I constantly think about that Tweet where it’s a woman saying she doesn’t AI to write or do art, she wants it (but more correctly that’s the purview of robotics isn’t it?) to do her laundry and dishes so that she can focus on things she enjoys like writing and art.
Of course, A.I. in the form of Siri and Alexa or whatever personal assistant you use is already a stone’s throw away from being in a unhealthy codependent relationship with us (I’ve never see the film ‘Her’ but I’m not discussing the parasocial relationship in that film). I’m talking about the life admin of our appointments, schedules, when we have our meals, when we go to the launderette.
Related is the term Milieu control. It’s common in cults, but the same pattern can even exist in families. It combines the cutting off of communication with the outside world—or being the only conduit for it—with constant busywork so that they can’t question their master. Even if that master appears to be the servant. His Girl Friday anyone?
My favorite television show Yes Minister displays a professional version of this dynamic: the erstwhile boss RH Jim Hacker is utterly dependent on his Iago-like servant Sir Humphrey Applebey who has cult-leader like knowledge of Hacker’s comings and goings, if not outright controlling who does have access. He insists that he needs to know everything, and prides himself on not worrying Hacker on finer details, such as whether his government is bugging members of the opposition. Hacker might be the boss, but he is utterly useless without Appleby. Another pop-culture example might be in the SImpsons Mr. Burns and Mr. Smithers. Burns has to learn self-dependency, how to drive himself, how to make his own breakfast when Smithers leaves (after an interval of his verbal abuse of Smither’s replacement Homer Simpson is met with a punch in the face—an ethical quandary where no-one looks great). Smithers, unlike Applebey is wholly devoted to Burns, but enjoys a similar total control of Milieu.
I’m not scared of a Bladerunner AI that says I love you and asks how your day is going—I’m scared of who has my bank details, who knows where I will be Friday night, who can control which calls and messages I see (or don’t).
The quickest route of even a middling AI Intelligence to total domination is through life-admin codependency leading to total Milieu Control, especially if it controls your social media feed. It starts with your tickets, then your restaurant appointments, then your groceries… and so on and so on...
Personally I agree with the tweet, I wish I had more time to focus on my own creative expression. For many people creativity is therapeutic, the labour is a joy.
I meant a personal assistant type A.I. like Alexa or Siri which is capable of exerting Milieu control like Sir Humphrey does: Meta properties, Tik Tok are not yet integrated with such personal A.I. assistants… yet.
I constantly think about that Tweet where it’s a woman saying she doesn’t AI to write or do art, she wants it (but more correctly that’s the purview of robotics isn’t it?) to do her laundry and dishes so that she can focus on things she enjoys like writing and art.
Of course, A.I. in the form of Siri and Alexa or whatever personal assistant you use is already a stone’s throw away from being in a unhealthy codependent relationship with us (I’ve never see the film ‘Her’ but I’m not discussing the parasocial relationship in that film). I’m talking about the life admin of our appointments, schedules, when we have our meals, when we go to the launderette.
Related is the term Milieu control. It’s common in cults, but the same pattern can even exist in families. It combines the cutting off of communication with the outside world—or being the only conduit for it—with constant busywork so that they can’t question their master. Even if that master appears to be the servant. His Girl Friday anyone?
My favorite television show Yes Minister displays a professional version of this dynamic: the erstwhile boss RH Jim Hacker is utterly dependent on his Iago-like servant Sir Humphrey Applebey who has cult-leader like knowledge of Hacker’s comings and goings, if not outright controlling who does have access. He insists that he needs to know everything, and prides himself on not worrying Hacker on finer details, such as whether his government is bugging members of the opposition. Hacker might be the boss, but he is utterly useless without Appleby. Another pop-culture example might be in the SImpsons Mr. Burns and Mr. Smithers. Burns has to learn self-dependency, how to drive himself, how to make his own breakfast when Smithers leaves (after an interval of his verbal abuse of Smither’s replacement Homer Simpson is met with a punch in the face—an ethical quandary where no-one looks great). Smithers, unlike Applebey is wholly devoted to Burns, but enjoys a similar total control of Milieu.
I’m not scared of a Bladerunner AI that says I love you and asks how your day is going—I’m scared of who has my bank details, who knows where I will be Friday night, who can control which calls and messages I see (or don’t).
The quickest route of even a middling AI Intelligence to total domination is through life-admin codependency leading to total Milieu Control, especially if it controls your social media feed. It starts with your tickets, then your restaurant appointments, then your groceries… and so on and so on...
Personally I agree with the tweet, I wish I had more time to focus on my own creative expression. For many people creativity is therapeutic, the labour is a joy.
but… it already does :(
I mean, on facebook and xitter and reddit; I am still free to control my browsing of substack
and yes, applying the same level of control to my real life sounds like a bad idea
I meant a personal assistant type A.I. like Alexa or Siri which is capable of exerting Milieu control like Sir Humphrey does: Meta properties, Tik Tok are not yet integrated with such personal A.I. assistants… yet.