Comment by psychoslave
9 days ago
Isn't b it same to emit doubts that the resources required to find and access webpages or use a GPS is causing at scale the same ecological impact as everyone selling the world by the token. Though that might be wrong, of course, then doubts should be addressed with proper reasoning, not aggressive rejection which would be a call to run with a blind fold.
Having people working together at some goal is not not going to create the same social structures as running LLMs at the same goal. That's missing the ecosocietal forest for the digital output.
Actually, at societal level, no, people are not free to go into gather and hunt mode, that is not at scale. Sure some individual can do it on the margin, but by definition that won't make the mainstream societal impact disappear.
I'm rejecting the pedantry of the premise altogether. YOU don't know the sources of energy used for the data centers in question... you aren't responsible and in a position to change anything... you are making statements to a negative assumption from the start and in such a hostile manner that any reasonable person would probably just ignore you. (I'm not always the most reasonable person)
As for social structures in creating software... the social structures around creating software shouldn't be a goal... software serves to scratch an itch or serve a purpose... and that purpose can even be social or entertainment... but the creation of the software itself doesn't need to serve any other purpose and if it can be done via automation, or partly automation, all the better.
As to going into hunter/gatherer mode... have you tried? My brother isn't even online and regularly hunts and fishes... so did my dad. They weren't wealthy people and still managed to get by. A lot of people do and did through history... because most people wouldn't be willing to do it... I realize that some countries and regions are more populated... but there's plenty of space in the US to achieve this kind of lifestyle.
For that matter, there's absolutely very little standing in your way if YOU want to take on the goals of creating cleaner energy or pairing with "responsible" data centers.
But I really think you're just virtue signaling and grand standing in order to try to shame others because you feel guilty for things you aren't actually responsible for.
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