Showerthoughts

29786 readers

258 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

Rules

All posts must be showerthoughts
The entire showerthought must be in the title
Avoid politics
- 3.1) NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out
- 3.2) Political posts often end up being circle jerks (not offering unique perspective) or enflaming (too much work for mods).
- 3.3) Try c/politicaldiscussion, volunteer as a mod here, or start your own community.
Posts must be original/unique
Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

399

When I was a kid in the 80s, "computers will teach your kids in school" was one of those future utopia predictions. Now the thought of a computer teaching kids is horrifying to me. (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

98 comments fedilink hide all child comments

It was right there with flying cars and domed cities on the moon. That was part of the whole Disneyworld/OMNI Magazine promise about life in the year 2000.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

have you heard that the internet was supposed to bring people together and ends pointless debates

I don't know why anyone would ever think that.

People are always going to have differing opinions.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

I was one of those people. I still maintain hope, but the fear of what the algorithms will do outweighs that hope some days.

The thinking was that people's core opinions are formed while they are young. They are mostly inherited from your family and society around you, so that information bubbles are formed early that are hard to break out of.

I thought that if people were exposed to multiple cultures and ideas from a young age through the Internet, they would understand them better -- not just as foreign concepts told to them through a thick lens of bias from their parents and teachers.

However, I failed to predict the opposite powers. First were the echo chambers that formed, strengthening the deepest dark sides of humanity that, before, were kept locked away in basements lacking anyone with whom to discuss and provide validity. Then the corpos and MBAs figured out they could psychology game us all with algorithms. They didn't necessarily know at first that the negative content would be the best for driving engagement; but they didn't care either.

So right now I think the bad is outweighing the good. But I don't think it has to stay this way forever.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

I disagree!