The Tincture of Nihilism
I was keen to turn the page on 2025 and usher in the new year with vision, verve, and vigor.
Alas, I am neither energized nor optimistic.
This may be the enervation that builds while (still !) waiting for the kids' school to restart.
But, I chalk it up to three clouds of thought:
The scumbags are winning. Unethical leaders aren't just avoiding accountability—they're being rewarded with immunity, higher share prices, and the prospects of more ahead.
AGI is already here. As a daily user of LLMs, the current models are impressive. I agree with Robin Sloan's conclusion that AGI is here, and think that Fred Wilson's post today (Notebook Lawyer) is an amuse-bouche of what's to come for knowledge workers and the professions.
The news. Volatility, expediency, and the lack of legal restraint make it hard to think and build for the long term.
It's all creating a fog of anomie for the start of the year.
Perhaps it's fitting that the Contraptions Book Club is starting with Candide.
One sees the attractions of the garden...
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