A taxonomy of omnicidal futures involving artificial intelligence (2025)

Post by euroderf » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 9:35 AM UTC

le-mark wrote: post #8

I recently read Kurt Vonnegut “Player Piano”, a novel that addresses automation taking over the economy. It’s not explicitly AI but addresses the same issues. Published in 1952, it was Vonneguts first novel and a real product of the post war era.[1] Another interesting read that addresses these themes is “Manna – Two Views of Humanity’s Future” by Marshal Brain [2] [1] https://antilogicalism.com/wp-content/uploads/20…

Post by customguy » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 11:19 AM UTC

wbl wrote: post #40

customguy wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But I've also worked with plenty of people for whom their job and their overall identity are inexorably intertwined. Is that an argument for or against jobs? Because one way to look at it is that they didn't develop a personality and identity at all, because they just attached themselves to a job. When that inevitably ends anyway, sooner or later, one way or another, a deep pit of nothing. That's one reason to rip…

Jobs are things people are willing to pay money to have done and thus are important to society. It's not surprising people find purpose in them.

Post by red-iron-pine » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:15 PM UTC

euroderf wrote: post #71

le-mark wrote: post #8

I recently read Kurt Vonnegut “Player Piano”, a novel that addresses automation taking over the economy. It’s not explicitly AI but addresses the same issues. Published in 1952, it was Vonneguts first novel and a real product of the post war era.[1] Another interesting read that addresses these themes is “Manna – Two Views of Humanity’s Future” by Marshal Brain [2] [1] https://antilogicalism.com/wp-content/uploads/20…

Player Piano is great. The ending is kind of upbeat and hopeful: If there's no "work" as such, there's always "hobbies" (or whatever you could call it) - ways to feel AND BE useful and to better the world and the lives of others.

Post by zebomon » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 1:42 PM UTC

red-iron-pine wrote: post #75

euroderf wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Player Piano is great. The ending is kind of upbeat and hopeful: If there's no "work" as such, there's always "hobbies" (or whatever you could call it) - ways to feel AND BE useful and to better the world and the lives of others.

Fear and Loathing in the Magic Kingdom touches on this. In a post-scarcity economy, what do you do? Work and hobbies kinda blend.

Post by G3nD » Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 3:30 PM UTC

khazhoux wrote: post #57

jazzyjackson wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who made you the obscure word police? End of world scenarios are not always Doomsdays, they could include salvation for instance, so it really is not synonymous with eschatology.

I completed a 6-month course at the Word Police Academy in Scranton with top grades. I am fully licensed. "Eschatological" is extremely obscure, and the vast majority of readers will not understand what is being said. I've seen the word in the wild probably on two occasions in my entire life. Plus, "doomsday" doesn't need to be synonymous. This particular post was exactly referring to an obsession with doomsday scena…