Comment by EdSharkey | Hacker News Reader

Comment by EdSharkey | Hacker News Reader

I predict that augmented minds will perform spectacular feats and then quickly burn out. Either vegetative state or depression and suicide. We're far too moody and fragile to have our thoughts accelerated to compute speeds without mental collapse.

That is, unless we can somehow lose our humanity in the process. But then, we're no longer being augmented. We're being replaced.

The happy medium we will obtain will be replacing the video, audio, touch input and keyboards with mental equivalents. Therefore, one's 'bandwidth' to the computer/network will still necessarily be limited to that of an observer of the compute functions of the computer rather than one who has integrated their mind and consciousness with the computer.

One of the most treasured features of these systems will be the off button. And a sizeable subset of the populace will run primarily in offline-mode but with regular access to some huge local data trove curated from online data.

>That is, unless we can somehow lose our humanity in the process. But then, we're no longer being augmented. We're being replaced.

Right, which is a great thing that should be celebrated! Creating a successor is arguably what our core "programming" (DNA) is all about. The biological imperative as it were.

What about the idea that we can create the successor to humanity? Why wouldn't we celebrate creating something better than ourselves?

I doubt that burn-out will be that serious an issue. I used to get depressed a lot, until I learned how to hack the mechanism. With deep hooks into brain function, I see no reason why people would be depressed, unless they wanted to be.

Some will argue that heavily augmented people are no longer human. Back in the day, I'm sure that some considered the use of stone tools in the same way. But they apparently didn't have many descendants ;)

And how exactly did you hack the 'depression mechanism?'

I use modafinil. I don't force 24 hour circadian cycle. And when I start feeling down, I laugh at myself for being such a dumbass. And that always puts a smile on my face :) Maybe sometimes it takes a few choruses of one Turbonegro song or another, or creative cursing, or whatever.

> Either vegetative state or depression and suicide

They will make a drug for that

Maybe. But mostly, they'll just hack neurotransmitters.

so a digital pill?

Just readjust neurotransmitter stuff.

Schizophrenia is more likely than "burn out". ;)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com