<![CDATA[I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI."]]>I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI."

People keep comparing "AI" to cars (positively) without thinking about the fact that cars were forced on people (AAA bought up and destroyed tram lines, there were massive protests, etc), and are the primary driver of climate change that is currently on track to make complex human society impossible. Meanwhile, cities that weren't destroyed for cars, or that have reversed most of the damage, are some of the most desirable places to live.

Maybe we could take the car analogy as a warning. Maybe it could be a reminder to think about how forcing technology on people against their will can reshape society in a profoundly negative way.

The answer for cities has been to right-size transit. Eliminate cars wherever possible, maintain emergency vehicles and mobility aids, and find more efficient alternatives (bikes, trams, metros, and trains) where possible. I feel as though we can extrapolate from the metaphor.

We do not have to repeat the mistake of reshaping society around a single, oversimplified, solution in order to benefit a tiny minority. Perhaps we can actually choose the right technologies based on use cases, rather than hype or dogma.

Cars didn't replace horses. Cars replaced walkable cities, tram lines and mass transit, and children playing in the streets.

"Cars replaced horses" to the benefit of a small group of elite men, at tremendous cost to literally everyone else. When people say, "AI is the new 'cars replacing horses'" they are saying something very specific about their privilege and intentions.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/296cce36-bc1a-443d-8578-4bd373c9cec4/i-keep-seeing-the-cars-replaced-horses-thing-related-to-ai.RSS for NodeFri, 24 Jul 2026 21:02:15 GMTSat, 18 Jul 2026 14:11:04 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:08:59 GMT]]>@Hex lmao. spongebob pile meme for reasons why people are forced to buy cars

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.petko.me/users/petko/statuses/116946563202923127https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.petko.me/users/petko/statuses/116946563202923127Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:08:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:44:51 GMT]]>@Hex I'll also say: there's also a shit ton of people who reject the idea that complex decision making systems like you describe exist or should exist. They literally don't see what you describe as "force".

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/bitterdonald/statuses/116946468316934798https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/bitterdonald/statuses/116946468316934798Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:44:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:14:38 GMT]]>@Hex
The hyper one, 85 mt high: https://extinctionrebellion.nl/extinction-rebellion-verzwakt-betonnen-fundering-datacenter-in-aanbouw-met-waterballonnen-met-chemische-vloeistof/ Technically illegal as it only got an environmental permit in effing 2025. Wonder who was responsible for that. Undoubtedly XR is going to be labelled terrorists soon.

And the one on Amstel-III, "only' 60 mt and just the first part, in a housing area too:
https://www.at5.nl/artikelen/239023/vergunning-verleend-voor-nieuw-datacenter-in-zuidoost

The Council did the same with the hotel room stops: only after year whatever and with multiple exemptions.
I so loath these people.

@hackbyte

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://todon.eu/users/Heidentweet/statuses/116946349465315327https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://todon.eu/users/Heidentweet/statuses/116946349465315327Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:14:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:59:21 GMT]]>@Heidentweet @hackbyte FFS, I didn't know about the datacenter.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Hex/statuses/116946289419566657https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Hex/statuses/116946289419566657Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:59:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:34:32 GMT]]>@hackbyte
Nah, this is about Europe too. In the Netherlands it took decades of protests and actions like road blocks to change just a tiny bit of the car-centricity of this country. While still better than most countries, the Netherlands still has cars almost everywhere. And they're also getting bigger and deadlier.

Re AI: my city Amsterdam gets a hypercenter and a "regular" data center in the South-East while we also suffer a water shortage at the moment. This under a "left"-leaning city council.

@Hex

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://todon.eu/users/Heidentweet/statuses/116946191781584397https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://todon.eu/users/Heidentweet/statuses/116946191781584397Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:34:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:22:40 GMT]]>thought this was apt:
https://mastodonapp.uk/@MarkHoltom/116946077281335738

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://c.im/users/ku/statuses/116946145146984747https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://c.im/users/ku/statuses/116946145146984747Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:22:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:12:38 GMT]]>@LieschenrelleuM
Sure a vote ("put in power") could have some effect, but the idea of us putting people in power is a complete misreading of our Western democratic systems. It's a diversion of how power works here.

When all your politicians are pro-cars because"it's the future! it's freedom!", or turn pro-cars after the elections (see Labour UK) or when your "choice" is limited to 2 parties (see USA), you're not going to think yourself out of this situation.

@richpuchalsky @Hex

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://todon.eu/users/Heidentweet/statuses/116946105725481721https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://todon.eu/users/Heidentweet/statuses/116946105725481721Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:12:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:50:25 GMT]]>Sealioning cultists are swarming like muggen and earn the same treatment.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Hex/statuses/116946018340046170https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Hex/statuses/116946018340046170Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:50:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:20:13 GMT]]>@xylophilist @Hex dunno were you took those but most resources I've seen in my lifetime regard "industry" as the top one.
That one includes, obviously, the costs in transport. For no industry is completed without giant ass trucks.
Electricity is usually right behind, so it's not that hard see how the methods of measuring may swap both places.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/Nawer_Rapter/statuses/116945899606074361https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/Nawer_Rapter/statuses/116945899606074361Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:20:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:14:53 GMT]]>Why we are forcing needles and hammers on society [by a few white men] and making us dependent on tools that hit our thumbs? We should be building with clay instead! I think we should work this analogy further.

Replace hammers, cars, or AI with any tool, and you can build narratives showing structural dependence.

Nobody forces cars in here Finland. Except the evolution and gentrification of transportation (horses -> cars) and long distances on the country side

Fossil fuels are too cheap
@Hex

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sigmoid.social/users/HuK/statuses/116945878588001000https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sigmoid.social/users/HuK/statuses/116945878588001000Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:14:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:57:31 GMT]]>@fancysandwiches @Hex considering how many studies about AI-caused cognitive impairment (brain rot) are emerging (plus, damage to mental health), the lead analogy you pose is so appropriate.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://neopaquita.es/users/precariousmind/statuses/116945810338556065https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://neopaquita.es/users/precariousmind/statuses/116945810338556065Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:57:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:50:22 GMT]]>@beecycling And don't forget the Diet Coke * Hamburger / Bald Eagle.

@TransitBiker @Hex

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://chaos.social/users/waldi/statuses/116945782240842949https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://chaos.social/users/waldi/statuses/116945782240842949Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:50:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:35:31 GMT]]>@andymouse @Hex horses aren't as dangerous as cars but they're surprisingly dangerous

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/niomi/statuses/116945723823867885https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/niomi/statuses/116945723823867885Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:35:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:31:27 GMT]]>@TransitBiker @Hex Did you watch the Not Just Bikes video about how American fire trucks are too big? The part where a fire crew is showing how bike lanes supposedly prevent them getting their truck along a street that IS LINED WITH PARKED CARS THAT ARE APPARENTLY INVISIBLE made me want to scream. People literally being obstructed on the way to save lives can't see what is actually obstructing them, because cars are apparently just natural features of the landscape.

https://youtu.be/j2dHFC31VtQ?t=1217&is=R0EHgDszetwbnMeN

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://wandering.shop/ap/users/115537539612269798/statuses/116945707859004800https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://wandering.shop/ap/users/115537539612269798/statuses/116945707859004800Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:31:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:27:08 GMT]]>@Hex I'm convinced that cars gave us a brain worm that is very similar to its AI cousin. Once it has taken hold, refflecting about cars or AI becomes almost impossible.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/confuseacat/statuses/116945690844338661https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/confuseacat/statuses/116945690844338661Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:27:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:09:51 GMT]]>@Hex They're also saying something about people who happily drive their car while saying AI is bad for us.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/Downes/statuses/116945622924802019https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/Downes/statuses/116945622924802019Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:09:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:52:28 GMT]]>@Hex I think @notjustbikes might like this ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7-e_yhEzIw

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.saarland/users/fedithom/statuses/116945554565702041https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.saarland/users/fedithom/statuses/116945554565702041Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:52:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:41:44 GMT]]>@Hex @xylophilist The construction and maintenance of roads is also has a very substantial cost in fossil hydrocarbon use.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/simon_brooke/statuses/116945512322413434https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/simon_brooke/statuses/116945512322413434Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:41:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:25:40 GMT]]>@Hex @hc Human activity will not decrease. Ir will increase. Machine activity will be doing the decreasing.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/dacig/statuses/116945449158627379https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/dacig/statuses/116945449158627379Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:25:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 06:53:27 GMT]]>@Hex there’s a nice post on this thread on resetera https://www.resetera.com/threads/linus-torvalds-ai-is-a-tool-just-like-other-tools-we-use-and-its-clearly-a-useful-one.1578862/post-158015905 that explores the same comparison.
It took cities years to rightsize transit and limit cars to proper uses. Capitalists pushed them massively first and turned them into symbols of status, not caring the least for the crushed folks, noises, pollution.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://anticapitalist.party/users/matcha/statuses/116945322490295898https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://anticapitalist.party/users/matcha/statuses/116945322490295898Sun, 19 Jul 2026 06:53:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 06:47:37 GMT]]>@scott @Hex You made me realize that both car centric planning and AI also have another thing in common: The arrogance of space (and resources).

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodontti.fi/users/paavi/statuses/116945299558406627https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodontti.fi/users/paavi/statuses/116945299558406627Sun, 19 Jul 2026 06:47:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 06:09:41 GMT]]>@Hex Indeed. And as André Gorz wrote in the 50 year old, yet still relevant "The Social Ideology of the Car":

"The worst thing about cars is that they are like castles or villas by the sea: luxury goods invented for the exclusive pleasure of a very rich minority...And the essence of luxury is that it cannot be democratized. If everyone can have luxury, no one gets any advantages from it."

Analogously, mass AI use will destroy knowledge ecologies that make AI possible.

https://unevenearth.org/2018/08/the-social-ideology-of-the-motorcar/

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://carfree.city/users/scott/statuses/116945150369835293https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://carfree.city/users/scott/statuses/116945150369835293Sun, 19 Jul 2026 06:09:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 04:49:15 GMT]]>@xylophilist apparently I missed "one of" that I thought I had typed.

But let's actually talk about that chart for a second. "Transportation" literally just means the fuel used. It doesn't account for the carbon released through the entire manufacturing process (from mining ore to steel refining, which is *huge*). That's all lumped into "industry." It also doesn't account for the electricity used for cooling, which is a side effect of the "heat island" effect caused by the giant rivers and lakes of asfalt needed for cars. Nor does it cover electricity generation for EVs. Both of those are in the number 1 category: "electricity and heat production."

The number one source of climate change globally is the US military. Guess what that military spends its time doing.

And while all of the rest of those are falling, guess which one is growing.

Yeah, I think I'll leave the mistake in.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Hex/statuses/116944834105169014https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Hex/statuses/116944834105169014Sun, 19 Jul 2026 04:49:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to I keep seeing the "cars replaced horses" thing related to "AI." on Sun, 19 Jul 2026 04:16:03 GMT]]>@hc oh, I forgot pandemics. As the climate changes animal ranges change which increases the opportunities for cross species infection. Cross species infection increases the probability of human infection. So climate change increases pandemic risk.

From a cybernetic perspective, there's a point where the complexity of the situation exceeds the ability of the society to absorb. We are approaching that point.

And the most skeptical climate scientists predict that human habitability will be significantly decreased. So far, the most extreme estimates about climate change have been an underestimate.

Now, I don't think we're talking "Venus" here, but we may well be talking about a climate that is so chaotic it's hard for humans to do anything but perpetually struggle to survive.

https://www.undrr.org/gar/gar2022-our-world-risk-gar

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Hex/statuses/116944703535514471https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Hex/statuses/116944703535514471Sun, 19 Jul 2026 04:16:03 GMT