Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT Strips 2996-3000 (6th to 10th July 2015)
ReindeerFlotilla:
The technological singularity is past in QC. I don't think Emily need really concern herself about a future career to conform to.
The singularity is the "point" where the rate of change become so fast that it exceeds baseline human comprehension. Think of it this way. 15 years ago, the idea of "Community Manager" as a career was strange. 10 years ago, carrying your music collection in your pocket was a new thing, not really that easy, and why would you want use your phone for it.
The Tesla Model S can control its speed in all environments and will obey the posted limits without further user input, if told to. If there's a car in front of it, it will even stop for you.
That's our reality.
What does this mean for QC? Well, it's a really easy way for Jeph to explain why technology keeps pace with the real world, despite the fact that it's about 2006 in comic. But aside from that, it means that, if he's doing that, technology in the comic has advanced 6 months in past 2 to 3 weeks.
Basically, everything Emily learned in CompSci is already obsolete. Fortunately, for her, there's probably some use for people who can code elder gods. I actually doubt QC will last so long as to need to follow Emily into the workforce, but should that happen, in a post singularity world, being the odd one is probably a strong advantage.
Still, there is the fundamental question of being a good worker drone IRL. I'm going to say something crazy and radical to all those folks struggling with that. Maybe you shouldn't do it.
I know, crazy, huh? Here's the thing: The system is rigged. The system works best for people who conform. Sure, it is a death by a thousand papercuts, even for them, but for you, the person who doesn't quite fit, it's a thousand papercuts and nice salt rub before being set on fire. Unless you get lucky, and master the faking being a normal human, you'll end up in the hole anyway. As long as you're in the hole, it might as well be on your terms. By all means, find a job. Fly a desk. Try to surf the social waves. But figure out what your personal brand of strange does for you, and try to figure out how to make that into something, so you get out of the game. You'll be happier.
It's better than waking up one day in your forties and realizing you should have done it 20 years ago. The worst that will happen is you'll fail.
Or, let's look at it another way. Star Trek predicted flip phones and 3.5 inch diskettes 30 years before they happened in the wider world, (20 to 25 years before they happened). Star Trek predicted transparent aluminum in 1986. 29 year later, it's a thing (beyond synthetic gems). Star Trek introduced the replicator in 1989.
If it was just Star Trek, I'd say you can't take it seriously, but you can now buy desktop 3d printers for under 3000 USD. A quick back of the envelope suggests that in 7 to 9 years, the current level of tech in those printers will cost about 45.50 USD. Odds are, they won't sell them that cheap. Capitalist economy hasn't adapted as fast as the rate of techno change. That's why Apple plans ways to make old hardware useless before it fails (and why I haven't updated my ipod for 2 years). But, in the next decade, expect replicators. Maybe just version 1.0, but replicators.
Imagine how that's going to change market and demand for skills. While you're imagining that, hope to whatever you believe it that it's Star Trek's replicators and not StarGate's.
Storel:
--- Quote from: ReindeerFlotilla on 09 Jul 2015, 23:40 ---Or, let's look at it another way. Star Trek predicted flip phones and 3.5 inch diskettes 30 years before they happened in the wider world, (20 to 25 years before they happened). Star Trek predicted transparent aluminum in 1986. 29 year later, it's a thing (beyond synthetic gems). Star Trek introduced the replicator in 1989.
If it was just Star Trek, I'd say you can't take it seriously, but you can now buy desktop 3d printers for under 3000 USD. A quick back of the envelope suggests that in 7 to 9 years, the current level of tech in those printers will cost about 45.50 USD. Odds are, they won't sell them that cheap. Capitalist economy hasn't adapted as fast as the rate of techno change. That's why Apple plans ways to make old hardware useless before it fails (and why I haven't updated my ipod for 2 years). But, in the next decade, expect replicators. Maybe just version 1.0, but replicators.
--- End quote ---
Actually, Star Trek: TOS had food replicators, but (as the name implies) they were only used for food and drinks -- they weren't general-purpose. And the food was considered mediocre, at least according to most of the novels; I can't remember if anyone ever commented on the food quality in the show. So TNG did introduce general-purpose replicators, yes. Interesting that in Star Trek, organic replication came before inorganic, whereas our 3D printers are starting with inorganic.
Oh, and transparent aluminum is a thing now? Cool! I hadn't heard that. What can they do with it?
--- Quote from: ReindeerFlotilla on 09 Jul 2015, 23:40 ---Imagine how that's going to change market and demand for skills. While you're imagining that, hope to whatever you believe it that it's Star Trek's replicators and not StarGate's.
--- End quote ---
Sorry, I never watched enough StarGate to know about their replicators. How are theirs worse than Star Trek's?
Pilchard123:
They destroyed everything they touched and made more of themselves.
ReindeerFlotilla:
They use it for ballistic glass. Only on small objects because it's expensive.
StarGate's replicators are small robots that, well, replicate. Themselves. That's pretty much all they do. They will make more themselves out of anything they can acquire.
Also, if you think about Trek based on the result rather than the tech description (after all, flip phones couldn't actually call space, back in 1999) the food processors were boxes that you opened and got a hot meal out of. Which is a microwave oven. So Trek is actually not doing too bad on that front.
We have crude food 3d printers. So, really, "thing that makes stuff" is the minimum bar to clear to have a replicator.
Energia:
--- Quote from: Undrneath on 09 Jul 2015, 23:22 ---
--- Quote from: Energia on 09 Jul 2015, 22:42 ---
Given the above, I don't see her as a candidate for ADHD - the core ADD bit seems to be missing. Her executive function seems fine.
--- End quote ---
The thing is ADD manifests itself in many different ways but most include what would be considered a lot of mental background noise and we usually have impulse control problems which is why we are seen as random or weird.
--- End quote ---
There is little evidence of impulse control problems with Emily, and her inner mental state isn't intruding into her daily functioning. Her stimuli/interests are in question, not her attention.
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