You asked about whether e/acc motivation originating from thermodynamics makes any sense. From my day job, I know quite a bit about thermo. The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy (disorder) of a closed system increases over time until the system reaches its equilibrium state. Entropy is literally related to the number of possible configurations in which a system could exist. So if you start off with a billion gas molecules in the corner of a box, the entropy is low. From Brownian (random) motion, the gas molecules will spread out throughout the box, increasing entropy. Once the gas molecules are well mixed inside the box, the system reaches equilibrium and entropy stays constant.
How does this relate to a social mission to accelerate technology towards a non-scarcity future? I have no fucking clue. It doesn’t connect. At least not without invoking pseudoscience or hipster analogies.
I think the e/acc folks should explain their mission in terms of techno-optimism. Star Trek (big fan!) and TNG in particular does a great job of showing how technology development can create a post-scarcity future. It also shows how (even then) there will still be conflict and drama, but that humanity can successfully expand peacefully with greater prosperity.
Dude, we already have Star Trek pads and a universal translators. And talking computers. We are so getting there.
You asked about whether e/acc motivation originating from thermodynamics makes any sense. From my day job, I know quite a bit about thermo. The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy (disorder) of a closed system increases over time until the system reaches its equilibrium state. Entropy is literally related to the number of possible configurations in which a system could exist. So if you start off with a billion gas molecules in the corner of a box, the entropy is low. From Brownian (random) motion, the gas molecules will spread out throughout the box, increasing entropy. Once the gas molecules are well mixed inside the box, the system reaches equilibrium and entropy stays constant.
How does this relate to a social mission to accelerate technology towards a non-scarcity future? I have no fucking clue. It doesn’t connect. At least not without invoking pseudoscience or hipster analogies.
I think the e/acc folks should explain their mission in terms of techno-optimism. Star Trek (big fan!) and TNG in particular does a great job of showing how technology development can create a post-scarcity future. It also shows how (even then) there will still be conflict and drama, but that humanity can successfully expand peacefully with greater prosperity.
Dude, we already have Star Trek pads and a universal translators. And talking computers. We are so getting there.