As sad at the passing of Paul Walker and Roger Rodas is, I’d like to use this as an opportunity for sense.
People who drive like idiots on public roads cause pain and suffering. Both Paul Walker and Roger Rodas leave behind a wife and kids. I’m glad they didn’t take any innocent bystanders with them.
There’s just no excuse for anyone, let alone a racing driver, to end up like this within city limits.
I love reading. I love it when I read words, carefully put down by a percipient writer, aware of their definitions. Writing in its good form, is thinking on paper, and speaks directly to me in beautiful words. I love that.
I love it when I read intelligence, expressed in a clear, simple, brief and human way.
Reading good writing begets more reading; it’s oxygen for the brain.
And the thing I love about reading is that it lets me discover something. Not only with the author’s insight, but my own as well. Reading is best without it telling me what to do, and leaving something to discover.
So what I don’t like is presumptuous and pretentious currency I get too often in exchange for my faith. Every time I see a good publisher fall to the clutches of mediocrity, the poetic words by Shakespeare come to mind; ‘Et tu, brute?’
Language is a living thing, constantly evolving. That is fine. I’ll accept that ‘epic’ is no longer a word to describe only tales like that of Iliad and Odyssey, and that the word ‘amazing’ no longer means ‘something so wonderful, it is hard to find words for it.’ Words like ‘mindblowing’, ‘amazing’, ‘heartbreaking’, ‘lovely’ and ‘beautiful’ have all watered down in their meaning. The very definition of many words have paled by their overuse.
But what I find hard to accept is reading it all the time, from publishers I greatly admire. I might expect sensationalism from BuzzFeed or The Onion, but Mashable, The Huffington Post, Gizmodo, Techcrunch and Quartz? Even you, Wired?
Here’s what I’m talking about:
I imagine the face of the writer who writes headlines like ‘Epic photographs that will leave you in awe ‘, to be completely neutral. And does the writer who pens down ‘must-see’ even know what that implies? And nothing makes me cringe like a headline, telling me to cringe.
And it’s not just the headlines, it’s the whole pretence of the article. Mashable wrote an article about the US Army building an Iron Man suit, while the suit simply had embed electronics, which is nothing new, and furthermore had it little to do with the fictional multimillionaire.
It’s a far-fetched metaphor – acting as click-bait – for people vulnerable to wasting time under the illusion they’re reading something meaningful.
There’s all this talk about people reading less, and if publishers keep writing such trash, I can’t blame them.
Writing comes with a code of honour, especially journalism. It should present truth and rely on fact. Adding opinion is fine, but leave something to discover for the reader. Like telling a joke, the fun lies in not explaining it.
I think many writers are writing articles closer related to instruction manuals than journalism; ‘here’s what you should feel’; ‘here’s what you should think’. ‘Oh yeah, and don’t forget to share.’
It’s stupid.
If we want to get people reading, we have to get ambitious. Do it the right way. Strive for freshness. Pretentiousness is a dead end.
Quake 3 is a first-person shooter video game – launched back in 1999 – that came with the innovation that the bot AI (artificial intelligence) could learn and adapt new scenarios and situations, based on tactics that worked and didn’t work.
Basically; the longer you played, the more it would learn about you. Matches usually don’t last very long in Quake, but one anonymous gamer left a server on for four years, hosting a bot-vs-bot match, setting no score or time limit.
Upon logging in earlier this year, he discovered that the bots where standing still, not doing anything. So, in his next step, the gamer joins the game.
The bots didn’t fire at him, they only rotated to look at him, and continued to do so as he walked around the map. The gamer than decided to shoot at one, to which the bots, all together, killed the gamer.
Whether this story is true or not, it does raise the question;
Could artificial intelligence be smarter than us, and figure out what humans can’t? That the best way to live, is to not kill each other. And that in fact, humans are the main threat to peace?
This probably sounds an awful lot like science-fiction. God knows how many books are written about robots taking over our planet.
However, last week I was listening to a Dutch politician stating that in the next few years, about two thousand new truck drivers are needed in the Netherlands. Yet, no matter how much they are needed now, I firmly believe those truck drivers will be unemployed by 2020.
See, like Quake, tech companies are developing droids with senses like understanding, speaking, hearing, seeing, answering and writing, at a rate quicker than politicians can understand. It’s gone outside of computer games, or science-fiction books.
This really shows itself best in driverless cars. Driving a car requires many skills, and humans are pretty bad at it (1.2 million deaths occur in vehicle accidents every year). It’s very likely that you know someone close, who has been injured or killed in a car accident. So computers don’t have to be very good to be better than us. But they will be.
There’s a lot of talk about how laws will cope with driverless cars, and who will be responsible for accidents, the driver, or the programmer. But that’s not so interesting, I think, as what it’ll mean for our jobs.
When cars will drive themselves, it’ll be the end of jobs for truck, bus and taxi drivers, postmen and waste collectors.
However, the bigger picture is that with superior drivers, no accidents will occur, ever. So there’ll be less need for police, firefighters and doctors. And that means less police and fire stations, and less hospitals. And, to single out hospitals to make an example, it’s not just some doctors losing their jobs. When a hospital will close down due less accidents, cleaners, cooks, electricians and many more will lose their jobs.
Then there’s other vehicles such as trains, boats and planes, which will be controlled by a computer.
Hopefully you’re seeing the bigger picture here.
Even more jobs will become non-existent thanks to 3D printing, as for instance clothing won’t be made by humans anymore. It allows local production, so the shipping industry will suffer a lot. Also; no need for storage, if you can print directly on demand. It’ll be good for the environment, but bad for jobs.
Then there’s ‘normal’ bots: they will replace fishers, miners, farmers, inspectors, construction builders, soldiers – basically, anything.
‘But wait. Wouldn’t somebody need to make those bots?’
Wrong. Already there are self-assembling robots.
And if you look at SIRI or Google Glass, you’ll realise that no-touch interface will automate help desk services, and probably schools as well.
Software developed by BETC Euro RSCG in Paris, generated ads like this one. This ad is from 2010.
Of course, all these developments will create some new jobs as well, but not as much as two billion. (That’s the number of jobs, evaporated thanks to the advent of artificial intelligence.) But replacing those new jobs might be a matter of time as well.
‘But wait, there will still be creative jobs right?’ Maybe, but know that computers are already showing creativity. The ad on the right here is made by BETC Euro RSCG Paris in 2010, and there’s a piece of software called AARON, developed by artist Harold Cohen, which creates art since the 1970s.
Science-fiction? No.
Will we let this happen? Yes.
Can we stop this? Maybe.
But stopping this will be difficult, for what makes sense on a larger scale (buying expensive goods from companies that use humans), makes no sense on an individual scale (buying cheap products from companies that use bots). And since individuals mostly pursue what’s best for them, we will all buy from non-human companies. Of course governments could help, but as said earlier, their awareness develops slower than technology. Also, they have a rather bad rep for choosing money over human resources.
And this isn’t my opinion, you know. I simply looked for information and put it together, which is what any proper journalist should do.
I started writing this article with the question; ”which jobs will become non-existent in the future?’, but the inevitable answer could very well be; ‘all of them’.
Sources:
Artificial artists: when computers become creative
Quake 3 bots
Don’t Tell the Creative Department, but Software Can Produce Ads, Too
Meer vrachtwagenchauffeurs nodig
Eerste ‘F-16-drone’ maakt testvlucht
17 Jobs That Robots Were Supposed to Have Stolen By Now
Self Assembling Robots
Which jobs will become non-existant in the coming years?
The forever recession (and the coming revolution)
Data Shows Google Robot Cars Are Smoother, Safer Drivers Than People
Jobs of the future, #1: Online Community Organizer
Machines on the march threaten almost half of modern jobs
The five biggest supermarkets in the Netherlands – with a 70% market share – are all saying they’re the cheapest.
If such a thing could be measured, clearly four of them would be wrong.
But I must agree with them; they’re cheap. The cheapest thing they’re selling is their brand image. So, I’m glad the biggest grower in the market is one that has never said it’s cheap.
It’s EkoPlaza, which sells organic food at a fair price, not the lowest. It’s refreshing to see a supermarket successfully do this. Last year it grew with 8%, this year it’s looking good for another 10%.
And whereas I believe none of the big five supermarkets who all claim to be the cheapest, I do believe EkoPlaza, which actually stands for the quality of the food.
See, going for the lowest price is cheap, and as a brand it shows you have either no guts or no ideas. It’s a refuge, and a race to the bottom. A race with no winners.
Further reading: Don’t buy into the lowest price
Going into my last year of adschool, I’m pondering which direction I wish to go after I have my diploma signed. Advertising, writing, something editorial? I don’t know yet.
Yet whichever I choose, I’m free to change it, or do the other things in my spare time.
People often ask themselves, and it’s a real cliche; ‘Am I not too old for that?’. Or worse, they don’t question it, they just assume it. But it doesn’t matter. Ask it now, and the answer is no. Ask it again in fifty years, and the answer is still no.
It merely takes an effort.
I always wanted to play an instrument, but apparently, not enough to get through the ‘learning phase’, which I always thought would be very lengthy. Earlier this year though, I bought a guitar, and now I’m still playing silly tunes, but I am playing! It’s a wonderful feeling, turning notes into music, and I was actually surprised how quickly I was able to learn it, and left wondering why I didn’t start earlier.
So, inspired by that, here’s a list of things which you can learn in one weekend. Learn something new, and then something new again the following weekend. It doesn’t have to be something from this list, it’s merely something to get your mind started.
Origami
The art of folding a simple paper into a three-dimensional shape is incredible. It’s fun, and depending on the diagram, it can be easy or hard. You’ll find origami paper in many stores with folding instructions, but you can easily find instructions online too.
Cycling
In the Netherlands, nearly everybody can ride a bike, but in other countries cycling isn’t as common. Just lend a bike if you can, and adjust the seat low enough so your toes can easily touch the ground. Start with just pushing yourself forward with your feet on the ground. Get the hang of that, then gradually try to pedal-push yourself forward. Once you get it right, it’ll be an amazing feeling.
Massaging
You might need a partner for this, but massaging is both healthy and relaxing. Massaging can, among many things, decrease stress hormones and blood pressure, and increases white blood cells (cells of the immune system) and serotonin, a natural antidepressant. If you have hands, you can massage. Just take some reading or YouTube tutorials. I’m sure your partner won’t say no.
Yoga
Like massaging, yoga has a ton of benefits. To name a few, it lowers stress, blood pressure and improves your mood, confidence, muscle strenght and helps you lose weight.
Knitting
Knitters knit because it’s fun, relaxing, creative, or simply because it’s tradition or to raise a feeling of accomplishment. Besides, knittings make a wonderful gift. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a you like a hand knitted scarf or pair of socks.
Poetry
You can learn how to write some particular types of poems, such as haikus or sonnets.
Classic music
You should understand that not all classical music is the same, and some is really great. But you have to learn to appreciate it. Some pieces are easier to enjoy than others, such as Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, or Danse macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns.
Chess
Benjamin Franklin one said that ‘the game of chess is not merely an idle amusement.’ And it’s true, aside from being fun, it’ll improve your concentration, planning skills, memory, attention span and develop logical reasoning. You can get a real board with pieces, or play it online. Just make sure you read the rules first, otherwise you could be daunted by the apparent complexity, while it’s rather simple.
Programming
Coding is amazing, bringing something to life. There’s a lot of different coding languages you can learn, but you can’t go wrong by learning HTML. The great thing about HTML is that it’s so basic, with each line you write, you can instantly see the result in your browser.
Learn how to play an instrument
Guitar, piano, flute, violin – there’s plenty of instruments which are easy to learn within one weekend. No, you won’t instantly be able to play an amazing guitar solo, but playing a simple tune like ‘London Bridge’ right can be quite satisfying. You don’t need expensive classes, you’ll find lots of tutorials on YouTube.
Blogging
Start a blog. It’s free, and it’s a great way to educate yourself. More about this in my article ‘Write‘.
CPR
You can take a CPR class in a couple of hours, and it might just save a life.
Mastering your camera
No matter how simple your camera is, or how long you have had it, it probably does a lot of cool things you don’t know yet. Read the whole manual, while keeping the camera in your other hand.
Making bread
Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods, which was already made some 30,000 years ago. There’s many types of bread, so just head over to a recipe site and find what you’d like. In return, you’ll get a wonderful-smelling house or appartment, and some fresh bread to eat. In fact, if you did the recipy right, it’ll be the best bread you’ve ever had.
You can learn all these things now, and thank me later.
I love writing, and writing is the only way to get better at writing. I’m also an avid follower of Formula 1, and interested in its history (perhaps even more than the developments which are made in the current. My first article can be found there, which is about Jean Behra, a French driver who never won an official Grand Prix, a fighter in the Gilles Villeneuve mould, with courage and car control to spare.
http://jg-f1.com/driver-spotlight-jean-behra/
Originally posted on Quora.
A glass vase of €0.50.
I bought it, had to carry it with me the whole day while shopping, then – when I got home I quickly filled it with water and put in the flowers, to leave for the weekend. When I got home, I found out it was leaking as the whole floor was soaked, and the wooden floor was bended cause of the water.
I then put it outside on the terrace, but later, it was blown over by the wind so the whole terrace was covered in glass shards. Cleaned it, but still found bits ‘n pieces of glass many weeks later.
Seriously, that vase was a bad buy.
Originally posted on Quora.
I’m rather disappointed by Apple’s case for the iPhone 5C they announced moments ago. It looks like a cross between connect four, a cheese grater and Crocs, and clearly shows a design fault. For a company that’s all about design, that’s pretty bad. Steve Jobs would have fired the entire design department for this.
When Ben Affleck was announced as the new Batman, the internet exploded. Tweets, memes, and even a petition to remove him from the movie, which was signed over 66,000 times.
Damn, I didn’t knew this much people actually cared about who would play a fictional superhero.
Perhaps we could just wait until we actually see the movie before outing all the posh hatred.
Earlier this year, there were two things happening simultaneously in the Netherlands. First, our queen abdicated, and gave the throne to her son. An official song was made, and people hated it. They hated it with a passion. At this same time, the 2013 meat adulteration scandal started and it appeared that supermarkets where selling beef which had hidden horse meat in it. Lots of discoveries were made, but the most telling one came from an employee from a meat processing company, who said that meat past the expiry date was simply mixed with other meat, and provided with a new date sticker, and consequently sold.
Guess what got most attention?
The song.
An online petition attracted over 40,000 signatures.
It was just a song, not a very good one, but a song it is.
And, in 2013, EA Games won the ‘Worst Company of the Year’ award for a second year in a row, ahead of banks and oil companies, so it got me wondering; is EA Games really the worst company?
Apparently, spilling thousands of litres of crude oil into the oceans and bankrupting millions of people will not get you the award. It seems, that all you have to do is make a bad ending to a video game.
EA Games isn’t really worse than Halliburton, which in 2013 destroyed evidence related to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, or ExxonMobil, which caused the Mayflower oil spill, spilling more than 1.1 million litres of crude oil in the middle of Arkansas, poisoning entire communities’ ground water. EA isn’t worse than the Bank of America, that committed mortgage fraud that cost tax payers millions of dollars. And it’s not worse than Monsanto, which is destroying our food supply with its short-term business strategy
EA Games isn’t really worse than all those companies.
Yet, once more, the collective internet lacks perspective.
Perhaps the contest should have been named ‘most hated online-company in the United States’, since it only shows how annoyed the internet is with a certain brand at the moment. More than anything else, it turned out to be a measurement of internet opinion.
I just think it’s rather terrifying to see how the internet has become a place of hypes. Hypes aren’t a bad thing, but meaningless ones kind off are. Perhaps next time you want to give your voice to something (and jump on a bandwagon), have some perspective and think about meaningful subjects, like Monsanto, the chemical warfare in Syria, or what’s happening now in Egypt.
Heck, there are a million things happening right now that are more important than who’s to play the next Batman.
Today is the day in the year when humans consumed more than the Earth can produce in one whole year. Known as Earth Overshoot Day, it shows that in 8 months, we exhausted our planet’s ecological budget for the year.
Like a bank account shows the deficit of income against expenditures, our planet’s account is in firm negative, year after year. Our world would have to be roughly 1.5 times bigger than it is now, to support our consumption. To formulate it differently; we’re consuming 1.5 Earth’s.
The first Earth Overshoot Day, also known as Ecological Debt Day, was on the calendar in 1987, and it was only at December the 19th then. Still, it has moved earlier and earlier since then. In 1993, it fell on October 21, and in 2003 on September 22, yet this year, it’s August 20.
Given current trends in consumption Earth Overshoot Day arrives a few days earlier each year, yet I do believe we can turn it around, but only if we stop thinking we can rely on technology to save the planet. It’s behavioural change that will, and it will have to come from ourselves.
Overheard at a local car dealer, a little kid to his dad;
‘When I’m going to buy a car, it has to be at least energy label B’.
So I put my hope on that kid, and hope more kids will grow up like that.
