DL 376
Change Blindness
Welcome to Digitally Literate, issue #376. This week, I explored the impact of algorithms, the evolving role of AI, and how unconscious processes shape our decisions.
🔖 Key Takeaways
- Unchecked Algorithms: Algorithms often automate inequality and bias, demanding transparency and accountability.
- AI’s Power Dynamics: The latest technological wave may radically redistribute power, with AI playing a central role.
- Change Blindness: Our perception is more detailed than previously believed, but attentional gaps remain.
📚 Readings & Insights
1. The Dangers of Unchecked Algorithms
Cathy O’Neil’s Weapons of Math Destruction exposes how algorithms can perpetuate inequality and prejudice in decisions like credit scoring and prison sentencing. O’Neil calls for greater accountability and transparency in their use. Explore more.
Why this matters: Mathematical models profoundly impact our lives, often without oversight, reinforcing structural inequalities.
2. The Intelligence Explosion
Nick Bostrom predicts the creation of general intelligence smarter than humans within this century. While this breakthrough could redefine humanity, it carries immense responsibility.
Why this matters: As we develop AI, we must address ethical concerns and human cruelty to prevent catastrophic outcomes. Learn more.
3. OpenAI’s New Core Values
OpenAI has updated its values, prioritizing AGI (artificial general intelligence) development above its previous principles. Read more.
Why this matters: Shifting values raise questions about transparency, ethics, and whether corporations genuinely uphold their stated principles.
4. Perception and Change Blindness
New research challenges assumptions about how much detail we perceive in our surroundings. Familiarity enhances our ability to notice changes, even when distracted or interrupted. Dive deeper.
Why this matters: Phenomena like change blindness and inattentional blindness show the limitations of human awareness and how focus affects perception.
5. The Whole Earth Catalog Goes Online
The Whole Earth Catalog, a seminal publication blending ecological awareness and technological progress, is now freely accessible online. This archive offers a nostalgic yet relevant lens for exploring sustainable futures. Access the catalog.
Why this matters: Revisiting the catalog’s blend of ecology and innovation offers inspiration for tackling today’s interconnected challenges.
🛠️ DO: Enhance Decision-Making
Think, Blink, or Sleep-on-it?
A longform piece reveals that distraction often leads to better decisions than conscious thought or snap judgments, particularly when evidence is limited. Explore the science.
Key insight: Our unconscious mind can process and integrate information effectively, often outperforming deliberate thinking in complex scenarios.
🌟 Closing Reflection
“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.”
— James Baldwin
Thank you for being a part of Digitally Literate. Let’s navigate these digital landscapes together! Reach out at hello@digitallyliterate.net or browse the Newsletter Index for more insights.