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overall i was pretty disappointed. ted's writing wasn't very good at all & his arguments did not convince me. i was surprised because of his writing seems to be universally praised in tech circles.
in my opinion it isn't worth reading. it's philosophical cosplay.
The analysis, while lucidly exposed, lacks the sophistication which should reveal more major possibilities (e.g. the machine as an enhancer for the decisor and the public).
Nonetheless, we read
> On the other hand it is possible that human control over the machines may be retained. In that case the average man may have control over certain private machines of his own, such as his car or his personal computer, but control over large systems of machines will be in the hands of a tiny elite
where the missed addition of quantifiers and specifiers in the expression «may have control» makes said relative "lack of sophistication" even optimistic.
The astute observation is that a lot of unhappiness is driven by over-socialization and a commitment to inauthentic, subjective values.
The solution, to tear down technology to force mankind to work on more primitive goals, only makes sense if there are no alternatives.
Thankfully there are many alternatives. First and foremost, I think people like Ted just need to realize that the yearning to be important and useful is natural, but something you can let go of if you stop taking life so seriously.
Note: the original Luddites weren't against technology. They were against technology minimizing worker power.
I don't follow why he chose to send bombs to people. But at least to the Luddites, sabotage of the means of production was considered laudable.
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On every measure, there was never a better time in the history of civilization to live.
Obesity rate.
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He's written a couple of books (didn't have complete freedom to do it, I remember him complaining about some hurdles) and done mail correspondence with various people.
> and done mail correspondence with various people I hope the prison guards checked those mails thoroughly
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"Technology bad." It's really that. He falls for the same trap many modern critics of progress do: the nostalgia for a world that never existed, when men lived meaningful lives in peaceful harmony with nature... juxtaposed with all the purported moral, societal, and environmental decay of today. Many people find it alluring today, but the themes are evergreen. They crop up in ancient Greece, in the Middle Ages, and t…
Thank you. It’s depressing to find so many people on HN expressing sympathy for the nonsense written in the manifesto. People should read “Beginning of Infinity” for a strong counter argument.
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who refuted it? other federal agencies? the crack just materialized on its own?
There was never any evidence to begin with. The author of the often cited investigative report even refutes the assertion that the CIA was involved. It’s pure fantasy.