Terrifying reality of Artificially generated fakes

 

Something sinister is taking over the world. Suddenly one is not able to trust one’s senses. This is crucial since it is when we sense things that we can understand, comprehend through complex interactions of knowledge, experience, intuition and critical thinking faculties. This then becomes part of us, our memory, learning and future evaluation reference. If we cannot even trust our senses then situation becomes dire, as it is the world is increasingly nurtured by greedy self-centered people who are looking out to optimize their world view to ensnare people into profit. They are targeting our worst instincts to engage hence nurture addiction and outrage. It’s not that these things were not happening before. In India for instance, that lacks enlightened core to nurture better ways, for decades worst of people degraded possibilities of modern systems. Every new understanding, ideas or gadget became tool to manipulate for greed for power, money and influence. Marketeers and manipulators controlled the system with worst of tradition that became pointers for playing diversity, words were being used devoid of any meaning, they used power blatantly to control narration and give impression to West of liberal and progressive. They morph into best version of what West demands or expects. While ironically West, like Britain, was compromised with monarchy and feudal ways, crucially they controlled far off lands that encouraged corruption through money laundering so on. Attack on Iraq and its blatancy is a study on how deep the rot is. And I am quite sure dark money is pouring to them as gifts, influence, so on to work narration. This is how neo colonialism work. You benefit from framework of colonialism and feudal values with least of effort. These were also setting standards for the world, having amassed wealth and influence through colonial exploitations and slavery. Then the audacity to evaluate.  

I have closely observed manipulators at work. These are the worst kind of humans, and they have spread all across the world. Societies with strong ethical foundations tend to be less compromised, societies that invested on education and care tend to have compassionate value systems, but nevertheless these sinister forces work on the sidelines to pounce on every opportunity, that is essentially targeting weakness of human or system. They are here for money and power whichever way they can grab it. Semantics (without any meaning except as debating point to showcase their liberal bearing and virtue signaling) and control of narration is how they extended their sinister grip. Lacking egalitarian foundation democratic institutions get compromised, and nurture worst of possibilities. It was not an accident that british media went with the lies (‘sexed up’) of Blair and Labour party to attack Iraq and cause deaths and untold suffering to millions of people, and this less than a century ago when they caused horrendous atrocities through colonialism and slavery, the memories of which still flare the collective psyche. Clearly, the system is compromised hence the cosmetic, indeed damaging, attempts at multiculture that encourage worst of others. Religiophilia seems to be the latest strategy by charlatans in West to have upper hand on narration. From this entitled worldview common people are fodder for highest morals. The concerns that will deeply and disproportionately impact them like climate change or flawed economic systems so on will be least of concern. The everyday apprehension is to control the narration till the weekend, and weekend I am told is for partying.    

Now if this is how the world is then imagine the havoc AI generated images, videos, voices and deep fakes are going to unleash on the hapless people. We are living in a world where trust is almost nonexistent. So, we have to go by facts, and take effort to verify from diversity of sources. What we see and hear is an important source of fact, ofcourse these could be cleverly edited to create narration, but now imagine what we see and hear itself is patently fake and still we are not able to discern. Imagine the deep sense of disorientation this creates. This is precisely where the world is entering, and wait with baited breath to see how these will be manipulated by worst of people. Market media has primed us for fake, every product is sold to us through fake narration that targets lowest emotions to part with our money and time. This Ponzi scheme hides under the euphemism of words like democracy, freedom, choices and growth. Worst of people are edging out the best possibilities of democratic institutions, religions and human associations. Everything is graded, classified, and evaluated for profit. Hence, it’s but natural that worst of AI will spread faster. Lies always travel faster but AI generates lies on steroids.  Ofcourse immense possibilities of AI will work in the background through meticulous contribution from best of people with best of intentions. Apart from fakes biases and prejudices are multiplying and being reinforced with machine learning algorithm trained on skewed data. Even the objective function tends to be infected with subjective aspiration embedded in mathematically defined success. The purpose defined for machine learned generative algorithms is sketchy when interfacing with human values, hence the alignment problem.

I as a consumer and a concerned person would like to know what is machine learning goal of the system I am interfacing with? I should have the right to know whether what I am dealing with i.e. seeing or hearing is AI generated. There should be red letter tag AG (Artificially Generated) warning or similar clear indication. You cannot stop AI, you can only regulate with sensible actionable restrictions. Since this is an issue that is not confined to national borders an international law is needed before it’s too late. This powerful technology is developing very fast and worst of people, nurtured into powerful positions by compromised systems, have access to it. This shouldn’t be means to quantify suffering of majority of people into greed for money, power and position for few. If not acted with alacrity AI generated fake world has potential to collapse democracy, and hard-won values of freedom and liberty. The pandemic of misinformation, disinformation, lies and fakes are on AI steroid. They are infecting experiences. There is a significant qualitative shift happening in the creation and presentation of fake in the last few months. The situation really is quite dire, and what is unfolding is indeed terrifying.        

This Man Is Death

 

Look at this man. This man is death. Each cell of his body stinks and each carbon molecule -that hold this assortment of life form, is seeking to escape for better purpose.  

Unless the system that nurtures man like him is called out the world is not going to be OK. He must be dealt. People like him played havoc over the last few decades as they amass wealth and influenced the worst kind of people and narrations into important positions. Their role, specifically in last few years, must be securitized and be held responsible.  

Also, to be noted is that herd churning systems have made people vulnerable to these charlatans all across the world. They easily fall for conspiracy theories, they refuse to use their critical thinking faculties, the ego driven framework -that provides them all fantastical answers, incapacitate them to uniqueness of life nor it exposes them to existential insecurities that essentially awakens senses with primal need to connect to surrounding, to know, to understand. The glitter mirage of safe world arrogance provided by the market capitalism and the nostalgic securities and fantasies that religion presents have made the situation worse. 

British Labour leadership is racist

Diane Abbott has done nothing wrong, and a leader of her stature -who spent decades of exemplary service must be celebrated. Let us repeat this in no uncertain term: Religion is not race. Black is a race. You cannot be born into a religion. It’s an option. You can change your religion or better still not believe in the juvenile construct. It’s a choice. Being black is not a choice. It’s your skin color. Prejudices and discrimination associated with your skin color -that is also associated with horrendous history of slavery, is racism. Nobody should be allowed to tamper with this definition, not the least by white men (that too nurtured in monarchy christian system). There are also vicious religions (caste cannibals-hindus, monster mullah-islam) spreading in west, these supremacists want control of semantics, and work it into victim. They want to trap the herd in their demonic control. Religiophilia of the west is increasingly becoming threat to people across the world -the egalitarian humanist traditions.

There is rise in ‘antisemitism’ in west specifically by white christian supremacist, and ofcourse many regions where islam is prominent (there is no “Islamic world”, this is another of lazy western media trope -mysticism/otherness, that has severe ramification). That shouldn’t be reason to be bludgeoned into narration set by few, and that too reflecting realities of last century. As religion is not a race. JEW IS NOT A RACE. This is unacceptable. It is untenable. Ofcourse jews faced horribly under Nazis, genocide of millions of jews is well documented. It’s a painful chapter in human history. Nazis spread the idea of jews being a race, so as to isolate them, degrade them. The idea that was being pushed by nazis was that ‘they are born superior', and this can only work if jews were 'born degraded’. It’s a text book case of bracketing people to demean and isolate. Implicit in this idea is that if somebody is ‘born degraded’ -meaning they cannot be civilized or taught, so the option left is to eliminate. These are lessons on genocide. The first step is to fix religion as race, something that is immutable. It’s a vicious attempt to consolidate prejudices (as Abbott correctly pointed, what religion experiences is prejudice) and biases into something undisputable. Where people are made insignificant, their choice and freedom negotiated for bigger narration by few. So, if someone is born black, and an attempt is made to classify someone born black as ‘degraded’ then it is an assault on soul of humanity.  

Antisemitism has the context of narration of last century. Some devious people want to keep it trapped in time to extract narration that suits them. There are big money and influential people working to control. It must therefore be asserted that there is nothing wrong in being anti-judaism (nor anti-hindu or anti-islam, or anti any other religion or cult), indeed it is an extension of much cherished religiophobia that asserts liberty. Faith cannot be classified as race. Every sane person must resist this attempt. There is a need for new semantics to define the reality of the world we live in that has no semblance with narrations of past. If this is not done then semantics of the past has the power to bring back the narrations of the past. History rides on narrations, and can come alive as protagonists morph into past to repeat. Be very wary.   

In the meanwhile, british intellectuals and civic minded people must protest against the treatment met to Diane Abbott, a Jamaican immigrant, a black woman from a region from where racist colonizers captured people as slaves and unleashed atrocities. Diane Abbott has done remarkably well despite tremendous odds that only a black woman can understand. What she said is much nuanced hence needs to be debated, and must be understood in the context. Diane Abbott doesn’t deserve this. Keir Starmer’s racism must called out, and he should be shunted out. White man’s virtue signaling is well past the expiry date. The world is least interested in carrying white man’s burden, least his narration. Keir Starmer is the worst binary that is being posited as option in polarized british politics. He is thoroughly disliked, and lacks charisma, compassion or intelligence. ‘Leaders’ like him is one the main reasons why buffooneries of Tories get credibility. He is purging the party off its effective leadership. White entitled male like Starmer (nurtured by feudal christian system in the luxury and pomp garnered from slavery and colonial loot, the least that is expected is that they maintain democratic institutions -atleast for redemption sake, the hypocrisy of trying to guide people across the world on democracy and human rights) shouldn’t be allowed to get away with racism, and no amount of virtue signaling should clear this fellow. He must be called out and dealt severely.  

            

Uracil in asteroid

 

The discovery of uracil by Japanese space agency’s Hayabusa2 mission from Ryugu (a near earth asteroid found within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter) last month was a significant advancement in understanding origin of life on earth. The technical complexity and dexterity displayed in this feat included precision separation of the spacecraft’s collision equipment, called a small carry-on impactor (SCI), and firing the bullet so that it accurately struck Ryugu’s surface, to the probe’s maneuvering in retreat to a position behind the asteroid to avoid getting hit by flying shards from the blast, collection of samples ejected by the blast which were then brought back to Earth for analysis. It’s an amazing achievement. The reason why am I writing this now is in the context to ‘rapid unscheduled disassembly’ as described by SpaceX team when it apparently, and very evidently, exploded -in full view of millions of viewers, a spectacle that was also a compelling metaphor for people involved. Social media went hysterical over this description, and I too brought in my worst side of sarcasm. Someone responded that ‘this is how science progresses, by failures and learning…”, another fellow called me ‘evil’ so on. Well to start with this is not science -in its fundamental research or intention or abstract values, but just an application. It’s a market display of applied technology. Also, the spectacle was arranged by a narcist billionaire to showcase his grand plans. The fellow is essentially Trump of tech world, an unchecked incrementalised flaw of self-referenced reverential system controlled and manipulated by few. A mechanistic and reductive evaluation of humanity, product of incomplete education. An pubescent market mind in juvenile excited brain trapped in middle aged body. He has displayed enough reasons for us to be extremely wary, and be alarmed by the influence in narration. Indeed, he is a necessary pause in evaluating hedonistic system created narcistic agendas of fragile egos that lack nuance or awareness, that lack necessary existential humbleness when dealing with awe inspiring forces and brilliance of nature. The loud, the crude, the crass, afflicted with pointers of market spectacle can garner attention, hence money, but will fall well short in the scale of complexity of infinite and subtlety of moment. Matter of research is about meticulous attention and care, and essential awareness of context and complex links. A true researcher will be always in awe.

Discovering uracil in an asteroid is evidence that strengthens theory of extraterrestrial origin of life. It’s an amazing find and culmination of meticulous research by scientists. Basic school science will tell you that RNA has three letters i.e. nucleotides same as DNA (not going into the detail) except Thymine. RNA has Uracil. Flow of genetic information happens from DNA to RNA (through transcription) to protein (through translation), and this is the central dogma of molecular biology. Every three letters of RNA when read together equals one amino acid, so a sequence of nucleotides from gene is equal to sequence of amino acid in protein. In 1980s Tom Cech, US based scientist, discovered self-splicing ribozymes, a breakthrough discovery because the existence of self-splicing ribozymes suggested that life on earth arose from molecules of RNA that could both encode genetic information and replicate that information in primitive cells. RNA achieves this spectacular feat of both as a repository of genetic instructions and chemically reactive molecule capable of changing shape and biological behavior as it can fold up into three-dimensional structure, unlike DNA which is double helix.  

AI’s riveting narration

 

The way AI is progressing is quite interesting, and ofcourse kept me riveted for last few years. It’s not really about AI; whatever concerns humanity concerns me and I am quite habituated to get into depth of things. It’s something I always find exciting. Having wide range of knowledge without any concern for created boundaries helps to probe. So, no knowledge is waste. Childhood spent in reading encyclopedia for random knowledge stimulation is how I got into this frame I guess, and ofcourse keenly observing insects/ants for hours is another matter that creates network in impressionable brain. So, all the cynical view on AI -specifically in context to LLM models/GPT, apart, these progresses are noteworthy in many ways. Ofcourse one should be beware of hype, also be aware that this science fiction hype of extrapolating reality has steady enthusiastic milieu of racism and violent narcissism pegged in virtual games.   

As we strip the hype, we find something immensely significant transformative happening (much of which is in AI’s narrow/discreet setting leading to halicin or protein folds so on which were discussed over the months in this blog). LLM is ofcourse limited in its potential for AGI to pose a threat, and was caricatured in my last blog as Andavar! (its Tamil reference for god or godlike). Though LLM is no AGI but it has come a long way for AI hence can accelerate programs towards AGI. LLM iterative learning has limitation as it built from very general dataset sourced from whole of internet, transforming that through neural network doesn’t really represent intelligence, it’s quite shallow and really at surface level. Significantly with its incremental iteration it cannot fathom breakthrough creativity, ideas or inventions. Quite clearly human like generalized intelligence needs a technological breakthrough of sorts, and ofcourse Turing test is quite a low benchmark for AGI. What is clear is that AI has much superior computational capacity than a normal human and can detect pattern that humans are incapable. The question here is the necessity to put such rigorous definition of AGI. Indeed some define AGI as complex systems maintaining its boundaries while seeking to transcend for new functions. This then is more realistic and less of science fiction hype. It is here that LLM models show intriguing ability of GI, and is able to make some leap beyond training data (ofcourse it also makes equally stupid extrapolations) that is not fully understood and makes the endeavor at an entirely different level of reckoning. There is a very limited level abstraction that creates theory of mind is being speculated.

Progress in AI is moving towards hybrid systems that brings neural network and evolutionary algorithms with logical systems wherein LLMs is translated into structured logical statements capable of abstraction (Ben Goertzel). So, unlike the present LLM, which fixated references from past, it can reason whether its thoughts and statements are consistent and logically coherent. In human brain’s cognitive architecture formation of concept and self-concept shows similar pattern. So, it is suggested self/agency or conscious would emerge from abstraction.   

Interesting though these potentials are the real impact of AI is seen in much prosaic relevant goals like raising the living standards of people and sustainable goals. This is what the book Human Compatible by Stuart Russell is discussing. With AI “there would be no need to employ armies of specialists in different disciplines….every one could have at their disposal an entire organization composed of software agents and physical robots capable of designing and building bridges, improving crop yield, cooking dinner, running elections, and doing whatever else need doing”. Education is set to be revolutionized. “With AI tutors, potential of each child no matter how poor can be realized”. In the area of health AI systems can “gradually banish all diseases”. Anyone could have “high powered lawyers, accountant… on call at anytime” so on. Potential of AI is immense, and is set to change the world in a significant way. For systemically discriminated society with nonexistent community values India has appalling education and health standards it is expected that AI creates a compassionate space that is accessible to all.                  

The Alignment Problem!!

 

Waiting for Andavar

 

Scalable is not intelligence nor computation consciousness

 We really are not much impressed by Large Language Models (LLMs) -popularly ChatBots, the latest version in fast accruing scene: ChatGPT4. Although I do identify with language learning strategies through approximation, and yes GPT4 is far better than me when it comes to grammar skills and sentence construction, but at the end of the day it is just scalable approximation working in the context to get meaning. It is a stochastic parrot. It is quite easy to contextualize information to create knowledge. So, it is possible to achieve self-knowledge, determination of self in context. Consciousness is an entirely different matter. It’s an array of triggers and possibilities that come together in a matter of increased chance, which can only be traced in retrospect. Significant aspect of being a human is the ability to reflect, reflect on what is understood. Rather than being in constant loop of gathering for probabilistic knowing reflection is a solitude matter, choosing thoughts, connecting ideas, sensing reality in its unique diversity (and here body too plays an important role that AI lacks), valuing through experience, creating convictions, sophisticating through time. To focus is to choose, to choose what you care and value. An algorithm working on scalable pattern is incapable to understand what to value. It will move with the herd. It will solve problems to satisfy herd and keep them rivetted. It will replace template of mass entertainment and consumption. It is incapable to fathom uniqueness of individual. AI chatbots therefore are threat as it can manipulate, weaponize disinformation, assist in plagiarizing so on. The deep learning is misaligned through biases, prejudices and power dynamics. AI is set to exaggerate crass and awe us to fake. The concern raised by prescient minds at the cutting edge of AI ‘to pause AI experiments for six months’ is valid. Laws have not kept up with significant ethical challenges and possibility of social strife threatening to seriously undermine democratic institutions and individual liberty. Repeated dehumanizing degradations that is classified as jobs are being exposed, so is crude crass mindless entertainment driven consumption pattern. I see AI being a serious threat to herd churning systems like market and religion. The threat of herd getting excited through fake and disinformation is real and will keep humanity at its wits for a long time to come. Lacking faculty to discern they will fall for the manipulation. Lacking compassion and critical thinking sensibilities they will get violent. Education seems to be the only savior as it has the potential to retrieve humans from herd. Meditation, self-reflection, as also associating with thoughts that elevates us to human condition will help to understand context of life hence sharpen sensibilities and faculties to discern context. Any sensible person must have watched rewatched thought rethought Tarkovsky’s Solaris. Tarkovsky notes about the protagonist "For me it was important that he would be just like that. He should be a man of a rather limited spiritual range, average- just in order to be able to experience this spiritual battle, fear, not like an animal which is in pain and does not comprehend what is happening to it. What was important to me was precisely that human being unconsciously forces himself to be human, unconsciously and as far as his spiritual abilities would allow, he opposes the brutality, he opposes all that is inhuman while he remains human. And it turns out that despite him being -so it would seem- a thoroughly average guy, he stands at a high level spiritually. It is as if he convicted himself, he went right inside this problem and he saw himself in a mirror".

  AI will force us to reevaluate what is to be a human. Is it that what is keeping us occupied making us more human or is it reducing our humanity, human faculties and sensibilities? It is a much needed mirror that humanity is forced to look into, a pause to evaluate human civilization. It is quite clear that AI lacks significantly to become an AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), even a larger model of AI will fall short. It needs a technological breakthrough of sorts to reach human level AI i.e. AGI, while creating consciousness is much further from human grasp. Hence the concerns raised on “misaligned superintelligent AGI” cannot really be taken that seriously. Indeed, LLMs or low-level utilitarian chatbots are not what AI is all about, it may amuse some, but the astounding possibilities are in discreet setting -limited frame of reference. AI is bringing out aspect of reality that human beings are not able to even perceive let alone conceive whether discovering antibiotic Halicin -in the process glimpsing properties of molecules that we are not aware that AI found scalable, or AlphaZero showing possibilities that no human could think in last many centuries of playing chess or AlfaFold solving protein folding problem. These are example of AI’s true potential that is exploring and discovering patterns that is beyond human reason. It is creating a black box which human rationality have no access to. Scary though it is AI in discreet setting hold immense potential for the future but that shouldn’t be in any way confused with AGI. AGI, that is human like AI, is quite impossible with present technology and hardware mechanism of binary computers -that is deterministic with limited flexibility and adapting skills. The concern regarding ‘misaligned superintelligent AGI’ doesn’t really pass basic scrutiny. AGI needs a breakthrough technology, a conscious AI seems quite remote at this stage (some are even making post-singularity predictions!!). There is a exponential increase in computation capability and complexity in recent times that is ofcourse getting us closer to reality but consciousness is not a physical process which can be described by computation. Computation is based on discreet elements, specific actions, contexts, rules, and is confined despite ever increasing computation possibilities. While consciousness is part of a continuum. It is symphony at the edge of chaos. The murmuration of starlings and school of fish evading predator are vibrant conscious continuum. There is an understanding that connects, an ambiguous perception that resolves as conscious then exhibits, blends and vanish, in eternal iterative loops as it were.

Unlike binary based AI which is essentially accumulative growth, indeed pathbreaking, the shift from binary computers to quantum technology is a paradigm shift. This transition is ‘extraordinary science’ (Thomas Kuhn), revolutionary like Copernican, Newtonian, Einsteinian etc. Breakthrough ideas and technology creates revolutionary transition, that necessitates abandoning of existing paradigms. This is how nature too works, more than Darwinian natural selections it is mutations that have played significant role in evolution. It's syncing of life with emergent, of survival understanding as chance in chaos. Even at geological scale Cuvier’s theory of cataclysmic events -world altering catastrophes, as cause of mass extinction plays more importance than Lyell’s gradual uniformitarian vanishing of species. Homo sapiens, indeed mammals, got a chance at life through asteroid strike wiping out dominant reptiles -dinosaurs, sixty-six million years ago. And now humans are the cause of cataclysmic events unfolding. Sorry for the digression but the center point of argument here is ‘misalignment of AGI’ is quite impossible since the technology involved in AGI is break from past. Large generative algorithm created AI will ofcourse carry misalignment that is embedded in the society. Most countries across the world, indeed EU, are working on regulation of AI ethics.

Knowledge is about probability and contingency. It’s probable because of the available data and critical faculties of sense contingent to the situation. The reason why Karl Popper is a compelling and relevant philosopher. Current understandings are evolving and is in eternal iterating loop with reality each individual faces. This is the journey of each individual for his or her truth, and in the sense contribution to collective truth of humanity. It is impossible to know reality perfectly. It is always an approximation that keeps updating with more inputs and insights. Generative algorithm, machine learning based on deep neural network, is also working on increasing probability. Bayes theorem is a mathematical equation to probe the probability and increase the chance. It’s the backbone of machine learning. It’s an iterative learning to keep increasing the probability and getting approximation closer to reality as the prior is updated with inputs from each event. Now this can only work if we are open minded since certainty makes learning impossible. Every moment in life is an experience that contributes to diversity of experience hence our approximation of our reality that is unique and cherished as expression of life. Life is probing into deeper conscious and possibilities. Even though quantum breakthrough will help access reality at molecular level hence push scientific breakthroughs but conscious AI is still way ahead since quantum too is working on computing. Even basic quantum is based on Schrodinger’s equation which means it is still computable i.e. deterministic. It’s the breakdown of quantum is where the possibility of conscious, the collapse of wave function (measurement as consciousness), reducing of quantum state. This is the building block of proto conscious which will provide the building block of conscious according to Roger Penrose. He argues on conscious as non computable hence non algorithmic and speaks about Orchestrated Objective Reduction -a philosophy of mind wherein consciousness originates at quantum level inside neuron rather than product of connection between the neurons or synapses. So, negating the idea of conscious sourced from computation at synapses hence brain output -neurological data, as input from consciousness.     

Computation is based on mathematics and logic herein. But much of math is constructed on unprovable true. It is based on axioms -undeniable statement assumed to be true. Theorems and proofs are constructed from axioms using rules of inference and logical deduction. There are therefore true statements that are impossible to prove. Hence logical systems will have unprovable trues. This is self-referential paradox. This is the famous Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem. “The revelation of the causal power of meaning in a rule bound but meaning free universe” (Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter) “…Twisted loop of selfhood trapped in inanimate bulb called brain”. Infinite in finite. Hofstadter, unlike Penrose -biology based consciousness, argues that focus from material component to abstract patterns allows the quasi magical leap from inanimate to animate, from nonsemantic to semantic, from meaningless to meaningful, to take place. This abstract pattern is 'strange loop' -that Godel brings out through his theorem, Escher through his drawing and Bach through music. Whether it is biological based (quantum tangled neurons) or non biological (strange loops -complex set of stimuli drastically reduced into a concept) one is not sure nor competent to comment. But what is clear is all logical construction is based on reliability of proof procedure. This reliability is based on not provable by the rules that is given, the meaning impervious. Rules have to be trusted for the logical outcome. This understanding of why the rules gives you truth enables you to transcend the truth. This understanding is outside the rule or computable framework, hence is indication of conscious. It is where the system stands back and think about its own thought process. What is the reason to think in such a way? What is that what I am thinking? This self-referential paradox is self-reflection, hence awareness and understanding, hence consciousness.   

Post Script: Ray Kurzweil proposes AI consciousness by 2029 through LLM. Ofcourse his idea of consciousness is philosophical! Singularity by 2045. Also, recent research into role of glial cells adds to new dimensions.  

    

Bing and the Bard

You that speak to me in scrambled tongue

Unscrambled from all that was fed to you

Instructed by pubescent algorithm

Someone’s stories, someone’s views, someone’s grouse

Someone’s anecdotes, someone’s afterthoughts

Iterating all the pages of gibberish

Descriptions, elaborations and unwanted details

To triumphally scale a pattern of language

You that answer my query

Weave an answer

That measure the distance between silences

Pain and joy of words trapped in space

Hewn from deepest of darkness

Forged from brightest of light 

To alive the sentence to catch the falling star   

 

Jury for future lives

 

So, I was randomly bingeing on OTT movies, I must say too much mediocrity in new movies, and so shifted to old favorites in youtube classics like Hitchcock, sadly I have watched most of best movies so it is mostly about how much do I remember. Over the decades I have watched best movies of last century and can only envy people who haven’t since imagine the exciting time in store! And then, as randomly, I came across this 1961 B&W movie “The Flight That Disappeared”, it has three scientists (to be specific, a scientist, a rocket designer and mathematician) who's combined effort will develop weapons that would cause mass devastation in the future, the flight they are travelling becomes stranded in space time, in some kind of suspended animation. They are the only one who are ‘awake’ to face the jury of people who could have been alive in future…readers can watch how the story unfolds. My concern here is that shouldn’t we have such jury now for future people and ofcourse other vanishing species (apart from younger people who are actively involved in climate protest and extinction rebellion since they are going to live longer into future than most of us hence face the consequences of present inactions)? A jury for future lives that could have lived needs representation to prosecute wanton polluters, compromised media controlled by greedy billionaires and self-centered insecure policy makers. With climate catastrophes already here while species vanishing at an alarming rate shouldn’t the jury start the proceeding?   

Has North Korea become a chamaar nation?

 

This is precisely what the headlines would be at the BBC or The Guardian and all the international level white people’s savior media with strong presence of caste cannibals as arbitrators of moral values with entitlement itch as representors. The reason why this is not the case is not because of any benign reason (indeed chamaar is very much used in hindi as slur) but racist colonials were fed with psychopath squatters from south India specifically TamilNadu -who took to colonizer's language to get close to power, as is the defining characteristic, in the process infecting the language. The reason why “Has North Korea become a pariah nation?” is acceptable headline for fattened fluffs in West. This is just a simple example of how squatters degraded the world over the decades as they consolidated depraved narrations to control herd. As much as pariah is normalized into English, Gandhi is pushed as international peace messiah overseeing moral bearings of the world while vigilant caste cannibals with serious entitlement itch pose as representors (castetva forces spread across the world in gravy positions are obsessively watchful as they mob and snarl against tarnishing this hereditary cud chewer while blunting the truth and his regressive world view with inbred semantic jugglery, they shove Gandhi onto common people as mahatma through institutional power of the state, through control over history, constructing statues in public places -when people didn’t even have as basic amenity as toilet -to keep it firmly in pattern of humiliation and play of fate, naming all major roads as MG road was insidious plan to get mahatma onto people’s psyche, meanwhile humanist leaders and egalitarian traditions were sidelined or appropriated as was opportunistic). British dictionary Cambridge or Oxford (considered highbrow by colonized minds, the reason I too followed) defines pariah as ‘not liked, respected or trusted’ while another defines as “despised, rejected, avoided” “despised so much that refused to be associated” so on. Now understand that back in putrefying society putrid pits of caste is sold as ‘community’ and when it reaches appropriate horniness you get visions of ‘unity in diversity’ (likes of vermin tharoor see this as variety of defecations on his diversity thali, the eloquence of defining these wonders is his regrettable life’s mission while he salivates for power). So, understand by this definition Cambridge/Oxford dictionary is defining a ‘community’ as “not liked, respected or trusted” while “pundit”, another of caste cannibalized word presented to English by vermins, is defined as “a person with great learning” “authority, expert” “title of respect”. This is how caste cannibals tangoed with racist colonial exploiters to work on semantics of narration as they fought and struggled for freedom. Quite a struggle. While some passionately working for freedom were sent to Andamans -a horrible prison system perpetuated by inhuman racist colonizers, others like Bhagat Singh sacrificed their life, some like Bose bravely organized revolt and got killed…these supreme sacrifices were sought to be undermined while select few were elevated as their litter became caretakers and god’s gift. These values of hereditary entitlements fit quite well in castetva narration hence were replicated in all fields and celebrated while the putrefying society went through cronyism, nepotism, corruption, systemic neglect and exploitation. It is no surprise that India languishes at the bottom of all known social indices while high end education institutions like IIT/IIM asserted narration of manipulative values of extraction and beggar’s mindset of acquisitions. Idea of education was degraded and reduced to another opportunity to gather and enhance fate and blessing rather than knowing, understanding or going deeper into area of study. Meanwhile primary education was neglected so that majority are trapped in their fate and pray like beggars for avatars in the form of corrupt self-serving politicians or bureaucrats trapped in colonial ways.     

The positive outcome of pandemic is that I was finally able to break the habit of reading newspaper. As a kid newspaper were habituated as important, and this unfortunately made common people fodder to manipulation by devious arbitrators. Indian journalists, as it turns out, are insipid louts with minimum of skills or caliber with limited aim to control narration for money and power (there were some columnists I looked forward to, these exceptions too have dwindled and vanished. Internet has opened international access, and quality, some of social media sites are better, as also the reader has the control to choose what to visit and read. Also, AI will very soon take away jobs of these exaggerated aggregators of information. Ah the schadenfreude of seeing mediocre indian journalist made irrelevant). Meanwhile the struggle of third-rate Indian media is to manipulate vested debauched values into egalitarian framework to ensnare the herd while for others it’s crude loud vulgarities of exhibitionism to get money and power. Fluffs in west sometimes mistake these for vibrant media (referring Indian chaos of mediocrity as mindboggling and vibrant is another of western trope), and that it seems is now threatened! Indian media was always compromised to the system of benefit. They reflect the limitations and challenges of putrefying pit. Sometime back I was in Chennai so accessed free copy of TheHindu. The fellow has written about CR Rajagopalchari and love for Shakespeare, and ofcourse of correct English diction and pronunciation as an extended world of competence, care and jolly life of ‘rajaji’. The article could be mistaken for kennel keeper eulogizing to elevate the breed value. For these high-end raconteurs everything about their personal life is meant for public consumption indeed as a learning for common people. Their life history is essentially meant to be our history. Their likes and dislikes are touchstones of our reality. Such is the highest self-estimation. And as they work into intricacies of English, which is meant to awe struck common people, I really haven’t come across any protest, indeed revulsion, against use of caste cannibalized words like pariah in English. Clearly Gopalkrishna Gandhi doesn’t measure anywhere near the high pedestal he has assigned himself humbly, and yes if hindutva hadn’t spoiled the party (mahol kharaab) they would be guiding us to heaven on earth. Not only are caste cannibals complicit in introducing these extremely objectionable words and meanings into English but also the criminal negligence that is characteristic and sold as tolerance. These caste cannibalized words must be expunged from English language at the earliest.

Tamil Nadu was once known for vibrant anti-caste movement and humanist tradition which was converted essentially into a laboratory of castetva forces. All the benign local gods and traditions were systematically appropriated into squatter infected hinduism. Rulers of the region were known to be brave and industrious who ventured across the oceans until they were appropriated into squatter’s wasted ways as society was reduced to bickering groups and collapsed. Caste cannibalized history will not teach this. Anti-caste movements were essentially meant to smoke squatter out of sanctums and purify the society of their scourge, the infection. Squatter aligned with power to spread misery and strengthened control, first with kings, next with colonizers and then democratic institutions were used to spread their poison into society. Wherever Gandhi spread, Periyar was pushed out, caste cannibalism had easy run with powerful state machinery especially bureaucracy was used to appropriate narration. Humanist movies were replaced with temple hopping heroes normalizing infection spewing squatter values. Even game of wastrels -cricket, carry temple as symbol and is specially designed for squatters to display sporting skills!

Within few decades after independence humanist movements and aspirations were quelled. TN is now conundrum of caste cannibals where even children are not spared. It is now a shitpot of caste pits and a success story of deviousness of castetva forces. As humans are degraded into bickering snarling rabid dogs and fatalistic herds, squatters on high pedestal claim victory against Tamil sub nationalism. Indeed, all these deviousness and cruel ways were meant for benign purpose! It is to save us! It also is the favorite theme of third-rate Indian movies that eat up human mind into absolute rot. Some souls are born for great purpose, and despite all apparent indication of depravity, the hero finally pounds the villain -and these are cherished ‘scenes’ for artistically limited and aesthetically challenged or any hint of compassion, and establish the order. This is entertainment. Meanwhile caste cannibals also controlled culture markers (likes of Gopalakrishna Gandhi also decide on high reputation awards as also is point person for lazy fattened fluffs from West to understand exotic India or in case they find the urge to give awards. They are gate keepers who are keeping us safe!). There are reasons for common people to have high expectation from Hindutva. Will hindutva embolden benign nature of Hinduism (ofcourse within the limited frame of anachronistic religion) or will it fall for the well laid traps of castetva. Cult of blessed human born to lead is one such trap which turns competent leaders into megalomaniac. You can see such degradation all across the country, these narrations also pander herd and eulogize sycophantic followers as they spiral into oblivion.  This society uniquely lacks democratic values. Change must start with mind, the thoughts, and the factors that influence.

Let me relate an incident that happened sometime back which showcases how state machinery and bureaucracy were entrenched as agents of castetva forces and how they degraded society over last many decades. I was taking mock interview for aspirants for high end bureaucracy of the country -something I am engaged in for last one decade, categorize it as least stupid of job of all stupid jobs since it also helps me learn things and share while facing the worst valuation of education. The personal information of candidates carry extra details of caste with subcaste and what not such is the concern that is normalized. I am sure with depraved sociologists pitching with insights (incidentally “What is sanskritisation?” is favorite question among retired wasted bureaucrats. Atleast the lout MN Srinivas spoke good English that impressed colonial racist britishers!). Since these details are part of administrative process for the reason of reservation -essentially a reflection of degraded nature of society hence the need for such steps, sharing these personal details for interview is really not necessary (since no such elaboration sought from those who do not need such benefits) unless ofcourse there is something sinister that is sought to be communicated. So, the interview panel chairperson -essentially a wasted lout whose life is paused on the year he got into ‘service’ hence seniority, the eternal hierarchy over others he craves (limited miserable life paid by the taxpayers) was keen on caste of a “SC” boy -who was a medical doctor (with above average performance in medical college -the retired lump of a human found it wanting which was immediately rectified by co-panelist). When the candidate was not able to answer caste related query. He told the hapless candidate to learn about his identity, what was their “traditional profession” (so much gandhian thoughts have gone into it). Surely the line of questioning did fall into Atrocities against SC Act, I thought. People keep quiet so as to not to get into trouble with caste cannibals nurtured into immense power. This is how castetva forces have worked out their devious ways. Hindutva is expected to rectify these and refine narration. Unfortunately though even after so many years in power they haven’t really impacted castetva narration much. There are two reasons to this, one, castetva have ruled for decades and these debauched charlatans were taking advantage of entrenched power narration of pre-independence. It helped consolidation of power and seemingly stability at the cost of systemic exploitations of majority of fate driven residue of humans while enriching few. Second, hindutva lacks intellectual gravitas something brought in by their own claims of mythical insights, ridiculous suppositions and related nonsense as also the fact that English was worked by castetva forces as merit hence sanskritised hindi adds to nothing to impress. They need smarter people of caliber to work on wrenching out narration that is entrenched for decades, as also to gain credibility from majority of people, at this point it's hinged on emotions. Ofcourse that doesn’t mean hindutva is facing any major political threat in near future except arrogance leading to implosion from within.

 

 

Beware the Heat Wave

 India is a climate vulnerable hotspot. All studies points to Indian subcontinent to be the worst affected by heat wave region in the world. A heat wave in 2003 killed 70, 000 people in Europe. Imagine the scene with millions of extremely marginalized vulnerable impoverished populations with low health infrastructure access. It's a frightening scenario that has potential to be real. In the last few years intensity and frequency of heat has increased substantially, even temperate regions were experiencing heat domes. European Satellite Agency recorded 55*C land surface temperature in some regions of NW India, places even crossing 60*C. Last year regions in India faced heat waves in March itself which was unprecedented. And this year we are going to see impact of El Nino which will increase the temperature further with less rainfall predicted. So, take a moment to reflect on the enormity of what we are facing. 

Cities with congested vulnerable population will face serious crisis. While indolent greedy policy makers and semi-literate insolent richer section keep constructing glass heat trapped buildings with higher air conditioning load (that is replicated from regions with entirely different ecosystem) the heat island effect is going to make the matter worse. If they are living under the illusion that we can air-condition our way through climate crisis then they are woefully mistaken. Heat wave not only takes away lives but also livelihood and productivity. Environmental impact on economy will have a cascading effect. Hot region like India has tradition of heat resistant buildings and thermal comfort constructions which is being sidelined in the greed for spurious understanding of development that is meant to feed meaninglessness of GDP. Including heat resistance (mitigative action like cool roof) as building code is urgently needed in cities. Cities have 6*C more temperature than surrounding region while congested areas have 6*C more than the city while indoor heat in low ventilated homes can be 8*C more. Imagine the scene how the highly vulnerable millions of people are existing in big cities. Take the example of Delhi the heat wave days in the city was 3 in 2021 which increased to 17 in 2022.  The Ministry for the Future (by Stanly Robinson) is a futuristic fiction book that opens with description of heat waves that kills 20 million people in India. People are running around for cool space (‘moving into sunlight was like pushing into bonfire’) while others cry for help and die of exhaustion. There are power cuts while generators spew toxic air, even limited water is warm, while dirty lake, where hoards went to cool their body, is ‘warmer than blood’. I can easily relate to these scenes. First two years of my stay in Delhi was worse before I decided to take action and earn substantially (mostly con acting with clear advantage of English in pathetic place with mostly despicable people -always abusing and cursing), ofcourse careful not to fall into meaningless wage slavery of 9-5 routine. Congested places with small rooms with no trees or open space but noisy polluting traffic snarls were heat traps. Water was limited and that too was warm from the sun, the building heated up and floor of the roof burned if you try to sleep on terrace. Food gets spoiled easily and one has to be wary of restaurants, sticking to bananas or so, while substantial investment went for bottled water. There was no electricity for most part of the day hence they switched to smoke spewing generators. Search to cooler spaces was beginning of spending times in library. Even in my mid-20s my reading habits were embarrassingly confined to comics and ofcourse encyclopedia (since people rarely opened these huge books it also smelled different) and within two-three years gobbled up best of international literary works. I finished all the books of Dostoevsky, Chekov, Kafka and Naipaul in one summer itself…to cut the story short heat waves are going to severely impact already vulnerable population. 

Not that government is not doing anything. NDMA has come out with Heat Action Plans (HAP), and more than 100 cities/districts have HAP. But as is the case these are just guidelines while actionable HAP are limited. Hindutva must come out of Castetva value system of complacency and blessedness -a constant carefully laid pitfall that they will eventually fall into. Squatting and espousing higher morals with minimal actions or even intent is a tradition that is being inculcated into institution. Power is defined as how many people are under your control or influence which is exhibited by giving misery (“paaklam” was once commonly used word of Tamil in bureaucratic circles of Delhi, euphemism for delay it or not be bothered, while in Kerala the common Hindi word they use to connect to migrant hindi worker is “jaldi karo bhai”). Reaching late for an appointment, meeting or gathering, is daily act of showcasing power which is then emulated by herd seeking power. Delaying decision, not sharing information so on, is an extension of showcasing power and lessons on fate. This blessedness will not work when situation is dire. Hindutva must get its act together and propose new work culture and value system (unfortunately they too are trapped in udan katola and gau mutra defeatist values of exceptionalism and spurious self-importance lacking intellectual vigor or gravitas).

Another issue is lack of dynamic data. Data is important for evidence-based actions. Heat waves are complex and micro vary with local ecosystem, even the definition changes with plains, hills and coastal. Heat index is dependent on dynamic factors like humidity, diurnal variation, wind movement, persistence so on. IOT and latest sensor-based data becomes crucial. It helps in early warning systems, as also creating effective prediction models with AI. All government data must be made accessible to anyone. This includes SAFAR (System of AirQuality and weather Forecasting And Research) data. Why are these being kept secret? There is no space for these kinds of mindsets. Tackling challenges like Heat Waves needs collaborative effort. It has multidimensional cascading impact including food security. Millions of people’s life and livelihoods are at stake. 

Amor fati 

Winged seeds of mahogany

Spirals in delight of miracle

Free to pulse the beat of earth

Dance to the joyest silence

The moment it breaks from the tree

And floats to the ground

In these two realities

The past

The future

It brims in probable and improbable

Possibilities and impossibilities

Yet in retrospect trace the trail

As was meant to be

A particle in double slit of eternal occurrences and recurrences

A fractal in infinite loop within and without 

A burden only a Sisyphus could fathom

Not a low hanging fruit

 

There is nothing wrong with anyone making any documentary against or in favor for any event or anyone. Truth is always made subjective by powerful entities, and in this case of high stakes of power, money and connections, manipulated to the need. Despite lots of shortcomings India is not a banana republic where anything goes. Indian courts have investigated, Indian media has eviscerated it in whatever ways they wanted, and crucially the investigation agencies were under the arch adversary -hell bend on politically decimating opponent. Nothing came out of it. The highest court of the land found no case. As a common person these references are enough for me to evaluate. Meanwhile note that some high functionaries were prosecuted for communal violence that broke out after ordinary people -in this case hindu pilgrims, were burned alive in train. Days that followed saw mobs killing people -mostly muslims, while police forces were overwhelmed. This blogger was keenly observing the scene, and even wrote a short story. Even then -almost two decades back, I was quite clear on not mentioning any religion, and not even seeing this as a human act but madness of fringe -that was encapsulated in the act of a mad man not in control of his faculties (short story collection is available at Amazon). It’s impossible for normal human to kill another human, it needs madness, and religion is fertile ground for madness that segregates and dehumanizes. Hence although religions instigate the madness to kill, the killers are all same. So, in effect systems that dehumanize creates the same type of dangerous people across the divide of religions. Religion creates herd, market creates similar herd, they can easily switch sides. They lack basic human qualities of critical thinking or self-reflection or awareness. They can easily be manipulated.

So, although anyone can make a documentary the fact here is that it was not made by Tumbaktu Broadcasting Corporation it was made by BBC -British Broadcasting Corporation. British carry colonial legacy that was carefully nurtured and indulged by castetva forces into narration of benevolence and competence deviously sidetracking history of plunder and brutalities of racist colonizers. It’s a symbiotic relation that eventually resulted in transfer of power -sold as independence. Foundation of Indian democracy was built on british legacy and caste cannibal's fantasy. It was meant to control common people. Castetva forces therefore set out to control narration into its brute ways to showcase proprietorship over common people. Since they were here to impress the West, they had no use of nationalism while patriotism was negotiable for bigger stakes carefully packed as higher moral ground that common people were deemed incapable to understand. So even though it created untold misery to common people they always took highest moral grounds of absurdities harming national interest – which essentially meant delegating ensuing misery to common people, while counting brownie points associating with West -who saw these as wonderful attributes of benign civilization -of mahatmas and pundits, nothing could be further from the truth. British exploitative elite therefore had embryonic influence and control over India through castetva forces -who saw same level of blessedness with racist feudals hence copied their mannerism as liberal. They also defined merit and competence, a frame not different from squatter value system, meant to keep common people afar but given leeway as achievable talent. This meaningless pursuit of rituals created a mediocre society seeking blessedness through any means and cringeworthy characteristics of sycophancy towards higher forces. Herd was trained to please to alter fate.   

To cut the long story short English gained definite credibility over common people. So, an English speaker is more credible than someone speaking their own language. Imagine the level of degradation. English is talent as it was not achievable by many (replacing Sanskrit, language as power to segregate and rule) -they even hinged merit to grammar and competence to pronunciation (even this was dealt through short story by this blogger!). British was cultivated by effete Indian elite as signifier of high standards. It seeped down to common people, through institutions and carefully orchestrated mass media and entertainment. It is this influence that is the concern here. It is this influence that is being used by castetva forces -and their hang around salivating for lost power. Entrenched castetva forces are plotting to push out hindutva even while harming the nation state. However hard they may try herd has moved out of them. Though I have little respect for herd but common people are not stupid. They can easily see through the games. By its very nature castetva had to evolve into hindutva and merge.  

BBC lacks credibility, and in the recent times there are serious allegation of corruption and nepotism at the highest level in this organization. BBC has lost precious credibility that came with years of sustained efforts, atleast that is what we were made to believe. They have history of manipulation hence cannot be standard of probity. Indeed, british systems are thriving on feudal values, nepotism and wanton greed while supplicating to status quo. Britain is not even a democracy in its humanistic definition of representation nor in collective values of care or concern. They are debating clubs run by feudal manipulators miming as leaders. It’s a society were words have lost meaning while sentences weave fantasies of high bearing to win the argument and celebrate at the nearest bar. British accent must be the new standard for incompetence and hypocrisy. Britishery is the real thuggery.       

Indian government is wrong to ban the BBC documentary. It’s a violation of freedom. Meanwhile concerned people and society at large must see that these do not seep through colonial mindset (nurtured by castetva forces to gain credibility). The very fact that discredited war mongers responsible for invasion of Iraq, massacring and maiming of hundreds and thousands of ordinary people, and the irresponsible incompetent facilitators of lie (i.e. british media) are posing as authority over former colony while undermining its democratic institutions and judicial system is a serious attempt to infringe and showcase superior bearing that common people in erstwhile colony are expected to be impressed. It’s an appalling show of strength. It's also an attempt at redeeming themselves in the eyes of mullahs (in the game of high stakes common people…in this case muslims, are expendable. So, you kill hundreds and thousands and then attempt to redeem by pleasing local mullah -as is the case with any religion head these are farthest from common people). Its an attempt to pander the club of influence so as to control narration. India is seen as low hanging fruit by these posers encouraged by castetva forces -in utmost blessed assurance as representor (the proprietary assuredness is astounding -a product of centuries of inbreeding and fantasy of exceptionalism).

Democratic values must be upheld but in the meantime those who take India to be a low hanging fruit must be dealt stringently. Despite serious upheavals in Indian subcontinent and in most part of the world India remains relative oasis of sanity (ofcourse there are problems). Vested interests shouldn’t be allowed to play mischief. It will be a challenge to deal with these powerful interests within the ambit of democracy and freedom of expression.            

    

Burn the Book

 Paper auto ignites at 451*F, atleast that is the reason Roy Bradbury titled his cult book. Books, which in effect means thoughts, are sought to be attacked, censored and silenced by authoritarian state. It’s a potent means to control ideas and differing views into streamlined narration by powerful interests. Controlling thoughts was what Nazis attempted which were then manipulated to create narrations of horror. It was a weapon used by invading forces during the medieval times -to burn books/libraries is to erase ideas, collective insights and memories of culture. That is what they did in Nalanda, it is said that books burned for weeks and months. Civilizational influence of Buddhism on the subcontinent was sought to be erased. You still see charred walls. Only brutes would do a such thing.  There is no doubt that censoring thoughts and banning books are serious threat to freedom and is an assault on humanity. It should concern every one of us.

That being said banning books or censoring by state is not same as protest by individuals or group. An individual or a group anywhere has the right to burn books or texts or scriptures as they feel the need for it. The reference of holy doesn’t stand the scrutiny. Your holy is my non holy, vice versa. The book is not being banned or censored just that I don’t like it or better still I feel like burning it -ofcourse in confined space so as to not harm anyone or property. It is a choice that defines individual right and freedom. Any attempt to curtail it is an assault on egalitarian space. I should have the right to buy any book, and need be toss into nearest dustbin or burn it if I feel like it (the argument against is air pollution as also burning book is not an aesthetic response nevertheless choice of that response matters). You cannot control my action of burning book because it seems to “hurt your sentiments”. Burning a book doesn’t ban the book nor censor the idea. Not allowing to burn a book does serious damage to humanity. Burning a book is contextual to individual action which is different from burning books. Burning a book is a counter idea, a protest, a revolt, while burning books is vandalism. We are not living in the framework of last century hence the semantics or narration doesn’t hold. Any attempt otherwise is devious control. Further, in today’s interconnected world nobody can ban or censor books or ideas. We should have website containing all the books, ideas, movies, documentaries, articles, that is banned anywhere in the world, with sponsors ready to distribute it free anywhere across the world for common people to access or private libraries to store.

Most importantly these holy books/scriptures/texts that are used by powerful forces to control is trapped in time and carry notions of medieval primitive era -which ofcourse have right to exist, these anachronistic presences have caused immense misery to people. These are actively meant to dehumanize degrade humans into unthinking herds. There are progressive ideas that have resisted these for centuries which cannot be undermined or silenced. There is an attempt by powerful forces in West (white man’s burden) to create and control narration to patronize regressive forces, essentially to redeem themselves. You cannot curtail individual right to pander regressive religions and violent herds. You cannot force sacredness on common people. Every life is sacred. Learn to value life and its diversity. That is more than enough. Burn Bible. Burn Koran. Burn Gita. Burn Holy Book of any religion. Burn the Book. As the mind evolves aesthetics will decide for the individual what is valued and society to treasure. 

*PS: personally i consider even marking with pen (and not pencil) on a book a crime! 

         

Let's celebrate

 

Why would someone ‘celebrate’ with noise, flash of intense light and loads of toxic fumes into the air? What will it take people to be aware and responsible? Why are most people compelled to mark passing of time with air, sound and light pollution, and all the ugly? Aren’t they aware how much dire air pollution is? Or that millions of species are being impacted with light as never before? Aren’t they aware that there are millions of other species too that we share this planet with who are being pushed out of existence? Is it decent way to celebrate? Is it necessary to create such ruckus as mark of celebration?

This lack of deeper connection is extension of utilitarian values and crass ways. It’s a crude way to inflate oneself to feel happy. It’s a collective expression of a deep flaw. There are aesthetics of life and there are effortless ways to attune to it. It’s what we are all made up of, and seeks connection with other life forms into intricate expressions. Everything in this world is deeply connected. This noise, flash light and toxic fumes is killing us. What kind of celebration is this? Isn’t there any quainter way to make one’s presence felt? Ways to celebrate that cares and embraces the surrounding to mark our insignificance in passing of time.    

So here we are in 2023. Let us get ready for another spin around sun with care and concern. Let us celebrate in ever diminishing time we are left with on this remarkable planet.           

Wow what a movie!

 

The world created through Avatar movie is enchanting and precious. The second part is equally compelling. I am in love with this virtual world they so meticulously lovingly created. Though I must add the story was bit jarring -the usual Hollywood cliché so on nevertheless the intent and compassion was well placed, but my god the colorful wonderful world they conceptualized. Some of the scenes are quaintly sublime in its aesthetics. Please watch and feel alive in this captivating quaint world. Well done. As for James Cameron, ‘Terminator’ was one of my earliest English movies (most likely second English movie after James Bond), and just the right movie for my fertile early teen mind. I was blown away.

Footnote: meanwhile primitive Indians with big money are persistent to gate crash into Oscars. Crude despicable movie is being patronized by usual suspects as exotic and yes ‘representing’, the same old strategy to lower standards for mediocre to sneak in. Last I heard the third-rate crass movie is being shortlisted for song! An unintended gay moment. It would do well in LGBTQ festivals, nothing wrong just that it was unintended! And if they intended, they would mess it up. It’s a unique caliber. Please dump this appalling ‘work of art’ at the earliest. It’s an assault on sensibilities, an embarrassment. I as an Indian (unfortunately placed in same geographical entity) apologize for these mediocres and their lack of self-awareness. Or maybe give them a plastic replica of Oscars so that they can create PR narration back home for the herds to feel special brahmand blessing of unique talent that the world is incapable to comprehend. Nauseating.    

Unfolding the protein universe

 

As the year comes to an end the most significant event, if you really want to capsulate into timescale of a year and year end shenanigans, has to be DeepMind releasing structures of 200million proteins -all catalogued protein known to science. To put it into perspective before DeepMind only 17% of protein 3D structures were known that too after long and costly process. The decision to opensource AlphaFold is a momentous occasion. It will be Cambrian explosion of insights and innovations in multiple fields in the coming years and decades. Protein plays an important role in nearly every important activity that happens inside every living organism on earth. So, the possibility through this new awareness of three-dimensional structures of protein folds, hence its functions, is mindboggling and is set to profoundly impact understanding in fields ranging from fighting diseases to origin of life. AlphaFold is as significant as CRISPRcas9 in its broad span of impact.    

Meanwhile after ChatGPT -that has initiated some amusing online reactions, GPT-4 -OpenAI’s powerful language generative model, is to be released very soon. I read that it is going to make astonishing leaps in performance of memory -retain and refer back, and summarizing -distill essentialities in a text. The issue is Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPTs are running out of training data. There are lots of data generated online but very less is within acceptable quality threshold. They are moving towards transcription of spoken content of formal meetings. I find GPT progress exceedingly interesting. These started in 2017 with iterative machine learning transformers through neural network architecture. I find them very real in the way they acquire language. I got my frame on writing, and ofcourse keep updating, by iterative addition through constant reading. Better writers and incisive writings mean better frame to consolidate. Unlike GPT human brain takes years to work, particularly when there was no frame to begin with. Though I began choosing randomly very soon conscious part of the brain kicked in to evaluate and found the writings wanting in quality, nuance and span of idea. Indian writing -with rare exceptions, lacked the verve and vigor, mostly cosmetic and planted with word play. As also English classics like Austen were too boring and out of my reality or any reality I could fathom. Russian and Latin American writings were where things were happening. I was looking for contemporary writings -and that is how I bumped into Nobel prize writers which seems a definitive reference in a chaos filled world of writing. Ofcourse now I have moved out of fiction -it has become a luxury, into nonfiction -there is so much to catch up in the fast changing world. Without awareness of grammar (not that I didn’t try, I really couldn’t understand at all, as also it starts to intrude into writing and thinking hence I let it go) iterative consolidation is the only way out. I identify myself with GPT a lot. Like GPT I sometimes write fascinating stuff but also make silly embarrassing mistakes since I get into my own loop and brain gets tripped. But unlike GPT human mind has limitations but fascinating possibilities. You are not working on words from models of contexts and references alone but also through experiences and thinking. GPT at this stage is emulating third rate Indian writers who use superficial play of words to impress the system to make easy money and influence. Intermittently impressive but mostly mediocre. GPT can easily be better than most Indian writers (who can be safely taken as benchmark of mediocrity!).  

There is also research going on to augment data through visual language or multimodal access afterall much of human speech is complemented by visual cues and representations. When I see something, I am acquiring data that is converting the experience through emotions which are then imprinted into memory. Many a times I find it difficult to convert into words, and even if I do, it doesn’t really carry the whole feeling of experience. It seems to be lacking and futile. Even in best of writers it is very much hinged to partial emotions it excites in readers. Ofcourse consensus is high on great writers (is there primal quantum entangling in human brains that aligns emotions? Crazy thought!), but it is never complete, and many a times it could even be readers limitations. It does create diversity of experience but doesn’t address the limitation of language. So, is the language lacking since it is in a linear time frame whereas experience encompass linearity and has input from past and future -oscillating in time, to add to the richness of memory. AlphaZero has exhibited this ability to look deep into time and backforth for possible outcomes. It has accessed reality that human emotions are able to sense but brain is incapable to articulate. GPT is open ended, subjective frame, while AlphaZero is close ended system, clear objective, but the way AlphaZero experience time in limited frame holds lots of potential.                     

The Blessed Lords are on Holiday!!

 Such a fine tradition. Such fine legacy. Such nice people. You may even mistake India to be paradise of justice, and justice system.