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A Mulching Proposal (2019)

arxiv.org

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Re: A Mulching Proposal (2019)

#22

Post by politelemon »

simplotek wrote: post #15
ZeroGravitas wrote: post #11

"Fauxghee" is one of the best puns ever. I have a sneaking suspicion that they started with that pun and worked backwards.

For the oblivious like me, what's the pun?

Fauxghee sounds like "fogey" which refers to an older person: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fogey

Faux is imitation

Ghee is a type of clarified butter: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghee

Re: A Mulching Proposal (2019)

#24

Post by cs702 »

This parody is a brilliant take-down of the so-called FAT framework for making sure algorithms, including those powered by AI, are ethical. ("FAT" stands for making algorithms Fair, Accountable, and Transparent.) The authors show how FAT and other similar frameworks would fail to prevent the proposed launch of a new automated service for manufacturing different varieties of high-nutrient slurries:

> Elderly volunteers (or "mulchees") are provided with generous payments for their families before being rendered down and recombined with other chemicals into a range of substitutes for common foodstuffs, including hash browns (Grandmash™), bananas (Nanas™) and butter (Fauxghee™).

Go read the whole thing. It's horrifically funny.

Re: A Mulching Proposal (2019)

#26

Post by kevviiinn »

totetsu wrote: post #9
h2odragon wrote: post #3

2019. Hasn't spawned a billion dollar startup yet. There must be something wrong with the idea, or it'd have been commercialized by now.

I think this topic shifted from the realm of Satirical hypothesis into the real world about six months after is was published.

Sacrifice the elders to the gods of the Economy!

Re: A Mulching Proposal (2019)

#27

Post by simplotek »

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #20
simplotek wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the oblivious like me, what's the pun?

In context: > Elderly volunteers (or "mulchees") are provided with generous payments for their families before being rendered down and recombined with other chemicals into a range of substitutes for common foodstuffs, including hash browns (Grandmash™), bananas (Nanas™) and butter (Fauxghee™). So one meaning is Faux Ghee (faux as in fake, Ghee as in a type of clarified butter, originating from South Asia) which follo…

Thanks for the near-academic preciseness and clarity of your explanation. Puny!

Re: A Mulching Proposal (2019)

#29

Post by rav »

helsinkiandrew wrote: post #13

The publicity image for the project (Fig 1, page 3) featuring Henry Kissinger is borderline genius: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1908.06166.pdf

For me, the best part is the pun in the subtitle: "Logan-Nolan Industries - Helping Humanity Make Ends Meat"

Re: A Mulching Proposal (2019)

#30

Post by neilv »

rav wrote: post #29
helsinkiandrew wrote: post #13

The publicity image for the project (Fig 1, page 3) featuring Henry Kissinger is borderline genius: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1908.06166.pdf

For me, the best part is the pun in the subtitle: "Logan-Nolan Industries - Helping Humanity Make Ends Meat"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan%27s_Run
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