I’ve been rather distressed over the past two decades, watching our society driving, with increasing speed, towards a brick wall. It started with the climate crisis, but now we can throw the rise of nuclear conflict, the erosion of democracy and AI into the mix. With the possible exception of nuclear proliferation, I think we can fairly credibly trace all these issues to the rise of unfettered capitalism.
The main problem with free-enterprise is that it incentivizes individual self-interest over the collective good, particularly at the broader market level, and it’s secondary problem is the rate at which it compounds that change.
Theoretically, our democratic institutions are supposed to be holding the other side of the ring, duking it out on behalf of the public good. However, as we know (and have watch with an alarming degree over the past decade) that corner is defended by a 100 pound weakling, whose selection is largely influenced behind the scenes by the handlers of the other boxer: Money Magongo.
On the short scale of decades, governments, even when they are not operating under the influence of private interests and corporate lobby groups, are slow, ponderous and fickle. Like people, they often need to make the wrong decision for a long time before accepting the simple and obviously correct (but slightly painful) solution right in front of them. Democratic government operates like a family debate over thanksgiving dinner. Debate goes round and round, only minor progress is made and few are happy, but if the job is done right, everyone will still meet over the bird again next year. In the long run, let’s say quarter-centuries, democracy does its work.
The problem is Money Magongo already has his gloves laced up.
Modern capitalism, especially the recent strain of venture-capitalist-backed-startup-culture, has over-muscled our public institutions, and over the past several decades, has fixed it so that it can’t lose the game. It’s been able to do this, not only because it’s so effective at mobilizing self-interest, but because it’s effectiveness, much like its returns, are compounded. Each advance, each change is magnified by the previous ones and anything unprofitable (say, considering where any of this is leading, or cleaning up the mess) is left for the commons to address.
The shift from coal to gas to climate crisis has happened at an alarming rate, far quicker than governments, heavily indebted and coerced by its capitalist influencers, are enabled to react. The end result is that we refuse to put out the fire in the kitchen because dinner is almost ready. Or rather, fires are raging in our backyard, but we don’t want to have to turn down the heat in our house. Oh, but your investments in robots is paying off and they’re knocking on the front door.
Yes, what we need to distract ourselves from the climate crisis is another crisis. I’m speaking, of course, about AI and the recent blow-up at OpenAI which serves as an almost deliciously alarming metaphore for the shitshow we find ourselves in.
OpenAI’s board, unusual for the tech world, was setup as a non-profit entity, charged with ensuring the responsible and ethical development of AI. In this manner, it was fully in charge of it’s profit wing. Over the past year, that profit wing has been raging wild and, concerned over how fast and wild that’s happening, they stepped in to fulfill their obligation, firing the CEO (in charge of that wing) for operating in the interest of capital, even at the expense of honesty with the board. Now here’s the part where, if I weren’t on the boat I’d be enjoying the show with dark fascination. Following the CEO’s firing, Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest stakeholder, has swooped in to buy the CEO. The likely results is that AI development will now continued to be aggressively monetized and rolled out, only now under a board who’s sole purpose is shareholder profit.
Meanwhile, our public bodies are still looking for their gloves.
