I think there's a lot of value in what you're saying and doing - when I saw you on the tube the other day, your jacket made me conscious of the way I was procrastinating reading my book in order to look at a phone that hardly had any signal; what's the point of that! However, it's a little strange that you are sharply critical (and rightly so) of the phone companies but are credulous of AI, which is just another way that big tech has inserted itself into our lives and poisoned the well.
All that a large language model does is figure out the most probable next word, on a word by word basis (which is way it's so massively wasteful and detrimental to the environment), it has no ability to understand. It might be pulling those numbers from a study it has ingested, though in this case I think what you're looking is pretty untested so in all likelihood it's just making it up; you can find countless examples of AI "hallucinations" if you look online. It's not a reliable source for anything and is often actively harmful (to the individual and to the world).
Anyway, I hope that didn't come off scolding. I thought it was worth sharing because I think you're getting so much else right. Wishing you the best, and maybe I'll wander into you on the Victoria line again!
Oh and thank you! And best wishes for your own battle!
Your observation about trying to look at a phone with no signal is SOOO familiar to me. 90% of my own use over my life has been pathetic fit-and-start half checking. People make out like these things are so compelling, but really it’s just instinctive checking-fixing-indecision most of the time. If you get a chance, there is a bit I wrote about that called Other People’s Phones. It has an awful AI picture on it, which I am just about to change :-)
Thank you so much for taking the time to write! It’s hugely appreciated.
You make a really good point. As I’m sure you will have detected this is far from the finished article and am thinking this through day by day.
Suffice to say - you are completely right. When I wrote that piece I was kind of giddy with excitement, and genuinely curious as to what was happening in my head and googling it like crazy. And then googling kind of merges with AI nowadays doesn’t it.
In the weeks since my thinking has moved on a lot.
Partly I’m more confident in understanding what’s going on in my mind without asking a computer.
Another huge part of it is - I don’t know if you happened to see a piece I wrote (now) called Dopamine and Dukkha - I’m increasingly convinced that part of the phone’s allure is that instinct to check everything. And that (although I didn’t recognise it when I wrote that piece either) AI is likely a poisonously compelling version of that. The checking everything addiction needs to be fought.
And yet another reason. I write all this myself. I would never allow AI to write for me because a) ugh b) what’s the point, I enjoy it; c) if I allow AI to write for me it’ll stop my brain coming up with the words. As part of that I increasingly became uncomfortable with any use of AI… I had previously used it for pictures which I felt at the time to be harmless, and - I’m now weeding them out and replacing them with non-AI imagery.
That is very rambly. In only the way humans can be! But long story short - you are right. And thank you so much for saying so.
I‘m very glad to hear from the changes you make as a parent because yes, every hour a kid is on a phone scrolling is an hour it will never get back. But also every hour on the family by a parent is an hour the parent will not get back with their kids.
Such a great move - make the most of out of every chance to take a break from the phone. I tried to read a book on the commute last year and was embarrassed to find I couldn't concentrate. For me I needed to intentionally break the phone's power as a first step. A few weeks in, it's really helped me enjoy reading more in the evenings.
You are so much better at this writing malarkey than I am.
Yet again, you don't have to say much without getting and holding my attention - just throw in some pop culture remarks and had me trying to remember the name of the potion (Felix Felicis...didn't even google it to find out).
It is remarkable what 30 days can do and I am so pleased to read you are continuing - I think it's brilliant that you are doing it and wearing the vest is a stroke of genius!
Im sending you some Liquid Luck via the flue network...
Paul I so appreciate you taking the time to write this. As we all know sharing your thoughts with the world like this can be a lonely process. So taking the time to say such kind things and to support my writing means a huge amount to me. Thank you.
And liquid luck very gratefully received! With the benefits so manifest I feel confident I will be able to push on phone free. But as we all know, these things are so compelling, and that Evil Advisor is so insidious and beguiling... 😃
I think there's a lot of value in what you're saying and doing - when I saw you on the tube the other day, your jacket made me conscious of the way I was procrastinating reading my book in order to look at a phone that hardly had any signal; what's the point of that! However, it's a little strange that you are sharply critical (and rightly so) of the phone companies but are credulous of AI, which is just another way that big tech has inserted itself into our lives and poisoned the well.
All that a large language model does is figure out the most probable next word, on a word by word basis (which is way it's so massively wasteful and detrimental to the environment), it has no ability to understand. It might be pulling those numbers from a study it has ingested, though in this case I think what you're looking is pretty untested so in all likelihood it's just making it up; you can find countless examples of AI "hallucinations" if you look online. It's not a reliable source for anything and is often actively harmful (to the individual and to the world).
Anyway, I hope that didn't come off scolding. I thought it was worth sharing because I think you're getting so much else right. Wishing you the best, and maybe I'll wander into you on the Victoria line again!
Oh and thank you! And best wishes for your own battle!
Your observation about trying to look at a phone with no signal is SOOO familiar to me. 90% of my own use over my life has been pathetic fit-and-start half checking. People make out like these things are so compelling, but really it’s just instinctive checking-fixing-indecision most of the time. If you get a chance, there is a bit I wrote about that called Other People’s Phones. It has an awful AI picture on it, which I am just about to change :-)
Thank you so much for taking the time to write! It’s hugely appreciated.
You make a really good point. As I’m sure you will have detected this is far from the finished article and am thinking this through day by day.
Suffice to say - you are completely right. When I wrote that piece I was kind of giddy with excitement, and genuinely curious as to what was happening in my head and googling it like crazy. And then googling kind of merges with AI nowadays doesn’t it.
In the weeks since my thinking has moved on a lot.
Partly I’m more confident in understanding what’s going on in my mind without asking a computer.
Another huge part of it is - I don’t know if you happened to see a piece I wrote (now) called Dopamine and Dukkha - I’m increasingly convinced that part of the phone’s allure is that instinct to check everything. And that (although I didn’t recognise it when I wrote that piece either) AI is likely a poisonously compelling version of that. The checking everything addiction needs to be fought.
And yet another reason. I write all this myself. I would never allow AI to write for me because a) ugh b) what’s the point, I enjoy it; c) if I allow AI to write for me it’ll stop my brain coming up with the words. As part of that I increasingly became uncomfortable with any use of AI… I had previously used it for pictures which I felt at the time to be harmless, and - I’m now weeding them out and replacing them with non-AI imagery.
That is very rambly. In only the way humans can be! But long story short - you are right. And thank you so much for saying so.
And for reading this.
And saying hey.
The best is def high vis and amazing. I love your commitment and courage.
Thank you! That’s so kind of you to say so! I alternate between confidence and embarrassment, but increasingly the former!
Just about to commute home, and at this point find I’m looking forward to it.
I‘m very glad to hear from the changes you make as a parent because yes, every hour a kid is on a phone scrolling is an hour it will never get back. But also every hour on the family by a parent is an hour the parent will not get back with their kids.
This is why I am never without a book or magazine - super commute gap filler
Such a great move - make the most of out of every chance to take a break from the phone. I tried to read a book on the commute last year and was embarrassed to find I couldn't concentrate. For me I needed to intentionally break the phone's power as a first step. A few weeks in, it's really helped me enjoy reading more in the evenings.
You nearly had me in tears Will!!!!
You are so much better at this writing malarkey than I am.
Yet again, you don't have to say much without getting and holding my attention - just throw in some pop culture remarks and had me trying to remember the name of the potion (Felix Felicis...didn't even google it to find out).
It is remarkable what 30 days can do and I am so pleased to read you are continuing - I think it's brilliant that you are doing it and wearing the vest is a stroke of genius!
Im sending you some Liquid Luck via the flue network...
Paul I so appreciate you taking the time to write this. As we all know sharing your thoughts with the world like this can be a lonely process. So taking the time to say such kind things and to support my writing means a huge amount to me. Thank you.
And liquid luck very gratefully received! With the benefits so manifest I feel confident I will be able to push on phone free. But as we all know, these things are so compelling, and that Evil Advisor is so insidious and beguiling... 😃
You've got this - here's to another 30 days!!!!