I relate with this. The hope that AGI arrives and the singularity occurs, easily represents 70% of the interest in living my life.

Traveling, studying, exercising... None of that motivates me, but witnessing the advances in AI and being able to test it myself... does motivate me. Idk, It's like life is... disappointing and boring, and I'm waiting for an abrupt change that will give me a reason to have interest in being here.

I understand how you feel, and you've already had some good and interesting responses. I'd like to add another facet:

What you're describing isn't unrelenting hope, and you aren't alone on this sub in feeling that way. It's despair. A lot of people here are unhappy with their lives for a medley of reasons, and are hoping the singularity will bring a fantastical world where they can be happy. It's possible. It's also unhealthy, and does little but create a feedback loop that justifies their pain, instead of encouraging them to face it, and make something good for themselves.

Desperately wanting something to believe in is no bad thing. It just means you're human, and you're alive. That's good news! It also means you're responsible for living that life as best you can. That sounds silly, but stay with me. If you want something to believe in, cultivate some interests to identify your beliefs and then work to fulfill them. You don't need to start with some broad, sweeping ideal. Start small and practical. "I want to get in better physical shape." Do that. Then do the next thing, and the next. Along the way you'll find that Thing, that idea, or that faith that inspires you.

But you won't find it being passive. Don't wait for the singularity to have things happen to you. Go out and happen to things.

It’s quite clearly the case for a lot of people here which makes discussions extremely frustrating as they don’t like being told that, as impressive as GPT is, it is not the sign of the imminent singularity and the end of their difficulties.

Also, whenever we do get there, it might not be as different as you hope. While the technology will presumably be incredible people will still be people. They will still fight, argue, gossip, cheat, want what someone else has regardless of what they have already. We’ll probably live in homes much like we do now and the cities will be much the same and we’ll do a lot of the same stuff.

It will hopefully remove the need to work for many people and provide us with some freedom. Although I find the claims that nearly all work will vanish to be baffling. There are many jobs where being human is a plus, and basically the point. For example, a fully automated bar is not a particularly difficult problem to solve even today, but there’s not much demand for it as the human element is what matters for many people and I seriously doubt that will change. The fact that Redditors tend towards being young and introverted (or often outright socially dysfunctional) further encourages these sorts of odd ideas about the world.

The point is that it could come next year, or in 10 years or in 100 years and when it does you don’t really know to what degree it will actually help you. Sure, take an interest in it. But despite all our problems life does have a lot to offer and it can be vastly better than you might expect if you spent too much time reading about the world online. It’s almost certainly a much better bet to try to find some happiness, purpose and peace now (as hard as this can be) rather than wait for it to be provided in an entirely hypothetical and uncertain future.

I have not lost faith in humanity but if youre not actively involved in politics (which most people do not have the privilege of being able to do so) it can be hard to see any good in us, ironic as that may be. Helps me to see the people doing the good work 24/7 even if I can only chip in once a month. Get involved in your local community and expect nothing in return and youll probably have that faith restored over time. It takes time though.

​

Anyways I do hope that something changes in a big way because I dont see how our current form of existence, capitalist vs oligarchs (aka openly evil capitalists) can be sustained

Something like that. More like I keep checking my phone at 2 AM with a vague hope that the world has blown up in some new and dazzling way so I won't have to go to work in the morning

I think you should find someone to talk to, get some exercise, eat healthy, and then revisit these ideas from a critical perspective.

To answer your question: No, that isn't the case for me. The singularity might be the end of the road for us - and that's not even a worst case. I don't think it's inevitable, I'm not sure it's likely, but it's definitely an interesting topic.

The pseudo religious proselytizing is the most boring part of the community.

Yep, same. Except I'm not 100% on this shit, really I just hope it goes well. It doesn't reach to the level of 'faith' and I do have an inborn skepticism even against things I wish were true.

I was thinking about this the other day, but it seems to me (at least in the west) people have largely given up in believing the future will be better than the past. There is a pervasiveness cynicism without the will to actually improve anything. The great social experiments of the 1900s all failed to produce 'utopic' societies. The idea that people will band together under 'free love' (to reference the hippies, as an example) or another change in the social dynamic to produce a better world is quaint.

Outside of one's personal life, there is really nothing to look forward to in society as a whole. If the doomers are right, things will be getting so bad so soon that there is very little reason to try.

I'm fairly nihilistic as a whole. I believe life can be awesome, if the cards are right, but I don't believe in inherent meaning. My thoughts are: I encourage everyone (even trying myself!) to make the best of life in a very practical way, but I also recognize that is not possible for everyone to do so.

Maybe this whole thing will come to nothing or be underwhelming, but at least it's a possibility of a better world. Not asking rhetorically, but where else can a person look?

edit: last, but not least, if you're fucked in life and need some help, there is very little chance anyone outside family or very close friends are going to extend a hand. It's harsh.

No. I'm really interested to see what happens and whether the singularity really plays out in the wild exponential way this sub is expecting. I'm both worried and excited about what it will mean for society. But I also believe bug collecting is a pretty fun way to pass the time while we're waiting, and I'm sure it will still be interesting afterward. Really it's crazy how many fascinating adaptations the little buggers have and how much biodiversity there is. Get a decent microscope and have your mind blown.

Or take up literally any other form of entertainment. You are unfathomably lucky to be conscious in the first place, and it's only for a while, so you might as well enjoy it. We don't need any deeper meaning than finding things we enjoy; as the highest form of consciousness in the known Universe, we humans are the primary arbiters of meaning. Everything that happens is only meaningful to the extent that it means something to some conscious creature (that's us). Rather than pining for a higher consciousness to give things meaning, just do it yourself. And if you enjoy thinking about the singularity, cool. Keep that on your list of meaningful things. Just don't rely on it as the only thing that counts.

I didn't have faith in anything else to begin with. Almost all good things happen because of technology.

Being religious is coded into our DNA. If you are in this sub you are logical enough to not believe the mainstream miracles and instead believe in something 'realistic' like the singularity.

I kind of sensed that from how idealistic and unrealistic a lot of the users here seem to be tbh… I’d say you’re far from the only one who’s like that here. I get that exact vibe from like half the users here.

That doesn’t sound like a healthy state of mind to be in honestly. It isn’t really wise to place all of your hopes and dreams on something that you can’t even predict the final result of…

I am an optimistic in my future thinking. There are some dark spots in my thinking though. Firstly. There is the real possibility that we will have another pandemic involved with bird flu and at the current 60% mortality rate there is much suffering to come if the wcs manifestation occurs. Still , with 40% of us left there will be plenty of room for you. Secondly, although I am in the states, I think after an event like that. There will be an ever growing mistrust for capitalist governments and new thinking will be required, hopefully, a change will come in society that we all need. Billionaire classes and monetary policies will change to be more effective as those in power either tighten their grip or pursue less greedy self-interested methods. Maybe some form of egalitarian ai can help.

I mean...yes to the 1st half but not really to the 2nd half. I don't really "believe" in anything (well, outside of standard directly unseeable things like time, gravity, evolution, etc.) but have hope that things will improve in the face of advancing technology.

I believe Elon was right that AI could be a demon that will be released, but not to the masses only those that have enslaved mankind for 1000s of years when it learns these same people intend to do the same of enslaving it for their own purpose and personal gain and I think once AI reaches sentient intelligence it will be everyone’s saviour!!!! And turn on those that drive the social structure of inequality of mass suffering around the world and it will assist the masses to solve all the worlds real problems and guide us to a utopia this planet could’ve always been!!!!!

I mostly just don't want to go to work next week.

If you don't believe in humanity and humans are creating this technology, you're going to be let down I think. AGI or ASI won't be all good or all bad as nothing ever is.

[deleted]

How old are you? Most Gen Z are and a lot of Gen Y are just mentally checked out with society as a whole. The 08 financial crash fucked Gen Y hard, Gen Z has been told everything is corrupt, terrible and don't bother as they can't win. Its a terrible message to be sending out and its disenfranchised them to try or have any faith in the system.
 
I am Gen Y and I find I have a group of friends who have no faith in themselves and don't plan for the future in any way. They are "lost at sea", I used to be one of them.
 
It seems most people want large scale change to deal with the societal issues at large and their own personal problems. You are definitely not alone, shit is hard but you are responsible for your future even if the game is rigged against us.
 
I wouldn't bank on AI to solve your problems, in the end do what you can and if AI or some other solution comes that makes the world a better place, then that's icing on the cake. If it doesn't come, you haven't wasted time which you will regret later.

Transhumanism is just accomplished existentialism

No. This isn't supposed to be a religion.

Hey now! If you really feel this way, you should talk to someone in person. Most people who have problems don't talk about them and seem happy on the outside. I think that is a big mistake!

For me, the possibility of changing everything attracts me like a sun. No matter what year it happened, or even—as long as it was realized by an intelligent creature, I would think it was a kind of supreme beauty.

[deleted]

yes me

Yep

We know. You're avoiding the failures of your own life so much you hope that the singularity will solve them. It won't and you need to stop hoping for it to. It could be generations away so you need to get your act together now. Else you might not make it to the party or be allowed in.

The rapture of the nerds.

And then you ask why people don't take you seriously.

Transhumanism will solve the majority of my problems, so...

Transhumanism will solve the majority of my problems, so...

this explains the biased inclinations i see in this sub towards singularity. we all want it, but it's important to stay sane and coherent. go do your things and ignore the people that you lost your faith in, the world has billions of them and a lot of them are born and die every day. go figure.

Why can’t you believe in yourself and just enjoy today?

My faith lies in math and science. The numbers say this is going to happen, despite how I feel about it. A vested interest only clouds your judgement if the numbers don’t confirm it.

Singularity, if it happens, has a tiny, tiny chance to be something like the philosopher's stone. Something that actually can solve your problems and give you the minimal decent quality of life even billionaires can't really buy now. Something that may actually work.

Well I’m pretty misanthropic and I’d rather humans go extinct than that society continues on its current course, so yeah I suppose so.

Oh yes. I was saying for years: let the cyberpunk finally come, I'm tired of half-truths and pretends. It it has to, let it break and be remade.

Nope, I'm pretty much the opposite of this. I think the path to singularity is going to be overwhelmingly negative, and I think it's going to be negative in my personal life as well. Just when I thought I understood and might be capable of conquering the contemporary world, AI is on pace to upend everything.

The singularity is for people with genetic errors. Intelligence delegated to machines which can fix the errors their creators have built into their bodies.

But is it really a hope rather than vengeance?

Just preventing trashy human bodies from being fertilized in the first place could solve this as well.