I don't think that, as people have been saying, the worry that "AI" can lead to human extinction or the casual production of bio-weapons, etc. creates "a distraction" from its known harms as AI critics have been saying. Whether or not that's the intention, this just adds new uncertainties to the list of current concerns, such as its dangerous use of resources like water and electricity, its boosting of carbon use and reneging of past promises by corporations and countries; its exploitation of labour and role in deepening social equality, the invasion of privacy, existing use in weaponry and facilitation of genocide, its negative effect on education, its wilful manipulation of public opinion by billionaires, its encouragement of intellectual over-reliance and dependence on unchecked results, its invasion of the creative sphere and regurgitation of content, its threats to the job market and devastation of certain sectors, the triggering of volatity in financial systems, its role in rogue attacks on infrastructure, its ethical amorality, ability to undermine the veracity of photographic evidence, and the list goes on.

We went to see Ohad Naharin's "Field 21", a dance performance that first came out in 2011, but which has been renewed recently by a new team of dancers. Such performances are quite expensive, but around once a year, D likes to treat us to one, and we followed it with a nice meal in Tel Aviv's Sarona Park area.

The performance was interesting; quite abstract with hardly any appurtenances to go with the dance - no stage props, no storyline, little in the way of costume. The electronic music was fairly subdued. The piece is given to political interpretation but this is never overtly defined. One obvious cue is, towards the end, a prolonged screaming, coming from off-stage in the background, as if a woman is being tortured. This seems not to tie in with anything happening on the stage itself. In the context of modern Israel, it is very easy to interpret that. But there is also lots of humour and frivolity - the dancers seem not to take themselves too seriously. They do get endless possibilities to do their own thing - this dance is very expressive and permits the dancers great freedom, within strict parameters: this, apparently is the essence of the Gaga movement language developed by Naharin.

photos

Field 21 trailer

Around here, it's the end of Yom Kippur, the quietest day of the year. Yesterday, in the early afternoon, before its onset, we were in Abu Ghosh, where even Muslim businesses were already closing - probably revealing that the majority of their clientele are Jewish Israelis anyway. Late in the night, there were sounds of motorcycles evidently using the dead roads as race tracks; probably lots of fun.

All these monotheistic religions have rituals of atonement.  But it seems to me, looking in as an outsider, that the atonement remains mainly ritualized.  I'm not sure that people are even aware of their actual "sins" - so how can they atone for them?  We're all guilty of over-exploiting the biosphere; but most of the time people see nothing wrong with this.  But having sex with the wrong person counts as a sin. And who is asking for expiation for genocide, let alone attempting to reconcile with the survivors?

Yesterday I was half-watching a doco on Arte about street art, graffiti and tagging and learned a few things, such as that in the gentrified neighbourhoods of cities, some well-to-do people actually commission street art.  Obvious when I think about characters like Banksy.

For me, of a tired, uncool generation and background, most graffiti is just an eye-sore, looking worse as the paint begins to peel. It defaces beautiful old buildings as often as ugly modern concrete structures.  But one thing I can relate to is the notion that while our societies are responsible for such dismal crimes against humanity, the attempt to make cities look charming, tourist-friendly and aesthetically pleasing deserves a significant response.

As revealed by old photos, the old neighbourhoods of European cities looked worse and more run-down a hundred and fifty years ago, when they were newer, than they do today, when they are older. But that worseness had a type of charm that their modern artificially spruced-up versions today lack.  Defacing them with obscenities or graffiti carries a certain justice.

I'm beginning to wonder, with smartphones becoming more capable, whether I actually need to bother with laptop and desktop computers.  Samsung had a mode called DeX on their flagship models, which gave a more desktop-like experience simply with a phone.  That feature is apparently being replaced by Google's default options.  
With my Samsung A54 I can successfully connect a keyboard and mouse, but have yet to try to connect a screen. For now, I'm interested only in traveling, and would not carry with me a screen.

I have is a (quite old) Rapoo bluetooth keyboard, which works very well with the A54, and also a bluetooth mouse.  Together with a phone stand, I get quite a satisfying experience.

The next time I buy a phone, I may look for a high end flagship model with connectivity that will allow me to replace my other equipment.

In the burned forest there is new growth, // its vibrant green in sharp defiance of the ash black powder shrouding the earth and enveloping the shoes in a charcoal memento of its suffered trauma. // This sprig of colour gives hope that the violence, unforgotten, may yet be transcended. // Nothing is permanent in the forest: neither its green mantle nor its death shroud. // Everything is on a journey.

2024-12-31_the_future

As we move into a new year I want to try to put into words something that I have been thinking about in recent weeks - what I see as a devaluation in human life.  If I'm right about this, we should  consider this to be a real and current danger in whatever country or region we live.