Episode 65: With Moshe, Part Two (On Attention, Social Media, Happiness and Mental Suffering, the Human Species, Artificial Intelligence, Universal Basic Income and the Future)

Jonah Asks

Welcome Back to Jonah Asks, Here's part two of my conversation with Moshe. We discuss: attention, social media, happiness and mental suffering, the human species and biology, artificial intelligence, universal basic income and the future. music: This instrumental piece is an original of mine, based around a piano recording, added effects and then a sampled cello and atmospheric pad loop from samplefocus.com. You can find it on my other podcast, Poems, Guitar and Meditations.https://player.fm/series/poems-guitar-and-meditations/piano-cello-atmospheric-loop-for-sleep ParentingBalancing the desire to give attention and support with the need to step back and observe young children. 6 minAttention and FocusMaintaining attention amidst the wave of information and social media's impact. 10 minMoshe Chooses HappinessMental suffering - Mental suffering was rampant in Moshe's family. Moshe's aunt was a Holocaust survivor. On her deathbed, her son asked her "Was everything so bad?" She responded, "There were some good things, but we don't talk about that." Happiness seemed unavailable to many who lived through and survived the Holocaust. Moshe has atrial fibrillation. He has to be careful with his heart. Too much stress with atrial fibrillation can lead to stroke. 20 minProgress of the Human SpeciesMoshe is a firm believer in the progress and survival of the human species. "I'm not arguing with the universe. I will argue with reality. My optimism is based on the possibility that the evils of capitalism the way we know it and the development of artificial intelligence and other technologies will force mankind to develop a new paradigm and new understanding of how society should work. 28 minConsidering the Future: 2050 and BeyondWe veer into the future, the impact of artificial intelligence, the possibility of Universal Basic Income, etc. We disagree about how humans will evolve. 37 minTechnology and Techno-UtopianismMoshe sees human progress as an inevitability. Jonah sees human connection as a practice that has been eroding in modern life. 42 minBiology Isn't Bothered By Our Obsession with Technology...or Is It?Moshe believes in biology. Jonah believes in our biological need to make connections. Resources: New Yorker "Two Supreme Court Cases That Could Break the Internet" https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/two-supreme-court-cases-that-could-break-the-internet Tristan Harris - Center for Humane Tech https://www.humanetech.com/who-we-are