Humans On The Loop

Rufus Pollock, a prominent entrepreneur and co-founder of Life Itself, delves into engaging conversations about the intersection of culture and technology. He emphasizes the importance of community in navigating modern challenges and the need for ecological consciousness. Pollock explores the concept of a Second Renaissance, highlighting personal and collective transformation as keys to societal progress. Their discussion also touches on the complex relationship between trust, ethics, and capitalism, advocating for reflection and innovative governance in times of crisis.

George Pór, a mentee of Doug Englebart and founder of multiple initiatives focused on collective intelligence, delves into the role of AI as a tool for enhancing human wisdom. He discusses his journey from sociologist to metamodern AI shaman, emphasizing collaboration between humans and machines. Pór explores reclaiming agency in the age of AI, advocating for community narratives to foster empathy. He also examines the dual nature of technology's values and its potential to address wealth disparity through enhanced human-AI cooperation.

Evan Miyazono, CEO of Atlas Computing and former Protocol Labs researcher, dives into the fascinating world of provable AI safety. He discusses the importance of transparency in AI decisions and outlines the challenges in regulating these systems. By advocating for interdisciplinary collaboration, he reveals how combining insights from humanities and sciences can enhance AI oversight. The conversation also touches on trust, ethics, and the need for clear frameworks to align AI with human values, ultimately championing a future where technology promotes human flourishing.

Rina Nicolae, a commentator and writer for Incognita Substack, dives into the chaotic blend of technology, spirituality, and identity. She discusses how modern culture, marked by rapid digital evolution, challenges our understanding of self. Rina explores the duality of cuteness and monstrosity in digital culture and the rise of networked spirituality among digital natives. She questions our identity in a commodified landscape shaped by influencers, urging authenticity in an age defined by noise and the merging of the natural and synthetic.

Cadell Last, the creator of Philosophy Portal and author of 'Global Brain Singularity,' dives into self-actualization in today's tech-driven world. He discusses the impact of AI on our identities and the importance of cultivating agency amidst automation. Cadell advocates for recognizing life's inherent gaps, exploring how to embrace uncertainty as a transformative journey. He also examines intergenerational investment in a rapidly changing landscape, urging collaboration and meaningful connections to combat societal challenges.

In this engaging discussion, Michael Dean, an essayist with a background in VR tech, delves into the intersection of creativity and technology. He explores how AI can reshape social media into a participatory platform and enhance creative writing. Dean argues for a future where passion and profession converge without the constraints of 'product-market fit.' The conversation also addresses the complexities of identity in the digital age and the potential of generative AI to empower both creators and audiences in a more authentic cultural landscape.

“When I have a rich, powerful, mind expanding, mind bending conversation like this, I'll need to go and lie down in darkened room afterwards.”– Robert PoyntonThis week’s guest is my friend and inspiration Robert Poynton, Founder of Yellow Learning, Associate Fellow at the Saïd Business School at Oxford, and author of three beautiful short books — Do Pause, Do Improvise, and Do Conversation — full of his insights from decades of designing and leading Executive Education leadership programs and hosting creative retreats in Spain.In Future Fossils Episode 196 Robert and I discussed how important it is to learn the principles of improvisation as a way of life. And as he notes in his latest book, most of us are already skilled improvisers because we spend our lives in conversation — not just with each other, but with our environments. How does trying on this frame transform the ways that we relate to them?In this episode we explore conversations as an art form and as a technology, technology as a conversation, and how weird this all gets when so many of us are having what feel like literal conversations with technology itself. Some of our topics:• How do we create fertile “conversational fields”? • How do different media constrain and open conversational possibilities?• What does it mean to “be generous” with our improv partners?• What might the structure of good conversation teach us about engaging with AI — and help us “converse” with the entire history of a person or a culture?At the heart of this project and this episode in particular is the belief that some things are worth doing not because they get us where we want to go, but because they’re pleasures in themselves. Good conversations are their own reward, and conversations with Robert are especially rewarding.(Do yourself a favor and join a Yellow Learning cohort sometime…)PS — A bonus for subscribers this week: an extra mini-episode behind the paywall! After Robert and I landed this discussion we kept talking for another hour. Most of it was off-topic but there were some choice bits in there too good to leave on the cutting room floor. If you don’t see it below the show notes, you know what to do:Upcoming Events* 24 April – Right Relationship with AI feat. Turquoise Sound and Michael Garfield at The School of Wise Innovation’s Spring Cultivator (free & public 90-minute discussion)* 3 May – Book Club: Prophetic Culture by Federico Campagna (patrons-only discussion)* 13 May-14 June – How To Live In The Future at Weirdosphere (five-week online course with ten sessions)Project Links• Explore my full podcast archives and this project’s writing/episode archives• Join the Future Fossils Discord for both public and members-only threads• Browse and buy the books we talk about on the show• Explore a map and chat bot grown from nine years of mind-expanding episodes• Meet new allies on the open online commons Wisdom x Technology Discord• Dig into Humans On The Loop’s original pitch & planning document• Contact me if you want to work togetherMentioned BooksRobert Poynton — Do Conversation: There’s No Such Thing As Small TalkW. Brian Arthur — The Nature of Technology: What It Is and How It EvolvesEthan Mollick — Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AIJennifer Cobb — Cybergrace: The Search for God in The Digital World Mentioned PeopleK Allado-McDowellJ.F. MartelTom MorganDr. BlueKevin KellyErik DavisKen AdamsJake KobrinTheodore ZeldinChris KutarnaMike LargePlatoSam AltmanErothymeGurdjieffKrishnamurtiPeter BrookeFederico CampagnaIain McGilchristDavid BohmCosma ShaliziNick LandYuval HarariTom ChatfieldMax WalucasTerence McKennaJason SilvaAlbert EinsteinIsaac NewtonBaruch SpinozaGottfried LeibnizLudwig WittgensteinCarlo RovelliT.S. EliotCarlos CastanedaBonus Mini-EpisodeOn The Value of Noisy Media, Conversational Protocols for Scaling Interaction, The Joy of Provisional Lists, and Tech Companies as Networks of Relationships“When Apple has a pile of cash of the size it has, it looks permanent. It looks forever. It looks untouchable, and people get attached by that kind of visible sense of scale. But there was a guy I knew many years ago who'd been around Silicon Valley long enough, and knew all the people, all these organisms that we call organizations or brands. And he always saw Silicon Valley as a network of personal relationships, which would every now and then explode into a visible platform or or company like Google or Apple. But he was kinda like, ‘That's not what's going on.’ He would always say ‘It's the mycelial network of the relationships between the individuals.’”– Robert PoyntonHere you go: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michaelgarfield.substack.com/subscribe

Join Joshua DiCaglio, Associate Professor of English at Texas A&M University and author of 'Scale Theory: A Nondisciplinary Inquiry,' as he dives into the profound implications of contemplating scale. He discusses the interconnectedness of micro and macrocosmic realities and how this understanding challenges our perception of separateness. Joshua explores the relationship between AI and human agency, emphasizing the necessity of recognizing our interdependence with both small and vast scales. Prepare for a thought-provoking journey through complexity and existential necessity!

Jim O'Shaughnessy, a renowned investor and founder of O'Shaughnessy Ventures, dives into creativity and trust in today’s complex world. He shares personal anecdotes about overcoming challenges and how childhood experiences shaped his financial passions. The conversation touches on the 'crisis personality' and the resilience that emerges from tumultuous times. Jim also examines the impact of technology on human agency and social interactions, questioning how trust evolves in our rapidly changing society. His insights inspire curiosity, collaboration, and reflection.

Aishwarya Khanduja, founder of The Analogue Group, fosters unconventional thinking to tackle complex problems. She discusses the balance between boundaries and creative flows, essential for innovation. Aishwarya shares her journey from a small town in India to impacting education in Canada. They delve into the importance of adaptive storytelling in societal systems, advocating for policies informed by personal narratives. The conversation highlights the evolving nature of work, identity, and humanity, emphasizing the necessity of embracing uncertainty in innovation.