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Comment by vrganj | Hacker News Reader

> When AI allows you to think less about the how in software, every minute you save is a minute you can spend literally anywhere else. You aren't limited. There is no obligation to remain within the realm of software. You can use your saved time to watch a movie, read a book, or maybe dream of electric sheep.

Notice how you went from an intellectual, creative endeavour to a list of passive consumption behaviors. That is precisely the point the article was making. AI is killing everything that isn't just pure unthinking consumption.

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Apart from the fact that I reject such a harsh distinction[1] between creative endeavors and "unthinking" and "consumptive" behaviors, my examples were just that--examples.

I used book club, or watching movies, but I could've just as easily said writing club, or filmmaking project. By your strict definition, there are still plenty of creative endeavors accessible to most that involve intellectual community. Point being: you're missing my underlying point when you focus on the examples.

[1] Is reading "unthinking"? I think it's the opposite. And I think you misunderstand the creative process when you so strictly separate creating and consuming.

But the point made about programming can just as well be made about filmmaking or writing. What's the point if AI does it cheaper and quicker? I don't see any end state in which humanity doesn't dumb down to just consuming endless amounts of slop, completely robbed of its creative outlets.

First of all, quicker and cheaper doesn’t matter if it’s not better too.

Secondly, AI is still pretty garbage at the humanities, but even if that changes, and AI becomes good at art, I still don’t think AI will replace humans in the arts.

Lastly and most importantly, this is all irrelevant, because it doesn’t get to my main point: your sources of intellectual community are not going anywhere.

Regardless of what AI can do, you and I are not obligated to simply cease all creative outlets. Nobody is robbing you of your creative outlets, nor forcing you to only consume.

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