I take it as them saying: give those interested the tools and ability to mess with deeper systems and customisation and ability to break things. That doesnt have to change the experience for everyone else.
Its difficult. Society and community are so fragmented now. People don't want to ask for help. People don't want to give unsolicited help.
I've got skills and support I can offer. I'm not even asking others for anything. People don't even want to take the offer to give unconditionally. I'll give you a lift......they don't want it. I can help fix things in your house .....they don't want it. Feel free to borrow my tools.....they don't want it. I can look after your kids for a few hours and give you a break, my kids would love to play with them at our house.....they understandably feel anxious about that. No problem, come over yourself with your kids on the weekend, we'll make you lunch, get to know us......they don't want it. You're starting in the same career field that I've progressed in, I've got resources that will help.......they don't want it. I'll share my Jellyfin server.....they don't want it.
I don't get it. I just want to connect with people and help them......they don't want it.
AI has been absolutely great for a bunch of things for me.
Breaking free from exploitative companies has been so great for me and I wouldn't have been able to do it at all without AI. I wouldn't have been able to switch to Linux or get through the troubleshooting and problem solving without it. I wouldn't be able to set up my home server or my self hosted services without AI. AI regularly helps me find how to put a formula into an excel file, or write an initial draft outline of some tedious writeup. AI helps give suggestions for travel itinerary or possible shopping choices to start researching a purchase.
AI is perfect as an assistant in scenarios where I do not care at all of it is completely wrong. I wouldn't havr been able to do some of these things that have been so important to me. I've also been able to get my parents to find help themselves for simple tech problems.
My problem with AI is all the other shit around it. Unethical training. Replacing people's jobs. Unsustainable deployment with the power and water use. It's impossible to find human generated reviews online. I wouldn't mind at all of AI disappeared completely tomorrow. But I've been able to get a lot of good use out of it.
People have described what it does, but here are some uses for it.
Make it automatically:
Send photos yo your PC
send songs from your PC to your phone
keep your documents on your PC synced with your NAS
send screenshots from your steam deck to your PC
DIY solution to auto sync save files between gaming devices for emulated games (currently syncs my save files for emulated Switch games between my PC, Steam Deck and Retroid Pocket 5)
I've shoved my Switch to the back of a cupboard somewhere and don't use that hardware at all. I use Eden emulator to play Switch games on my Steam Deck and my Retroid Pocket 5, and also my PC (if my kids want their save game progress there). Syncthing is set up on my home server and all these devices. The save data gets synced across all devices. I've been loving it. I've ditched the shitty Nintendo hardware and always refused to pay for Switch online since it didn't work for a bunch of games anyway. The emulated games get better performance with better screens and controllers on these devices, and all games sync reliably at no extra cost.
I've got Switch games on my phone as well (Into the Breach works great with touch controls alone), but I haven't figured out synchronising save data from here since Android locked down app data folders.
I can give you more details or resources with instructions if you want, but this won't apply to actual Nintendo hardware and certainly not Switch 2.
Normies don't get it. Privacy means nothing to most normies. I tell them about things they would understand an appreciate:
I don't need to pay for the following anymore because I have my personal version of Netflix, Spotify, Dropbox, Google photos, etc.
I can tell them about a home server also saving me from Onenote, Google Calendar, etc as well; but they tend not to understand this and say "but that's free anyway". In which case it becomes a more prolonged conversation of trying to explain why privacy and data ownership are important.
There's also the hobby/interest/learning aspect of this. But even my wife sees what I do and says she doesn't understand how I can stand troubleshooting server problems; because she gets hugely triggered if tech doesn't immediately work as intended. Tinkering and troubleshooting tech is most people's idea of hell (the equivalent of saying it is fun to have to unclog a public toilet).
Also I can get services not possible otherwise, like Nintendo Switch save game sync across devices (emulation on a number of devices and Syncthing with save data folders).
There has never been a time in history that wasn't "the worst time ever", and those problems are long forgotten.
From my parents time: a scary unstoppable new killer virus called HIV, cold war and nuclear arms race, rising violent crime, the disappearing ozone layer, etc, etc.
Not underplaying anyone's difficulties now....life is certainly hard for a lot of people. But there's reason to be optimistic. These problems will pass, and then there will be whole whole load of really shit new existential problems...and the cycle will continue.
I've heard podcasts about super forecasters, but haven't come across a systemic way to learn about this. But knowing a name used for this might help in your search
Agree. I scrolled down in comments thinking I'm going to get downvoted for saying what I think. OP needs to chill. OP, is Trump going to be allowed to make you want to drive a wedge between your wife and her mother? Compartmentalise. Your wife's family is not solely responsible for what Trump has done.
I love podcasts and I will always recommend from there. This is a fantastic episode from a fantastic series..... please have a listen:
You Are Not So Smart: 306 - I Never Thought of it That Way - Mónica Guzmán (rebroadcast) - How to have more productive conversations in a highly partisan, polarized, and politicized world
The guy wants to enjoy his job. He might think it's important to be surrounded by motivated people enjoying their jobs. Maybe he's looking for identity in his work. Whatever he thinks....let him enjoy whatever his mindset is and let him be.
You have a different outlook and that's fine. Its a pretty important life skill to be able to adapt to the person you're interacting with. Everyone doesnt welcome varied opinions. You've made your position clear and he can't accept that. If he asks you if you enjoy your job again then just smile and say "yeah it's not bad", if he presses then change the topic or find a reason to excuse yourself from the conversation. Also, everyone should be wary of going around work saying "this is just a paycheck, I don't care", so caution is advised anyway. You don't have to lie, you can just keep some thoughts to yourself.
You think your thoughts. Let him think his thoughts. The different thoughts don't have to bother each other.
I take it as them saying: give those interested the tools and ability to mess with deeper systems and customisation and ability to break things. That doesnt have to change the experience for everyone else.