Reflecting on my path.
In some ways, I was just following Maslow's hierarchy of needs. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
First, I used programming as a tool for gaining a job (being productive and generating money to survive...), but there were also lots of interesting stories of people doing great things with technology (Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg).
So I went to explore the 3 biggest technologies of the moment: Crypto, VR, and AI. I learned about these amazing technologies and how the world will be shaped by them.
But then I also learned how technology could bring many problems, as other amazing technologies have brought us. For example, the internet brought us social media addiction and loneliness, and computers brought surveillance—thanks to Edward Snowden for sharing his stories.
So I got a good understanding of how technology can be both good and bad for people.
Now I wanted to focus on just relaxing a little bit. I was thinking the future was very stable and that I could predict it. But AI was evolving so fast. (Problem 2)
As I learned about the implications of this, I got very worried about it. So I wanted to understand why people choose to make these bad uses of technologies.
So I went to study people, organizations, societies, and why the world is like it is. And I found Problem 1 as the main bottleneck.
Problem 1:
- Molochs: the idea of people going for unaligned incentives that makes the whole system go bad
- Coordination: how people together reach a goal in the most efficient way
- Bug on people: used to manipulate other people through fear of death, control, power
- Society goals: which goals as a society we want
Possible solution: (something like stories)...
If we had solved Problem 1, we could have more chances to solve Problem 2.
What would solving Problem 1 and going for Problem 2 look like?
- More safety
- More transparency
- More cooperation
So now we have these 2 big problems. What to do with them?
- We could solve Problem 1 and go for Problem 2 (ideal)
- We could use Problem 2 to help Problem 1 (crazy)
Urgency?
Before Problem 2 gets more problematic and becomes too late.
So which should I focus on? Whatever is my competitive advantage (still looking to find it).
Probably I should be more conscious about where we are going as a society and invest my time accordingly. For now, just being conscious about it should work, I hope.