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Data center opponents stage 142 protests across 42 US states

reuters.com

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Re: Data center opponents stage 142 protests across 42 US states

#4

Totally organic.

It is completely organic and it is not new at all. Every step change in technology involved people like this (though this one is a bit unique in size).

This type of thinking: "slowing down", "being in harmony with nature", "be content with what you have" is the default mode of thinking for most rich/educated people.

(Note: this type of thinking comes at the upper echelons of Maslow's needs - impoverished third worlders don't have takes on it)

What I think is that most have had enough of chaotic progress and they just want some inkling of stability and some breathing space to even contemplate on the last 20 years of change. What they are instead seeing is a barrage of stuff thrown at them one after the other. I can understand them. And so should all of us.

The suggestion that this is a CCP play shows a lack of theory of mind.

Re: Data center opponents stage 142 protests across 42 US states

#5

Totally organic.

It is completely organic and it is not new at all. Every step change in technology involved people like this (though this one is a bit unique in size). This type of thinking: "slowing down", "being in harmony with nature", "be content with what you have" is the default mode of thinking for most rich/educated people. (Note: this type of thinking comes at the upper echelons of Maslow's needs - impoverished third worlde…

I think both explanations are not mutually exclusive.

Re: Data center opponents stage 142 protests across 42 US states

#6

Totally organic.

It is completely organic and it is not new at all. Every step change in technology involved people like this (though this one is a bit unique in size). This type of thinking: "slowing down", "being in harmony with nature", "be content with what you have" is the default mode of thinking for most rich/educated people. (Note: this type of thinking comes at the upper echelons of Maslow's needs - impoverished third worlde…

People are perfectly content to accept pollution if it provides actual jobs not just money for tech bro douchebags living on a yacht in Tahiti.

Instead of buying politicians if you want to build a datacenter start sponsoring the local high school gymnastics club. And for fuck sake never talk about how much you hate society and want to put people out of a job.

Silicon Valley is so terrible at PR. They could learn a thing or two from the industrialists of the early 20th century.

Re: Data center opponents stage 142 protests across 42 US states

#7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is completely organic and it is not new at all. Every step change in technology involved people like this (though this one is a bit unique in size). This type of thinking: "slowing down", "being in harmony with nature", "be content with what you have" is the default mode of thinking for most rich/educated people. (Note: this type of thinking comes at the upper echelons of Maslow's needs - impoverished third worlde…

People are perfectly content to accept pollution if it provides actual jobs not just money for tech bro douchebags living on a yacht in Tahiti. Instead of buying politicians if you want to build a datacenter start sponsoring the local high school gymnastics club. And for fuck sake never talk about how much you hate society and want to put people out of a job. Silicon Valley is so terrible at PR. They could learn a th…

> start sponsoring the local high school gymnastics club

I would prefer using taxes instead of one-off theatrical gestures. And it looks like data centres already pay tax. Maybe what you want is higher taxes? Possibly a good idea if it doesn't disincentivise the construction in the first place.

Re: Data center opponents stage 142 protests across 42 US states

#8

Totally organic.

It is completely organic and it is not new at all. Every step change in technology involved people like this (though this one is a bit unique in size). This type of thinking: "slowing down", "being in harmony with nature", "be content with what you have" is the default mode of thinking for most rich/educated people. (Note: this type of thinking comes at the upper echelons of Maslow's needs - impoverished third worlde…

>> The suggestion that this is a CCP play shows a lack of theory of mind.

As if destruction / denigration of US AI / cloud / IT infrastructure wouldn't massively benefit the CCP. Surely there's no correlation there at all, just means, motive, and opportunity, but I'm sure it's nothing.

Re: Data center opponents stage 142 protests across 42 US states

#9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People are perfectly content to accept pollution if it provides actual jobs not just money for tech bro douchebags living on a yacht in Tahiti. Instead of buying politicians if you want to build a datacenter start sponsoring the local high school gymnastics club. And for fuck sake never talk about how much you hate society and want to put people out of a job. Silicon Valley is so terrible at PR. They could learn a th…

> start sponsoring the local high school gymnastics club I would prefer using taxes instead of one-off theatrical gestures. And it looks like data centres already pay tax. Maybe what you want is higher taxes? Possibly a good idea if it doesn't disincentivise the construction in the first place.

What they want is neighbors invested in the same future as they are. “AI data centers” are just a very blunt expression of an industry that is banking on making schools, careers, and even interpersonal relationships obsolete. We used to start wars over this kind of threat to our “way of life”

Re: Data center opponents stage 142 protests across 42 US states

#10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is completely organic and it is not new at all. Every step change in technology involved people like this (though this one is a bit unique in size). This type of thinking: "slowing down", "being in harmony with nature", "be content with what you have" is the default mode of thinking for most rich/educated people. (Note: this type of thinking comes at the upper echelons of Maslow's needs - impoverished third worlde…

People are perfectly content to accept pollution if it provides actual jobs not just money for tech bro douchebags living on a yacht in Tahiti. Instead of buying politicians if you want to build a datacenter start sponsoring the local high school gymnastics club. And for fuck sake never talk about how much you hate society and want to put people out of a job. Silicon Valley is so terrible at PR. They could learn a th…

> People are perfectly content to accept pollution if it provides actual jobs not just money for tech bro douchebags living on a yacht in Tahiti.

> And for fuck sake never talk about how much you hate society and want to put people out of a job.

Let's say for the sake of argument, AI eliminates most jobs. In that case, the government will need to replace income tax.

Will the American government have an easier time taxing the physical datacenter in the United States or the billionaire that owns it in Tahiti?

And will the American government have any ability to tax a datacenter built in Dubai because there was too much bureaucracy in Virginia?

> They could learn a thing or two from the industrialists of the early 20th century.

We could learn a thing or two from the industrialists of the 18th century, who built all their infrastructure in the United Kingdom because it was convenient for them.

The British government's early advantage in factories snowballed into the largest empire on Earth and they maintained the advantage until WW2.

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