The New Luddites Aren’t Backing Down::Activists are organizing to combat generative AI and other technologies—and reclaiming a misunderstood label in the process.
The New Luddites Aren’t Backing Down::Activists are organizing to combat generative AI and other technologies—and reclaiming a misunderstood label in the process.
I can’t answer for them, but I can say that I found the article irritatingly egotistical.
Over the last several decades, the US has seen a “hollowing of the middle class”. This is largely connected to the disappearance of the traditional blue collar jobs, esp. in manufacturing. Technical progress is not the only thing behind this. Over the same period, the welfare state was scaled back and the tax system restructured to favor the winners.
Now it seems that some writing tasks will be automated and suddenly it’s time to “reevaluate” how tech serves us. They don’t want a stronger welfare state; no help or compensation for those negatively affected. They don’t want to share the gains of progress fairly. Instead of the old fuck you, I got mine, it’s fuck you, I keep mine.