Sweet! I like the humor and "woeful inadequacy" as an artform that AI would have trouble with. AI's going to make it so that only our deepest truths will get past it's fakery. But maybe that's always been what's wanted. And just a thought, that it's not how our civilization will understand evil, or anything really, but how we will, woefully inadequate us.
Great piece. One thing that really strikes me about the characters in Succession is the fear they constantly exhibit. It's an object lesson in what happens when you become your ego. The characters depend on each other but don't trust each other at all. They fear revealing their own ideas, plans, or opinions about even the most trivial things for fear it will be used against them somehow. They are sometimes paralyzed by fear of making the wrong move, and other times wander down a path they know is doomed, because they fear going against the consensus.
May 4, 2023·edited May 4, 2023Liked by Alexander Beiner
Interested to hear what you have to say regarding the problem of evil. In terms of just my own intuition and humble opinion, most of the everyday harm I see taking place in the world (even some really harmful stuff) comes from people just reacting out of their wounds or trauma -- it comes from their humanness. BUT I have in my life witnessed a few things that seemed much colder, much darker, and much more sadistic and more anti-human if that makes sense. I also think when people get really ideological, like they really believe they have some sort of idea that will save the world and they need to implement it at all costs, they are more susceptible to suspending their humanness. But it's not just that when it comes to evil. I have a few times witnessed what I thought was someone almost getting high on hurting others. I am of the opinion that evil (outside of humans just reacting from their wounds) does exist, and it it's important to talk about, but hard to define.
The problem is evil in both institutional capture and social status seeking is really preoccupying me too.
Dark Tetrad folks rightfully recognising Woke/religious moralising to be a path to easy prestige and power; military industrial complex war mongering for profit etc etc.
having spent years in (much smaller) family owned businesses and run one myself for a family, i have to say excellent choice. and yes reality and culture co-create one another up to the point where reality gets real. i find it maddening they have those resources but not the imagination and skills to make a new better game.
Thanks Alexander, brilliant piece. Love the humour and depth.
About generative ways to debate... I'm excited by what you can share on that, it feels like a true crux in our current society! Been running in the back of my head to try and organise something to facilitate those discussions.
Sweet! I like the humor and "woeful inadequacy" as an artform that AI would have trouble with. AI's going to make it so that only our deepest truths will get past it's fakery. But maybe that's always been what's wanted. And just a thought, that it's not how our civilization will understand evil, or anything really, but how we will, woefully inadequate us.
Great piece. One thing that really strikes me about the characters in Succession is the fear they constantly exhibit. It's an object lesson in what happens when you become your ego. The characters depend on each other but don't trust each other at all. They fear revealing their own ideas, plans, or opinions about even the most trivial things for fear it will be used against them somehow. They are sometimes paralyzed by fear of making the wrong move, and other times wander down a path they know is doomed, because they fear going against the consensus.
Observing the inadequacy of 20th century psychology to explain character, James Hillman contends that character is a quality of the soul.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hillman
Interested to hear what you have to say regarding the problem of evil. In terms of just my own intuition and humble opinion, most of the everyday harm I see taking place in the world (even some really harmful stuff) comes from people just reacting out of their wounds or trauma -- it comes from their humanness. BUT I have in my life witnessed a few things that seemed much colder, much darker, and much more sadistic and more anti-human if that makes sense. I also think when people get really ideological, like they really believe they have some sort of idea that will save the world and they need to implement it at all costs, they are more susceptible to suspending their humanness. But it's not just that when it comes to evil. I have a few times witnessed what I thought was someone almost getting high on hurting others. I am of the opinion that evil (outside of humans just reacting from their wounds) does exist, and it it's important to talk about, but hard to define.
I adore Succession, for me the best series ever. So my art prompt is 'Kendall Roy on the verge of tears in an office.'
The first person pronoun eight times in the first two paragraphs. In an article about narcissists...
The problem is evil in both institutional capture and social status seeking is really preoccupying me too.
Dark Tetrad folks rightfully recognising Woke/religious moralising to be a path to easy prestige and power; military industrial complex war mongering for profit etc etc.
Very much looking forward to reading it.
having spent years in (much smaller) family owned businesses and run one myself for a family, i have to say excellent choice. and yes reality and culture co-create one another up to the point where reality gets real. i find it maddening they have those resources but not the imagination and skills to make a new better game.
Thanks Alexander, brilliant piece. Love the humour and depth.
About generative ways to debate... I'm excited by what you can share on that, it feels like a true crux in our current society! Been running in the back of my head to try and organise something to facilitate those discussions.