BeamBrain

Shut down all the large GPU clusters (the large computer farms where the most powerful AIs are refined). Shut down all the large training runs. Put a ceiling on how much computing power anyone is allowed to use in training an AI system, and move it downward over the coming years to compensate for more efficient training algorithms. No exceptions for governments and militaries. Make immediate multinational agreements to prevent the prohibited activities from moving elsewhere. Track all GPUs sold. If intelligence says that a country outside the agreement is building a GPU cluster, be less scared of a shooting conflict between nations than of the moratorium being violated; be willing to destroy a rogue datacenter by airstrike.

Frame nothing as a conflict between national interests, have it clear that anyone talking of arms races is a fool. That we all live or die as one, in this, is not a policy but a fact of nature. Make it explicit in international diplomacy that preventing AI extinction scenarios is considered a priority above preventing a full nuclear exchange, and that allied nuclear countries are willing to run some risk of nuclear exchange if that’s what it takes to reduce the risk of large AI training runs.

Inspired by a convo with a trans friend of mine

This anime is as bad as its music is good

I have seen so, so many people with otherwise decent politics support NATO or make Xi Winnie the Pooh jokes or whatever. They can understand all about how the ruling class is fucking them over and capitalism is unsustainable, but they will cling to their notion that the West is superior and should rule the world like it's a life preserver in a stormy sea.

I've noticed that a lot of fellow furries will refer to each other by online handles or fursona names, even when meeting in real life. My roommate who I met online has lived with me for a year and a half now, and she still does this with me.

It's only recently that I started meeting people from the fandom in real life, and it always was a bit weird to me when they referred to myself or someone else by an online handle (but it doesn't bother me enough to correct them). Growing up, I was always taught that the purpose of online handles was anonymity - to prevent yourself from being identified in real life by those who may have ill intentions for you. In that context, using them in a face-to-face meeting can come across as silly. We already know enough about each other to meet up. Odds are, we know each other's real names and a good deal about each other. We aren't on a website where we need to protect each other's anonymity from third parties. So, why does it happen?

I think it comes from the fact that for many of us, our online identities are a way to more authentically express ourselves in ways we don't feel like we safely can in most contexts. In that context, continuing to call someone by their online handle can be seen as a gesture of mutual belonging and acceptance of identity, rather than distance and anonymity.

For more information, Google "Jordan Peterson Grandma Dream."

I don't want to give too many details so as to avoid doxing myself. I never left the US and wouldn't have done so if asked, but fundamentally, I don't think that really matters. It's all part of the same machine. It was well before I became anything that could be described as communist, but all that means is that it hit that much harder when I had to come to terms with what I'd been a part of.

Maybe that's the sort of thing you can't ever make up for, but I'll spend the rest of my life trying anyway. If anyone on this site never wants anything to do with me again after having read this, I understand.

I have an itch that needs scratching.