Comment by malux85 | Hacker News Reader

Comment by malux85 | Hacker News Reader

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I would argue that purpose death is a normal step towards enlightenment and it was only the fierce, unrelenting, all consuming drive of capitalism in the western world over the last 4 or 5 generations that have pushed everyone to define themselves (nearly) solely in terms of their work.

I do not at all feel purpose death from AI (been a software developer professionally for 20 years, now a founder), but I consider myself a lifelong learner, with infinite curiosity, in a universe with infinite challenges. Any interruption or automation to what Im currently doing will just open the door to exploring new and different things. This doesnt come from an immediate desire to do anything different, but having the confidence that whatever comes along, I will figure it out and have a lot of fun doing so.

> Any interruption or automation to what Im currently doing will just open the door to exploring new and different things.

But that's the rub: At some point, possibly sooner than most people think, there won't be anything left that isn't automated. Any human trying to do something new will then be worse at achieving it, and likely even detrimental. Just like the monetary value of horse labor today isn't just small, it's actually negative.

Literally no person on earth can beat a computer in chess. Practically no person on earth can really teach a computer anything about chess. For some crazy reason, people keep playing

Sure, but play is different from work.

Oh wow, that’s a lovely way to say it!

Purpose rebirth is the re-finding of play in the thing we choose to partner with AI (likely with a paycheck attached) to do N hours a week.

So then I can spend time with my partner, my loved ones, reading more sci-fi, being fitter and working on improving myself and others around me? Sounds horrid

I think you’re likely right about the path to enlightenment. I love the wisdom you’ve found. The rest of us need some time to get there, in a likely rolling wave of realization that keeps getting reset across generations.

I agree with this. The substansive counterarguments all revolve around the short-term economic and emotional instability this causes

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