12 Comments
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Daniel Nest's avatar

Great story, but ChatGPT totally messed up the historical accuracy in that image. The man looks nothing like Benedict Cumberbatch.

Andrew Smith's avatar

This was, by far, my laziest image generation of the year so far. The year is early, though!

Daniel Nest's avatar

Needs more Cumberbatch.

Andrew Smith's avatar

Do I have to watch Sherlock?

Dale's avatar
7dEdited

Gary North, a Christian Reconstructionist, wrote about how the change from Articles of Confederation to the Constitution was a second revolution because the federal government was elevated over state. By going to the individual to vote on the constitution rather than having the state governments ratify the constitution did an end run around the states.

We have had massive changes in government before that changed people’s relationship to government without resulting in civil war: FDR responding to the Great Depression, LBJ and minority rights, Reagan and the movement away from union power and towards management power. The current antithesis is off the thesis of multiple minority movements of gender and sexual orientations, NGOs, xenophobia, minority rights vs majority might.

I hope that just as quickly as most of these changes are being implemented, they can be backed out. I’m not sure that going back to a previous trajectory is always viable.

Andrew Smith's avatar

I think that's right, Dale. There's just no going backwards now. Excellent point about the Articles of Confederation focusing on states, and how significant that change ultimately was - you can really place yourself there alongside the framers and see the gigantic complex mess they were trying to address. I have to say: it is impressive not so much the stuff they didn't think of, but just how much they anticipated.

Sum's avatar

From my perspective, we tend to look at the future (or the present) through a/an historical lens. I have a sense the new inflection point may have us taking off our glasses and seeing ourselves as we truly are…

Neural Foundry's avatar

Loved the framing around UK-US inflection points. The contrast between Bletchley Park's established operation and the US Navy's cryptanalysis work in 1942 really highlights how asymmetric that initial partnership was. What's facinating is how Turing managed to share just enough to be useful without compromising operational security too much. I remember reading somewhere that the tesnion wasn't just technical but also about institutional pride on both sides.

Andrew Smith's avatar

I really just dipped my toe into the Turing waters here today! What an interesting and telling moment, indeed. And, how different today is on multiple fronts.

Rabbi Eli L. Garfinkel's avatar

I think we are at an inflection point. The president seems to not understand what an alliance is or why they’re necessary.

Andrew Smith's avatar

It all seems shocking, even for a sanguine, longer-term type like myself.

Rudy Fischmann's avatar

This seems like a good reason to link to my favorite album of 2004. https://youtu.be/AP9wHni3uGI?si=tFeUpYn7CRNNcPbR