#66 Effective Accelerationism vs. the Decel Movement
Fast paced progress or cautioned growth?
Effective acceleration-ism or e/acc
In case you missed it, Sam Altman the CEO of OpenAI, the one we talked about last time around.. the one who was ousted by the Board of Directors.. remember? Well he’s back. As CEO of OpenAI 😵💫.
And as some may say, that meant victory for the Effective Accelerationalists.. the what? Aah.. umm.. the people that believe in Effective Accelerationism. Nah not Buddhism 🪷, Aack-ce-le-re-tion-ism.
Confused? Worry not, we’re here just for things like that. 🚀 🫡
The “ism” in Accelerationism might make it sound like a religion, and some may argue that it is; but essentially its a theory that believes Technological Progress and Capitalism are the most natural and effective means of making humanity progress and the fastest means to solve problems that plague us from hunger to climate change. They believe that slowing technologies like Artificial Intelligence will only lead to more deaths, given the benefits of advanced disease detection and many other abilities that can be achieved with AI.
The belief also stresses the need to unshackle and ‘unleash’ both Technology & Capitalism in their most progressive (and sometimes extreme form) to enable this progress unhinged and fast-paced.
"Accelerationists argue that technology, particularly computer technology, and capitalism, particularly the most aggressive, global variety, should be massively sped up and intensified – either because this is the best way forward for humanity, or because there is no alternative. Accelerationists favour automation. They favour the further merging of the digital and the human. They often favour the deregulation of business, and drastically scaled-back government. They believe that people should stop deluding themselves that economic and technological progress can be controlled. They often believe that social and political upheaval has a value in itself."
- The GuardianMore from the The Guardian article here that dives into the history of this concept and further reading for parents here. You can also have a watch of this video for a 6 minute deep dive.
The Decels and Cautionists
While the accelrationalists believe in a no-control-no-holes-barred approach and speeding through their way to progress, there are those that believe in pausing, evaluating and ensuring we develop technology ensuring that it is safe and poses no risk to humanity. These folks have come to be known as parts of the Decels camp (derived from deceleration). And they might be just as right as the ‘accels’.
As you would figure, no one way may be right and only time will tell how humanity progresses. But all we can hope is that both these camps find the right balance and speed away with caution. 🙂
Read also about Effective Altruism.
Wait, what is..
Free Market Economy: A free market economy is a type of economic system where prices for goods and services are set freely by the forces of supply and demand, without much interference from the government.
Capitalism: Capitalism is an economic system where businesses and properties are mostly owned by private individuals. In capitalism the means of production, like factories and businesses, are largely privately owned and operated for profit. In this system, mostly individuals decide what to produce, how to produce it, and at what prices to sell. The market's supply and demand influence these decisions, shaping the economy and the variety of products available.
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Take care. See you soon. We’re glad to be back. 🙏