The capitalist carousel: A vicious cycle of inequality, perpetuated by AI
How our current economic system is not well equipped to deal with the revolutionary potential of artificial intelligence
If there is one major flaw that artificial intelligence (AI) development is going to expose moving forward, it is the inconsistencies and flaws of our current systems. As long as we have humans striving to create more wealth for faceless corporate entities (which, let's face it, are artificial in their very own definition,) nothing that AI will contribute to this system will improve it for humans, even marginally.
Valuing unlimited corporate growth and profit for shareholders, over social and environmental externalities, like poverty and pollution, will only result in the exacerbation of current inequities in the world.
AI cannot reinvent our world, the least it will do is mimic and worse, augment the current reality and trend of “profit before all else.”
The first trillionaire on Earth will be a corporation that takes advantage of the efficiencies and power of AI products in the future. This impact will be so profound that it has led some major tech developers to demand the government tax these companies at 90%, so as to ensure that the workers displaced by these developments are still able to feed their families and survive with a stipend generated from this tax income.
Will this happen? Who will bring about such major sea change in our philosophy and system?
It is you, it is me.
Over a decade ago, I walked away from a well paying six figure job at one of the world’s largest companies. In many ways it was a psychospiritual decision. I realised how unhappy I was pursuing the accumulation of wealth at the sacrifice of the improvement of our species and planet. Coming home in a suit, driving a fancy car, made me feel sick to my stomach. It wasn’t some lack of confidence in myself or a lack of feeling I was entitled to this wealth, due to the hidden meritocratic sentiment in our society and the fact I had accrued 4 university degrees in my life to date. I felt like a fraud, like someone who had cheated the system because they were lucky enough to be born into a stable family with all the potential success paving the way before I even took my first step.
I never understood capitalism. I understood competition, but capitalism? It made no sense in my brain and presumably never will. To serve masters (both human and corporate) that do not place our best interests at heart but rather pander to an abstract system that measures wealth in nothing but the counting of evolved sea shells. For me to be richer than my neighbour fills me dread and existential despair. My sensitive nervous system goes awry when witnessing the scope of inequality that exists. Where some families, even in ‘socialist utopia’ New Zealand drive three cars, own two homes and never have to worry about how to make ends meet and feed a family on less than $400 a week. Seeing families struggle whilst others display immense amounts of wealth is not only morally wrong, it is a sign of a deeply sick society.
The wealth gap, an abyss of disparity
In the twisted realm of capitalism, where wealth begets wealth and poverty breeds poverty, humanity finds itself caught in a disheartening web of staggering inequality. This system, with its skyrocketing poverty rates and immense wealth disparities, fails to serve human interests, this much is clearly evident. As are the perilous consequences that await us if we entrust artificial intelligence (AI) models to further support this flawed system, which only perpetuates a few people’s wealth at the expense of the bulk of humanity’s collective misfortune.
In the capitalist landscape, the rich grow richer while the poor bear the brunt of their accumulation. The wealth gap widens, swallowing up the hopes and dreams of countless individuals. This profound inequality emerges not from an inherent flaw in the system itself, but from the manner in which it operates, fueling avarice and reinforcing power imbalances.
As Kurt Vonnegut aptly observed:
"The most important thing I learned on Tralfamadore was that when a person dies, he only appears to die. He is still very much alive in the past, so it is very silly for people to cry at his funeral. All moments, past, present, and future, always have existed, always will exist."
In this sense, the historical roots of capitalism's inequalities have persisted through time, relentlessly asserting their presence in the present.
Poverty is not going away
Poverty, the unholy spawn of capitalism, festers and multiplies, permeating the lives of the marginalised and dispossessed. The promises of upward mobility and equal opportunity appear more elusive than ever, as individuals find themselves trapped in an oppressive cycle of economic deprivation.
The current work models embedded within this system further accelerate this inequality, as people willingly surrender their autonomy and endorse corporations that prioritise profits over human welfare.
It is as if we are riding a perpetual carousel, going around in circles, while the privileged few sip champagne from their lofty perches.
In the capitalist realm, human interests play second fiddle to the relentless pursuit of profit. The tenets of compassion, empathy, and social responsibility are forsaken in favour of a ruthless ethos that glorifies greed. Fueled by profit-maximisation and exploitative labour practices, capitalism perpetuates the relentless rise of worker exploitation. Workers find themselves trapped in a perpetual struggle, toiling for meagre wages that barely sustain their basic needs. This systematic exploitation is perpetuated by the very work models that claim to offer freedom and mobility, coercing individuals into endorsing corporations that prioritise profits over their well-being.
It is like a very elaborate game of hide and go seek, where those seeking never find.
"I urge you to please notice when you are happy and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.'"
Regrettably, in the capitalist circus, such moments of genuine happiness become scarce commodities, distorted by a system that values material possessions above all else. And the worst part is, most people aren’t aware of this.
As mentioned ad nauseum, under the current framework, the principles of compassion, solidarity, and social welfare are sacrificed on the altar of unbridled greed.
"The general population doesn't know what's happening, and it doesn't even know that it doesn't know." -N. Chomsky
This deliberate manipulation of public consciousness through the media, perpetuates a false narrative that equates personal gain with societal progress, diverting attention away from the inherent flaws and injustices of the system.
Not a very clever system is it? It may work for you, but it doesn’t for most.
The AI conundrum
As we stand on the precipice of the AI revolution, the decision to integrate artificial intelligence further into our flawed capitalist system warrants careful consideration. Entrusting AI models to perpetuate the current state of affairs, with its rampant inequality and human exploitation, would only exacerbate our collective misfortune. The role of AI should be reimagined as a force for liberation, ushering in a new era where human interests take precedence over profit margins.
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be."
Let us not pretend that AI can fix our societal woes while blindly embracing a system that perpetuates our suffering.
The capitalist system, with its skyrocketing poverty rates and immense wealth inequality, has failed to serve the interests of humanity. It is a carousel of despair, spinning us round and round, further entrenching the gulf between the haves and the have-nots.
If we allow ourselves to rely on large language AI models to bolster this broken system, we risk perpetuating a cycle of injustice and human misery.
To navigate these treacherous waters, we must embrace a paradigm shift that places human interests at the forefront. We must confront the inherent flaws of the capitalist system and seek alternative models that prioritise equality, justice, and sustainability. And that starts with everyone one of us. If you’re in a job that endorses the system, have a think about what you could do differently. Often our world view changes when we change our angle of perception.
"I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the centre." (K Vonnegut)
It is time for us to stand on the edge, to challenge the status quo, and to re-imagine a future where the dignity and well-being of all are paramount.
"The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum."
As we move forward, let us embrace AI as a tool for societal transformation, not as a means to perpetuate a system that does not serve the majority of the planet. Think about the injustice in the world, not only economic, most of the countries bearing the brunt of the climate catastrophe are not countries that have contributed to its creation and the same with the bulk of the people working jobs that will be replaced by AI, had nothing to do with the development of this disruptive technology.
AI has the potential to revolutionise our world, to alleviate poverty, and to address pressing challenges. However, it is our responsibility to ensure that its implementation aligns with our shared values and aspirations. We must program AI systems to prioritise social justice, inclusivity, and the common good. In doing so, we can harness the power of technology to build a fairer and more equitable society.
Currently we are walking blindfolded into a future that will not see us controlling our own fate. Again, I will say this a million times until people understand, the current capitalist system, with its soaring poverty rates and immense wealth inequality, fails to serve the interests of humanity. Our active participation in this system perpetuates our own suffering and perpetuates a vicious cycle of inequality.
Even if you are doing reasonably well in your current vocation, with no AI replacement in the near future, you are still propping up this crooked system that chooses to listen to market trends more than the struggling people that it is supposed to be supporting.
"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." - Mark Twain
THANK YOU GENIUSES
Again, thanks for reading and all apologies for being silent for so long. To be perfectly honest, it was a mix of writer’s block and being completely dumbfounded by the current trends in AI and the language model Chat-GPT4 in particular. It is not easy to acknowledge that essentially a modern typewriter can do your job better and more efficiently than you. In fact Kurt Vonnegut who I have quoted extensively throughout this article (and referenced in a previous AI article which you can find here), embarked on a masters thesis trying to create a computer model that could write stories. So none of this is new. But what is new, is that it is actually happening right NOW! So bizarre to be living in this era, right before the dawn of this new super brain. Both daunting and exciting I guess..
And also I wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you who have stuck with me and support me with your subscription and one off paypal contributions. It means so much to me and as a thank you, I will start writing more frequently now.
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