In the face of trouble or danger, action is usually called for. Often, for lack of experience or time to think things over people do nothing, which doesn’t really help, or the wrong thing, which doesn’t help either. But sometimes, according to the 911 Commission, the problem is a failure of the imagination.
In 1937 James Thurber wrote a humorous essay first published in The New Yorker about man’s behavior in the face of a looming menace — the machine age. He made light of analysts’ efforts to determine the cause of man’s fear of machines, finding the anxiety and various reactions resulting from it quite understandable. In his example, an automobile is headed straight for three men in the street. Mr. A jumps out of the way. Mr. B, resigned to his fate, holds his ground. Mr. C hops this way and that before running straight at the car.
Mr. C was the man on the couch at the time and Thurber thought that Mr. C’s reaction was not only reasonable, but most likely. He noted that creatures of all sorts, when perceiving a threat, have a natural urge to jump at and conquer the menace “before it turns into something twice as big and twice as menacing.” What should really concern us, according to Thurber, was the probable result of Mr. C’s behavior, understandable though it may be. As far as Thurber could see, Mr. C “was headed for a good mangling.” I guess it went without saying that Mr. B was mangled too, but it looks like Mr. A was a fast thinker and escaped without a scratch.
But who did Mr. A go on to become? Did he go home and forget about the whole thing or was he the force behind driver ed programs and traffic safety standards? In any case, someone, recognizing that the machine age was here to stay, decided to take steps to minimize the chance that manglings like Mr. C’s would recur.
Thurber ended the essay on a light note coming back to the topic of irrationality to tell of the unfathomable anxiety of a man called Marvin Belt. Mr. Belt, though he was afraid of neither machinery, high places, nor crashes, let his imagination run away with him and could not shake his fear that while riding in an airplane his pilot would lose his mind, kill the co-pilot, and crash the plane, taking all the passengers with him to a fiery death. Over 60 years later, after 9/11, we would not find Marvin’s fear irrational at all. In fact there was widespread agreement after that disaster to take immediate action to minimize the possibility that it would recur.
So I’m left wondering why, with the age of Artificial Intelligence clearly upon us, we discourage states from action to protect against preventable collateral damage. We already know AI has the power to eliminate whole categories of employment, endanger vulnerable kids and seniors, and gobble up so much energy that prices go sky high for everyone. We don’t have to imagine anything.
Why do we have to run straight at the age of AI without thinking? Yes, one federal regulatory standard would be less burdensome than 50 state versions, so where is it? Who’s working on it? Anyone? Or do we have to wait for a good mangling before we act?
If any of this bothers you, please write to your Congressman Ben Cline (cline.house.gov/contact), Senator Mark Warner (warner.senate.gov/contact) and Senator Tim Kaine (kaine.senate.gov/contact) and urge them to act, or at least allow the states to act, before we’re mangled by the age of AI.
In response to Pollack’s complaint about Warner coverup
Another Justice Department cover-up?
Concerns about FirstEnergy’s transmission tower rebuild between Luray and Sperryville
Local teachers strive to protect students from federal funding cuts
Thanks to Community Works 4Page for healthcare panel discussion
Truth over theater: When fascist becomes the opening act
Safety, service and civic engagement shine at Abigail Spanberger’s rally in Stanley
Senator Warner’s visit to Shenandoah County
Does Youngkin want Earle-Sears to win?
How federal cuts to healthcare affect you, your family, and your friends
Kitchen table conversations with a future Congressman
Call for public involvement in deciding how to use the county’s Goodrich Road property
Page County’s public lands must be used for public good
Why is Todd Gilbert in Page County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office?
Commentary on the HD33 selection
Postal Service says ‘Delivering for America’ sets up USPS for long-term success
Foster family of 13 needs help rebuilding after fire
Local leaders need to impose codes and standards to protect infrastructure from increasing weather
Measles outbreak highlights need for vaccination
Threats to cut Medicaid and Social Security ‘stomach-churning and frightening’
Be the first to comment