Dear all, thanks for starting this thread, this is one of the most worrying problems that i have been pondering about for the past few years.
1. I believe that although empirically speaking, Pinker is probably right to say that individuals would be less likely to cause harm as much as possible to the world and that the logical conclusion would be that we focus more effort to counter malicious group. However, i believe that a unskilled single individual with the highest concentration of capacity (known to the world as we know it) has even more potential to have the intensity characteristic of the x-risk event that a group or a nation of individuals could be.
2. My own belief that the world is static in condition, and that violence will continue on a steady decline trend unless intervened with, as Pleasure is always harder to generate than pain and that people can eventually have the incentive to cause pain to others to generate pleasures (“utility”) to themselves.
My thoughts on the dilemma:
I think it’s always good to have a better estimate of the likelihood of the x-risk presented by individuals, but i wish to think that we should always have developed enough intensity to deal with the higher potential of x-risk event. I.e, if the nuclear switches (when triggered), will cause an x-risk event, will we have developed enough intensity (advanced technology or preventive measures) to stop that occurrence then?
Thank you all very much, it’s been a highly pleasurable and very thoughtful read
Wei Lun
Thanks Tom and greetings to everybody here at EA.. i’m really amazed that there could ever be a group that holds such values.. values that represents the best of us as human.. i’m Wei Lun, an undergraduate living in Singapore who has had the opportunity to challenge myself at some of the high stakes level.. and that has shaped my core belief of how human lives should be.. as unbelievably as thisseems.. i feel and love people tremendously.. to the point that i have embarked on a career path to eventual large scale value creation to positively impact people’s life through ventures which i believe can disrupt industries (i work in a acquisition intermediary capacity ). I have long wanted to go to places which holds such values and beliefs.. and Canada was where i felt could embrace such principles.. and as such.. i have started some initiatives which i hope could eventually allow mw to get there.. it’s an amazing piece.. aarongertler made a good point about the emotional force.. but i will think the poetry’s abstraction was a perfect touch to put us to feel through other’s capacity.. thank you all very much for showing me that what i always believed in has a place in this world.. i would love to chat and hear about some of your beliefs and experiences..
Wei Lun