car, all the rest of the traffic is horse drawn carriages. Then another photo in 1913 where all the traffic is cars, only one horse. It took 12 years for the horse trade economy to all but vanish.
.......
So, if you've thought about this... what do you think people can do to hedge their livelihood during what might be a very chaotic transition?
Click to expand...
When I grew up it was common to pick a career and stay in that career track and often with one company for your entire life. As it turned out that was not to path that I followed. As I look back on my overall success I realize it was not optimized. What I would have done differently would have been to continually improve my skillset as the world evolved.
I was fortunate to have received a very good formal education that gave me the ability to teach myself informally for the rest of my life. For those less fortunate, I think government and industry should offer incentives for retraining people.
 
Programming has been rumored to become extinct for many years. I'm still employed and doing well.

With regard to prepping for the ________, whatever that is, I wrote a book last year that uses the zombie apocalypse to explore how the survivors survive. With no electricity, the cities are a no-go zone. Without electricity, running water and functioning sewers the cities have no hope.

I can catch fish well, as long as it's Trout. Other species, I'm not so good at due to a lack of the correct tackle, experience and watercraft. Hunting I can do too, but I'll be a lot more successful without the game warden around. It's all the other stuff that humans need to eat that complicates the story. Man cannot live on meat alone, despite what the popular diet fads say. When 96% of the population fails to survive the zombie apocalypse, there's a lot of food out there that will keep you going for the short term.
 
HRTKD said:
... When 96% of the population fails to survive the zombie apocalypse, there's a lot of food out there that will keep you going for the short term.
Click to expand...
96% of the population does actually survive that... they're zombies of course.
The remaining 4% isn't actually much food for them.
math-580x387.jpg
 
The survivors are the ones that still have their clothes on and are (usually) armed. The zombies don't know how to open doors, fortunately.
 
HRTKD said:
... I wrote a book last year that uses the zombie apocalypse to explore how the survivors survive. With no electricity, the cities are a no-go zone. Without electricity, running water and functioning sewers the cities have no hope...
Click to expand...
What's the name of the book?
 
svetz said:
Interesting...

Been thinking about what sort of skills/things you could prep for now that would help families through the next great depression... so here's a few ideas....
  • Hunting/Fishing can keep meat on the table, but probably won't make much selling excess (there won't be a shortage)
  • Agrarian skills would keep vegetables on the table (possibly made easier by Froomba (Roomba for farmers))
  • Canning skills would keep food preserved for non-growing seasons
  • In an age of mass-produced AI goods, people with money will pay for quality hand-crafted goods (e.g., leather, sewing, fiber-glassing, woodwork, jewelry, metalwork, painting, sculpting, dolls, toys, furniture, soap, candles )
  • Moonshining may be a good source of illegal revenue
  • Sunshining - Selling your solar power to recharge evs and not paying the road taxes?
  • YouTuber - teach your skills, spout conspiracy, whatever sells!
  • Handy-man skills to fix the things that go wrong
  • Renting your self driving AI car out to Uber?
  • Security - Being fit and having police skills should be in demand. Someone has to hunt down those sunshiners after all.
During the great depression many had strength in the optimism they'd get a job eventually. With singularity, jobs lost won't be coming back. People will have to find ways to socialize and find value in their lives other than through a job. Actually... I'm not sure what form it would take... but monetizing that might be very profitable.
Click to expand...

Well, I have 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 covered. I should do OK.

It's funny, but a lot of the self titled "preppers" I have met have the least real life skills. But they talk a good game...
 
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