Individuals vs. Institutions

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We interact with large institutions in various aspects of our lives, leading to a sense of powerlessness as these institutions are beyond our control. Technology and interconnectedness have enlarged the impact of these institutions, making it harder for individuals to influence them. Consequently, as institutions and the world expand, individuals feel a shrinkage in their ability to impact their surroundings.

Technology is changing the world, in good and bad ways. Artificial intelligence, internet connectivity, biological engineering, and climate change are dramatically altering the parameters of human life. What can we say about how this will extend into the future? Will the pace of change level off, or smoothly continue, or hit a singularity in a finite time? In this informal solo episode, I think through what I believe will be some of the major forces shaping how human life will change over the decades to come, exploring the very real possibility that we will experience a dramatic phase transition into a new kind of equilibrium.

Blog post with transcript and links to additional resources: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2024/03/25/270-solo-the-coming-transition-in-how-humanity-lives/

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