AI, the End of the Information Age, and the Beginning of the Subtle Energy Age

I am just starting to read Jaron Lanier’s new book, Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, which so far, I think adds some interesting points to Jore’s documentary. Lanier is a Silicon Valley veteran and insider, but also a humanist and artist and soulful being who hasn’t really drank (or become drunk on) the techno-reductionist kool-aid. I recently read his semi-autobiographical coming of age tale, Dawn of the New Everything, and he is really a deep, sweet, intelligent soul. His new book is kind of preaching to the choir for me, but it is helpful to see the widespread practice of targeted ads not just as “advertising,” which we might find relatively innocuous since we grew up with generalized TV ads, but actually as a massive global program of ‘behavior modification,’ targeting our individual souls.

A Subtle Energy Age would not enslave our vital awareness to serve algorithms of profit maximization, as all our personal information is monetized.

I would be happy to dicuss the subject again. We are, I believe, here, the conscientous objectors and part of a very, very small minority that is attempting to use this technology in a different way. That said, many more people are now seeing the problem, after the 2016 election fiasco and Cambridge Analytica scandal, etc. But we are doing something about it!

Jaron’s talk on the subject:

His new book is short and looking like a quick read. I got it from the library until 9/13, but it’s an interlibrary loan so I can’t renew! If anyone wants to read it and discuss, as a follow-up to Stare Into the Lights…hit me up. :v:

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Technically speaking, Infinite Conversations is itself a social network, albeit a very small one, hence we are in a somewhat paradoxical situation. I know you know this, Marco, just thought I’d highlight the issue…

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I hate to say this but small is beautiful. Cameras and smart phones and big crowds can inhibit the subtle. I dont think this topic is an easy one to talk about but to tune into the ebb and flow is fairly easy. We have been doing it since childhood. No one owns it, or can license it. It (the subtle realms) comes free of charge with each breath you take.Tragically, this extra-sensory perception is ignored or interrupted by a lot of social engineering efforts that want your attention desperately so that you will continue to buy from the military-industrial info-entertainment center.

As an alternate way of relating, we have, as a small group, already upset their apple cart. Because of my participation, in this group, I have stopped FB entirely, after ten years of daily use. I have not used FB in year. And I feel I have repaired my agitated mind as result and enjoyed the collaborative exchanges here. We can return to sanity and the subtle energetic, breath by breath. After many of our online calls, I feel refreshed and recharged, a tingling in the heart center, the crown of the head, a surge of heat in the palm of the hand and a simple sense of well being, as we sit on the cosmic rocking chair on the porch, at the edge of Time, rocking back and forth, back and forth, looking at the play of light on the leaves of the trees, feeling the pleasure of the voices within and around us. Gently conversing, no one selling anyone anything. The power of slow mind gives support to the faster innovation seeking impetus in each of us. We can become both at the same time. There is nothing esoteric about this. We can get more skilled at creating conditions for this kind of immersive self sense, emerging out of the shared rhythms of the group field. I am nourished for days after our sessions. I feel high as a kite.

I believe, we are in a unique position, to re-direct our attention, to more worthwhile adventures, as we have been demonstrating in our efforts here. Sustaining for an hour and half a small group’s high quality attention is rare, very rare, in our over edited, pre-packaged, chopped up logic, chat fest society. If we continue to explore in depth discussions for longer attention spans, the wizards of odd, those fat talking heads that float in the middle of nowhere, will stop draining our access to subtle energies. These small, safe to fail social experiments, we are rehearsing, can bring back a sense of wonder, and the subtle realms, the hidden and occult wisdom traditions, that have not gone away, can start to come out, once again, from the collective closet. We just have to turn down the volume and stop giving away our power to the latest gadget.

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AMEN,LET IT BE SO!There’s a Dance to Be Engaded & We choose & are chosen our Partners.Thank U John for the Wiggle-Giggle Expression!

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“Gently conversing, no one selling anyone anything. The power of slow mind gives support to the faster innovation seeking impetus in each of us.”
Oh yes! I quit FB about three years ago, so deeply unsatisfying, and like the “news” deeply agitating, not sourishing.
“We just have to turn down the volume and stop giving away our power to the latest gadget.”
So mote it be.

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That is a fair point, Geoffrey—although arguably, all media is social. I take it Lanier and most people think of the big technology companies and a certain large-scale corporate atmosphere when they use the term “social media.” So this is more about conventional definitions than scientific ones. But maybe part of what you’re saying is that we need a more scientific way of using words, or rather for words to better mean what they say.

Maybe, to keep on track with Durwin’s point, we are talking about not “social media” but “subtle media”?

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On this request, Katina—I believe you are referring to @ZacharyFeder and this essay?

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Yes! That’s the one! I do apologize for the error. It is Zachary Feder that I would like to meet and talk to more about his article. It blows me away! And I am dying to know what my IC bros and sistas think about the content of this article.

Do you think that IC could extend an invitation to him for a Zoom - Cast Event which focuses on his article (listed in the previous post)? Pretty Please, can we ask him? With a banana, cherry and sprinkles on top?!?

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We could certainly engage Feder in the intertextuality between his article and that of Gebser’s “Ever Present Origin”, in preparation for the upcoming Conference. Feder addresses global transparency and this is very relevant to Gebser’s content regarding the current Integral Stage of human consciousness.

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We actually already did a Cafe with Zachary on the article. Did you see that show? It was interesting. We have done different kinds of guests and programs on the Cafe. It is still evolving so keep letting us know what interests you.

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I will have to pull it up from the archives, then. Thank you. I am sure that there will be other opportunities. (Shucks, I missed it!) - :smile:

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Zachary’s around though; he’ll probably pop up at some point, like a singularity…

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