In a spiral . Attending online events just to reassure myself that we are well and truly fubarred. On Thursday I attended one because someone has a New Book out.
I put my question in the Q&A and it was resolutely ignored by the compere until they had no choice (there were no other questions and still minutes to run.)
In response? Further waffle, advertisements for the New Book and – “be aware of contingencies”….
Reader(s?), I am not making this up.
This is what is considered a strategic insight by someone considered worth listening to because they have a New Book out (which, obvs, I will not be buying).
You have to weep for this species. Could have been so cool, but let its worst murder-ape impulses win out.
marchudson.net 
Calling our condition a spiral is an understatement ..is a wormhole also descriptively imaginative?
Yesterday I had a ‘first’: Google’s analgorythm’s offered me a link to a Counter Punch “news” story that conflated a mapping of methane hydrate leaks from an estimated 24 GT reservoir of the Antarctica peninsula, due to rebound platonics, with the degradation of methane hydrates in the East Siberian Continental Shelf and that 500-900 GT reservoir, which is subject to a different destabilizing factor: shallow water warming dynamics). The conflation, at least for me, was ‘click bait’ that cost me more than a few hours to sort out …but my psychological profile that Google has was reinforced, and the monetary incentive to do the “click bait” framed reporting, likely, reinforced.
The monetization of human attention by AI and algorithms is a sociopathic spiral spinning ever faster and blurring into a wormhole transporting our socialized psyches deeper into the mysticism of its functional ‘religion’ of limited liability law enabled globalized ‘free’-market capitalism based on the assumption of infinite economic growth on a finite planet (with that economic model discounting the value of, and cost to, social and planet commons that are inherent to the assumption).
Consider a dif’rent ‘religion’/motivated reasoning as an answer to your question: https://gumlet.tv/watch/67cacd8dcd9a5420ba141e9b
Consider as dif’rent, this nascent Metapatha® Institute for Thrashing Acedia (MITA https://star-1.simvoly.com/)⁉️
What say you?
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I say
a) we are defo fubarred – I hadn’t thought about the whole “Skynet learning to distract us while it terminates us” thing
b) the spiralling I referred to was personal, but yeah, it also fits the species.
c) acedia is a word that doesn’t get enough use – thanks for the reminder!
marc
The ’spiriling wormhole’ is both metaphorical and real. Socially trusted motivated reasoning can, and from time to time, does, make fools of us all. Maybe 5% of our species has the neurology to be mostly immune to motivated reasoning’s wizard-like power to delude; to be less effected by the affect of denied willful ignorance (DWI?). Affected DWI is, rationally, an oxymoron. Acedia includes in its meaning what is the consequence. The Greek word acedia is derived from is even more to the point. This is because both care AND grief are what is not engaged (and this is in any rational sense). In a more inclusive sense of the range of human neurology – as psychology and sociology – acedia is paradoxical.
What iTAIM/AI probabilistically calculates as an assertion:
A Point: Acedia and the Erosion of Purpose
Acedia can contribute to the erosion of purpose in individuals’ lives. When people become apathetic, they may lose sight of their goals, values, and the reasons for their actions. This lack of purpose can lead to a sense of futility, where individuals feel that their efforts are meaningless. In this state, they may struggle to find motivation to pursue personal growth, contribute to their communities, or engage in meaningful relationships. The erosion of purpose not only affects the individual but also has broader implications for society, as a population lacking motivation may lead to stagnation in social progress and innovation.
Its Counterpoint: Acedia as a Catalyst for Reassessment
On the other hand, acedia can act as a catalyst for reassessment and transformation. When individuals experience a loss of purpose or motivation, it can prompt them to reflect on their lives and question their current paths. This period of introspection can lead to valuable insights about what truly matters to them, allowing for a potential realignment of their goals and values. By recognizing and confronting their feelings of acedia, individuals may emerge with a clearer sense of purpose and renewed motivation. This transformative process can encourage personal growth and deeper engagement with life, as people become more attuned to their authentic selves and the contributions they wish to make to the world around them.
Conclusion
Both points and counterpoints illustrate the multifaceted nature of acedia. While it can act as a barrier to engagement and purpose, it can also serve as a reflective pause that allows individuals to reassess their lives and priorities. Understanding acedia in this dual light can provide valuable insights into the human experience, encouraging both personal and collective growth.
What say you?
I do not know if Ad Buster’s “Buy Nothing Day” from back in the 1990’s ever jumped the Atlantic, but it was never more than an eclectic & lazy piety on this side. At 1:27, consider this:
https://gumlet.tv/watch/6749e110c18a93c95bfb77be Buy Nothing Day 2024 gumlet.tv
A companion piece I associated it with is “Aristotle, Human Agency & What Say You? https://gumlet.tv/watch/67486c6681145415efd88050” (8:40).
…to be rational amid systemic avarice and acedia is to spiral in the drafts of an open mind.
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