I had this acquaintance, we were talking about career paths and they brought up wanting to get a union job to be treated better; I contributed to the conversation. The word ‘capitalism’ was said by me and they were tongue and cheek about it, as if contesting capitalism is an edgy joke.
Around two weeks later they said they borrowed the communist manifesto from a friend, read it, and said Marx had some good ideas. Like whaaat?? What a jump. I’m surprised they even mentioned it because if saying the word capitalism gets eyebrow raises, I could only imagine what speaking openly about communism would bring about. And why mention this to me of all people?
Later that hour we were talking about AI and I said Marx had a good quote about AI but couldn’t find it in the moment.
Me texting later that day:
Found the quote: “It took both time and experience before the workpeople learnt to distinguish between machinery and its employment by capital, and to direct their attacks, not against the material instruments of production, but against the mode in which they are used” (Marx, Capital Vol. I)
Above is the quote which I’ve heard people apply to AI. To me it means that the machine isn’t the enemy, it is just the tool. It’s employment by capital (business owners using it to cut labor costs and reduce worker power) is how capital is using the tool. AI is an amazing technology with so many uses like cancer detection and stuff, but it’s not being developed in that way. So the final part of the quote is saying that AI is not the problem, but how it’s being used.
They said that was very intelligent and they felt the same. Though, they felt nihilistic about the direction of AI.
I understand that; it’s pretty depressing. Though, the more I read political philosophy, the more I can envision a different future.
They shared that it seems that ignorance is bliss, but then they hit me with the banger: “you can’t go back, but there is also benefits to not being ignorant. Like deeper reasoning ability and can recognize patterns”.
Recommended them Blackshirts and Reds by Michael Parenti, and they said it’s really good so far! I can’t wait to hear their thoughts the next time we talk.
I’ve never met a ML irl, maybe I’m not in the right places. I spend most of my time at a university studying for a degree if that says as much. That is why this interaction was so important to me.
Comrades can be found when commiserating about our shared struggle; what would be idle thoughts and discontent, Marx (and many others) makes the unconscious conscious and gives us the words to communicate about our struggle.
Also this story is what inspired my other post (first post on lemmygrad.ml!).
