Do not adjust your mind. There is a fault in reality.
R.D. Laing
Modern Polymaths is a collection of ideas and meanderings. Nothing you find here is meant to be profitable or productive.
Explore wisely.
Recent Posts
- Imagining a Better Kind of Company
In a recent episode of Today, Explained, the hosts spotlighted Dropout TV, a rocket ship in the world of independent streaming. Originally launched by CollegeHumor in 2018 and later sold to Chief Creative Officer Sam Reich, Dropout could have become just another niche service chasing attention with quirky programming. But it didn’t. Instead, Reich took the… - “Responsible AI” is a Shared Responsibility
Indeed’s latest data spotted a new buzzword popping up in job descriptions across tech and beyond: Responsible AI. It sounds good. Sensible, even. Who wouldn’t want AI to be responsible? But before we get too impressed, let’s take a closer look. What Is Responsible AI? At its core, Responsible AI refers to the concept that artificial intelligence systems should… - Lost in the Present: A Theory of Feeling Overwhelmed
Over the last several years, the acceleration of culture, technology, and politics has left me feeling pretty overwhelmed, and I’d wager you feel the same. If so, don’t worry – you’re in good company. Dozens of social indicators have reported increases in depression, anxiety, and economic distress (Half of Americans Feel Financially Adrift Amid Economic… - Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick
Ethan Mollick’s One Useful Thing Substack newsletter is widely hailed as one of the best resources for understanding the rapidly evolving world of AI and LLMs. It’s no surprise that his 2024 book, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, is a thoughtful and widely practical guide for engaging with AI, regardless of the reader’s prior… - Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie
After hearing author Hannah Ritchie on Ezra Klein’s podcast, I immediately sought out her recent book. Ritchie serves as the Deputy Editor and Lead Researcher at Our World in Data, a non-profit dedicated to using data to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. And in Not the End of World, she uses that data… - Creativity in the Age of AI
Apple recently brought the issue of creativity in the modern technology era to a head with its tone-deaf Crush Ad. If you haven’t seen it, the viewer is treated to the slow-motion destruction of all manner of artistic media, from instruments to paints to cameras. The hydraulic press lowers inch by steady inch until the… - Meeting the New Boss: Are We Ready for AI Executives?
An recent NY Times article asks a question that’s been vaguely floating around the edges of the business world since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT 3 in November of 2022 – “Can A.I. replace human CEOs?” Taking this question at face value, there are plenty of answers needed before “A.I. CEO” becomes anything more than… - A Knock at the Door
Undying Dread: A 400-Year-Old Corpse, Locked to Its Grave (NY Times, 9/25/2023) In 17th-century Europe, the dead were a constant threat to rise again and bedevil the living. Now archaeologists have found the remains of a suspected child revenant. The candles have burned down to sputtering stumps, oozing the memory of their younger selves into… - Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
In my review of the first book in the series, Peter and the Starcatchers, I explained that I’m a huge Peter Pan fan, and my expectations for new works are always high. I’ve been disappointed many times – Hugh Jackman in Pan, Disney’s emo-Pan adaptation in Peter Pan and Wendy, and dear, sweet Christopher Walken…