On science fiction and the future of human connectivity

Just because a thought originates as science fiction does not mean we should disregard it in conversations around the future. The idea that humans would walk on the moon was, until well into the 20th century, a very science fiction thought. We eventually get to the moon.

I share this to frame some questions that were the subject of Aria Finger and my latest Riff, and that may sound very sci-fi: Is a single mentally-linked network in our future? And should humans create other sentient beings??

To some extent, I actually think we already have interconnected minds, thanks to technology like cell phones and podcasts.

Here’s a preview from Aria and my conversation, inspired by last week's Possible episode featuring Nicholas Thompson , CEO of The Atlantic and somebody who's also constantly thinking about how technology shapes our collective futures.

ARIA: So Nick Thompson…had previously said that in the future, perhaps instead of people having individual thoughts, we could become a mentally linked network as a species. … Is that crazy?

REID: ...We’re already in some part of this. And obviously you say, “Well, what happens if we now have, you know, embedded links or things that, even if they weren’t surgically—but they had a computer-human interface that was through neurological touch in various neurons—and what would that mean for individual thoughts? And group thoughts? And communications?” And because one of our mistakes is, we usually think of ourselves as various forms of Crusoe where we’re like, “Oh, we’re these independent thinkers.” And we don’t realize that even in language, we swim in a medium that isn’t just like us spitting it out.

To catch the rest:?

Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts: https://link.chtbl.com/FVbHXnMM

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gssne7O-jGY

Transcript: https://www.possible.fm/podcasts/riffs009/ ????

And here’s where to subscribe to the show: https://link.chtbl.com/possiblepod ??