The Sword and Laser discussion

In the podcast, Tom and Veronica talked about how Machinehood might seem a little too close to reality from the social media POV. I definitely agree, and I though I’m enjoying the book, the idea of being constantly watched and judged made me shudder. I feel like we are very close to this reality, and I want NOTHING to do with it! (rushes off to watch someone talk about themselves on YouTube ;P)

The tip jar thing reminded me of an episode of black mirror, and it feels like everyone who has more than a little notoriety has to be constantly aware of how everything they are saying and doing might be received. There is an element of this in todays world already with discussions of ‘cancel culture’ and the way people can literally lose a job over something posted online years ago. The world of Machinehood seems like such a performative reality to live in, and I wonder how far from this world we are.

I agree. I felt like the (view spoiler)[ abortion discussion/approach was spot on for the US. (hide spoiler)] I finished the book a couple weeks ago and it is growing on me and did find myself say yes to Tom and Veronica as I was listening. I more interested in seeing AI…so there is that.

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "In the podcast, Tom and Veronica talked about how Machinehood might seem a little too close to reality from the social media POV. I definitely agree, and I though I’m enjoying the book, the idea of..."

Curious to know your thoughts now that you've finished it!

Hmmm, you know, I stopped thinking about it the further I got into the book. I guess, like Welga, I got used to the cameras being around all the time, and when (view spoiler)[everything went away (hide spoiler)] it felt strange and uncomfortable.

A lot of people these days talk about how we should all get away from technology, stop looking at our phones, and have real conversations, and I think the book did a good job of exploring the pros and the cons of this tech just not being there. I really liked the quiet comfort in the scenes where (view spoiler)[where Nithya had to make do with limited supplies (and no magic cooking machine!) to care for her friends and family, but boy was a glad that situation was only temporary.

Also, it was pretty much the world saved by social media in the end there, wasn’t it? (hide spoiler)] It makes me wonder how something like the thalidomide scandal would be handled in todays world? I feel like the news of harmful effects would spread so much faster in today’s world.

So I guess in the later parts of the book I felt more positively towards our current technology and the parallels felt less uncomfortable.

Though, please tell me that when we actually get to the time this book is set we won’t still be policing women’s bodies!!! Those bits were the worst! Also also (view spoiler)[how come they have these magic drugs that make getting shot a piece of cake, but abortion has to leave you sick and in pain for days - the patriarchy is still strong in this book, huh! (hide spoiler)]

It makes me wonder how something like the thalidomide scandal would be handled in todays world?
I fear half the world would be in denial regardless of the evidence. Not sure anything in this book suggest things would be different than today where technology is an echo chamber that reinforces our insularity and tribalism. You see the same in the scandal that blocks access to any information about Welga's condition regardless of the freedom of information laws in place.

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "It makes me wonder how something like the thalidomide scandal would be handled in todays world?."

I figure it would be the opposite. A harmless drug with no side effects gets blamed for some deaths or deformities and gets banned... (cough... Andrew Wakefield... cough...).

Ha, you’re both probably right, but the positive outcome of the book left me feeling more positive, so I’m gonna keep dwelling there in ‘now is pretty good’ land if that’s okay! :P

Though, yeah, I have some relatives I had to block from facebook because the rubbish they were posting began taking a toll on me - the absolute nonsense they believed! They thought, for example that you can boil grapefruit peel to make quinine and cure covid, and that you can catch lyme disease from masks. No amount of showing how wrong they were, as kindly and gently as I could, even with things so easily disprovable as these examples would get through to them. They would laugh at me and call me stupid and ignorant and were utterly convinced that they were right, because the bubble they had become so routed in kept telling them they were. Damn now I’m depressed again! :P

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "Ha, you’re both probably right, but the positive outcome of the book left me feeling more positive, so I’m gonna keep dwelling there in ‘now is pretty good’ land if that’s okay! :P

Though, yeah, I..."
My mother tried to tell me the Earth is flat. I hope she doesn't still believe that.