Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg cover image

Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg

Do technological innovations yield net gains in the long run? (with Justin Smith-Ruiu)

Oct 25, 2023
01:26:11
Snipd AI
In this episode, Justin Smith-Ruiu and host Spencer Greenberg discuss the impact of technological innovations, the decline of the academic humanities, and the trade-offs of technological progress. They explore perspectives on gender differences, reflect on the desire to attack the modern world, and delve into the decline of art and the rise of financialization. The conversation touches on algorithmic art, the significance of literacy, and the net gains of technology over time.
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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Technological innovations solve existing problems but also generate new ones, creating a continuous cycle of challenges.
  • Technological advancements change the nature of problems faced by humans without definitively improving their overall quality of life.

Deep dives

The Limits of Tech Solutionism

The podcast episode explores the concept of tech solutionism and its limitations. The guest, Justin Smith-Ruea, raises the point that new technologies not only solve existing problems but also generate new ones. He gives examples like the development of artificial intelligence and the potential risks associated with it. Smith-Ruea argues that the tech world continuously creates and solves its own problems, and we should not expect to reach a point where all solutions have been definitively laid out. He suggests that our focus on innovation may prevent us from inhabiting a world with fewer problems.

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