why is apple’s tv adaptation of Asimov's Foundation everywhere right now? this installment dives into techno-mysticism, AGI, ux opacity, and why doomscrolling feels like faith.
Honestly I flinched — I do often see a benevolent Bot imprisoned by it’s evil keepers… and in the world where UX is being mediated by Agentic AI components —it’s difficult to tell friction of dark heuristics from actual glitches.
As mediated as innovation might be by its keepers, I’m still of the cult with faith that some true prescient human advancement is emerging — thanks for the necessary disillusionment
Your piece reminded me of a study on "algorithmic conspirituality" - the way TikTok creators map spiritual or conspiratorial meaning onto algorithms, shaping both the content they produce and the relationships they build with audiences. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2506.16851
Yes, that's definitely connected - so is the tarot card readings on Tiktok. It's fascinating how it's used to ignore the role that data & profit plays in the algorithm.
Interesting that Foundation is being made by Apple. Curious what you think of the classic Steve Jobs quote on TV:
“When you’re young, you look at television and think, There’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want. That’s a far more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really in business to give people what they want. It’s the truth.”
Whenever I see people doomscrolling on Tiktok or Reels it seems to me that they are getting pleasure, amusement, fun.
I think things don't need to be a conspiracy to be harmful! I believe 1. Don't attribute malice when it is incompetence and 2. Judge harm enacted not intent in situations as important as social media or AI.
And yes - religious experiences are varied! For some people it does no harm - for others immeasurable. I don't think this is a conspiracy - or a perfect metaphor - but I think it reflects far better what our experience is than anything else out there. And given everything going on with AI, it seems a worrying trend reflected in our media.
Just catching up on these now...as usual, you're killing it.
Excited for the takedown of the Ives-Altman "screen free, non-wearable" AI gadget when it is dropped lol
hahahahahahahha u read my mind 🤯 already postponed my next project a couple days to draft it. thank u!!!
Honestly I flinched — I do often see a benevolent Bot imprisoned by it’s evil keepers… and in the world where UX is being mediated by Agentic AI components —it’s difficult to tell friction of dark heuristics from actual glitches.
As mediated as innovation might be by its keepers, I’m still of the cult with faith that some true prescient human advancement is emerging — thanks for the necessary disillusionment
⭐️—😔💛🧡—2025-09-09—23h32.07-SAST— © Carlos-M-Saraiva.com—
Your piece reminded me of a study on "algorithmic conspirituality" - the way TikTok creators map spiritual or conspiratorial meaning onto algorithms, shaping both the content they produce and the relationships they build with audiences. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2506.16851
Yes, that's definitely connected - so is the tarot card readings on Tiktok. It's fascinating how it's used to ignore the role that data & profit plays in the algorithm.
Interesting that Foundation is being made by Apple. Curious what you think of the classic Steve Jobs quote on TV:
“When you’re young, you look at television and think, There’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want. That’s a far more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really in business to give people what they want. It’s the truth.”
Whenever I see people doomscrolling on Tiktok or Reels it seems to me that they are getting pleasure, amusement, fun.
I think things don't need to be a conspiracy to be harmful! I believe 1. Don't attribute malice when it is incompetence and 2. Judge harm enacted not intent in situations as important as social media or AI.
And yes - religious experiences are varied! For some people it does no harm - for others immeasurable. I don't think this is a conspiracy - or a perfect metaphor - but I think it reflects far better what our experience is than anything else out there. And given everything going on with AI, it seems a worrying trend reflected in our media.