Clarity didn't work, trying mysterianism (2012)

avaer

One of the more compelling (and scary) stories about how AI takes over the world. If you liked this, also check our Pluribus.

mmooss

(2012) Also here: https://web.archive.org/web/20131230055512/http://squid314.l... Does anyone know the provenance of this story? One comment says, responding to someone who recommends publishing it, > The problem is that it's published so he can sell only second rights. EDIT: The story is tagged (at the top) "fiction, raikoth". Raikoth is the 'constructed civilization' of Scott Alexander, author of Slate Star Codex, et al. And though the post is at gwern.net, I see the author is "Scott".

beepbooptheory

This came up the other day, can someone help explain this to me? I am not quite sharp enough to understand it. Context: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48911884

keeda

I suppose the earring never whispered anything about putting glue on pizza?

CamperBob2

I don't get it. First, how is it "better for you" to take the earring off, if "the wearer lives an abnormally successful life, usually ending out as a rich and much-beloved pillar of the community with a large and happy family?" Second, apparently some people do choose to take the earring off at some point, because the story refers to "the testimony of all living wearers." So it does not, in fact, appear to usurp, subvert or replace the wearer's free will. Not seeing the problem here.

ShinyLeftPad

> The wearer lives an abnormally successful life as soon as most people wear it "abnormally" becomes "normally". logically the rare enlightened who refuse to wear it and instead keep their own [spoiler] become abnormal unsuccessful failures, not the other way around.

wdaher

I’ve also seen this called “The Whispering Earring”, and have seen it hosted here (this version slightly more readable) https://croissanthology.com/earring

ccapitalK

I wonder if there is a self consistent way to desire having your mind digitally uploaded into a computer, while detesting the idea of listening to the commands of the earring (and conditioning it to have all of my unconcious thoughts and desires). I guess I just discovered a bit of cognitive dissonance I didn't know I had.