We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser.

[daojoan@mastodon.social]

We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser.

We have more information than any humans who ever lived.

We are not wiser.

[golgaloth@writing.exchange]

@Daojoan A lot of us are. I certainly am with the internet at my fingertips. But there are so many people abusing information to feed their bottomless longing to be superior.

[grumpydad@infosec.exchange]

@Daojoan To be fair some (or many at least) of us are. Unfortunately, the opposite also seems to be true.

[nikkileah@mendeddrum.org]

@Daojoan sadly, the same tools used to share information have also been used for propaganda, disinformation and lies.

[joncounts@mastodon.nz]

@Daojoan Yup. Cue one of my favourite Douglas Adams quotations, from Last Chance to See (1990):

"It's easy to think that as a result of the extinction of the dodo we are now sadder and wiser, but there's a lot of evidence to suggest that we are merely sadder and better informed."

#DouglasAdams

[desikn@mastodon.social]

@Daojoan We built the internet thinking we would have all the information in the world at our fingertips, thus making us more informed. But we failed to see that misinformation spreads faster than information.

[steve@social.coop]

@Daojoan Tech does not lead to doing things better, or to doing better things. Tech just allows us to do the same things as before, but faster.

[endlessmason@hachyderm.io]

@Daojoan
We have information shaped things.

[toddalio@social.vivaldi.net]

@Daojoan We're basically the equivalent of going to a buffet restaurant with the intent of limiting yourself to grilled chicken and steamed broccoli, but two hours later, you've stuffed yourself with fried foods, cheese, and dessert.

[sjcooke66@mastodon.social]

@Daojoan It's because Wisdom is not the residue you have left when stupidity boils off...
I'm misquoting an original line from Robert Newman's Radio show and Book 'Neuropolis'.

[countholdem@mastodon.social]

@Daojoan We should be wiser with artificial data, like AI and ultra-processed foods that diminish every generation's capacity, for deciphering the lesser, from the greater.

Ignorance truly is, the ultimate enemy.

#Education #Revolution #BoycottAI

[jlperuyero@masto.nobigtech.es]

@Daojoan
Too much food and we don't even know how to fry an egg.

[durrendal@mastodon.social]

@Daojoan well put. Information is just a tool and doesn't define wisdom at all. We still need to contemplate it's use, act upon it, and habituate that action to become wise.

In the age of LLMs it's easier than ever to jump straight to an "I sound wise" solution without the slightest modicum of depth and the result. Aristotle pointed to this same problem in Nicomachean Ethics when he discussed craft labor and Phronesis and drew the same conclusions.

[nmba@mstdn.ca]

@Daojoan
It was working when the internet was free. For example twitter was a wonderful tool for information sharing and learning until the fascist oligarchy realized that a wiser citizenry is not in their favour, now it is for disinformation and thought control.

[androcat@toot.cat]

@Daojoan

Actual wisdom: "Know how to recognize fascists, so you can fuck them up"

[renardboy@mastodon.social]

@Daojoan This is the main thing I'm wrestling with as I work to contiinue loving humanity honestly.

It's relevant to note that the information age is still very young however. There's a huge proportion of the population still who grew up without it.

[trixiemaina@mstdn.social]

@Daojoan We built libraries in our pockets, but forgot to build discernment in our minds...

[sometimeslovely@mas.to]

@Daojoan
Knowledge

[catsalad@infosec.exchange]

@Daojoan It is, however, the golden age of cat photos!

[h1trex@mastodon.social]

@Daojoan I wouldn't say we did not get wiser. The added wisdom is just used to make more profits for the few, than better lifes for the many