gepstein - Network

"It's like, I know I'm just sitting at my desk job right now, but I have an imagination. I have an inner life. I can use that...

"It's like, I know I'm just sitting at my desk job right now, but I have an imagination. I have an inner life. I can use that to envision better work for myself, a better society for others, to communicate, to rest, to plan next steps. That can alleviate a lot..." -me @TeenVogue. https://www-teenvogue-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.teenvogue.com/story/bored-at-work-what-to-do/amp

I tend to still view myself as relatively young but today I met with an accomplished 25 year-old student interested in my work, whose entire...

I tend to still view myself as relatively young but today I met with an accomplished 25 year-old student interested in my work, whose entire life thus far roughly coincides with my career working in humanism, religion, and related matters (including, now, the intersection of tech and religion/ethics). Damn. Life comes at you fast ... very slowly.

Jesus, and I cannot stress this enough, Fucking Christmas. You could not get any better definition of the religious hubris of tech if you...

Jesus, and I cannot stress this enough, Fucking Christmas. You could not get any better definition of the religious hubris of tech if you looked it up in a Biblical encyclopedia. (Sutskever's post is so epically bad, it inspired my first cross-post!)

Turned in my 100,000+ word TECH AGNOSTIC draft yesterday. 5 years of work. @mitpress@birdsite.miisu.net is already sending it out for peer...

Turned in my 100,000+ word TECH AGNOSTIC draft yesterday. 5 years of work. @mitpress@birdsite.miisu.net is already sending it out for peer review (and advice on what to cut, as it is *long*, including ~5,000 words just for my several hundred references). Need to send pre-publicity info for the distribution plan via @penguinrandom@birdsite.miisu.net, next week. I can't believe it's really real. https://twitter.com/gregmepstein/status/1450928472625487877

Well, I did it. I tested out ChatGPT-3. The prompt I gave was for the thing I've been avoiding writing: an invitation to a 1-year-late...

Well, I did it. I tested out ChatGPT-3. The prompt I gave was for the thing I've been avoiding writing: an invitation to a 1-year-late baby naming ceremony, drawing on lyrics to Ani DiFranco songs and the existentialist philosophy of Simone de Beauvoir.

Sure, that's a very...specific prompt, but still: if the extremely basic, wooden, uncreative draft it spat back is any indication of this "disruptive" technology's quality, get ready for an absolute avalanche of blah spam in the coming months.

Based on the crazy response this tweet got, people in my neighborhood (including me) are apparently quite prepared, after everything...

Based on the crazy response this tweet got, people in my neighborhood (including me) are apparently quite prepared, after everything that's happened these past few years, to believe The Apocalypse is officially beginning. Sports officials might want to keep that in mind and avoid cosplaying Top Gun, in the future.

https://twitter.com/gregmepstein/status/1609994865948991488?t=8_owoZTAv4-qwQ5TnfZv-w&s=19

I've been around the world, seeking adventure: the brightest lights, the loudest sounds, the most inspiring rituals, and the most...

I've been around the world, seeking adventure: the brightest lights, the loudest sounds, the most inspiring rituals, and the most fascinating people.

One truth I've come back to again and again —

The best New Year's Eve's are the ones where I'm already fast asleep by midnight.

Someone who retweeted the tweet below, I've been told, has A Great Mind for which I should have Respect, and that about did it for me....

Someone who retweeted the tweet below, I've been told, has A Great Mind for which I should have Respect, and that about did it for me. If you can't see the difference between corporations seeking dominance and working people seeking a decent life, then I wish you well as a human being but I will vigorously oppose the idea that you should be in any position of influence over social policy.

https://twitter.com/cafreiman/status/1608492671517233152?t=fZmVywgbMWpEf33uGIwK_g&s=19

Follow-up, to be fair. They got me out of line and let me in after about 15 minutes. Overall experience...a solid B. I'll leave the...

Follow-up, to be fair. They got me out of line and let me in after about 15 minutes. Overall experience...a solid B. I'll leave the point up though because it's still true

I used an app to find myself the closest parking spot to my destination. Convenient. Except that now I have arrived at my destination and...

I used an app to find myself the closest parking spot to my destination. Convenient. Except that now I have arrived at my destination and I'm in an hour-long line...to park.

Maybe not every aspect of human existence works better as an app.

I negotiated with my son to give away all the little (and several big) plastic trinket-type toys we acquired to cheer us up over the course...

I negotiated with my son to give away all the little (and several big) plastic trinket-type toys we acquired to cheer us up over the course of the pandemic, in order to get his last big Hanukkah present. We talked about how our family doesn't believe in acquiring so much junk and how it's bad for the earth, but how we made an exception in hard times and now we're moving on. Feeling liberated!

"...In-person church attendance plummeted by 45 percent in the pandemic [ABC News]. Most churches have reopened, but not...

"...In-person church attendance plummeted by 45 percent in the pandemic [ABC News]. Most churches have reopened, but not all congregants have returned.  

“People are not getting together much, generally speaking. Not just in church, but in the village,” said Thomas Groome, a professor in theology and religious education at Boston College. “People are staying home. They’re on their cellphones. They’re on the Internet.”

Welp, back to work on my book on religion & tech!

https://thehill.com/changing-america/enrichment/arts-culture/3782032-churchgoing-and-belief-in-god-stand-at-historic-lows-despite-a-megachurch-surge/

If you think about meaningful ways to mark this time of year, and traditional rituals don't tend to resonate, check out Mt. Auburn...

If you think about meaningful ways to mark this time of year, and traditional rituals don't tend to resonate, check out Mt. Auburn Cemetery's solstice program if near Boston. I've led several funerals and spoken at beautifully inclusive events there over the years; when they reached out about this new project I took a group of Harvard & MIT students to celebrate end-of-term. I was so blown away I had to go back with family and friends tonight.

Videos here: https://www.mountauburnsolstice.org/

I am honored to support students I've worked with over the years by signing this Fossil Free Research Letter, to end the toxic influence...

I am honored to support students I've worked with over the years by signing this Fossil Free Research Letter, to end the toxic influence of fossil fuel money on climate change-related research in universities. The letter is coordinated by international student divestment and climate justice activists with the support of a wide range of academics, climate experts, and university members.

https://fossilfreeresearch.com/

Haven't done an official #Introduction post yet: I wasn't ready to see moving to Mastodon as "real." Y'know?I'm...

Haven't done an official #Introduction post yet: I wasn't ready to see moving to Mastodon as "real." Y'know?

I'm the humanist chaplain at Harvard & MIT. What's that? It's a kind of professional philosophical advisor for atheists, agnostics, & the nonreligious.

I've served in several interfaith leadership roles, like a recent term as the (atheist) president of Harvard's 50+ chaplains.

I also research technology and ethics and am writing a book @MITPress, on tech as a secular religion. Hi!

OMG the *bag.* Christina Ricci is a comic genius.

OMG the *bag.* Christina Ricci is a comic genius.

Best thing about having a nasty flu all week: finally had time to watch Yellowjackets. Brilliant TV, hits so many notes: drama, horror,...

Best thing about having a nasty flu all week: finally had time to watch Yellowjackets. Brilliant TV, hits so many notes: drama, horror, action, 90's nostalgia, forgotten feminist rock gems in the soundtrack. Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Melanie Lynskey and Tawny Cypress are a classic team, & what show has put juicer material in the hands of an ensemble of 40-something actresses?

#NoSpoilers but my flu made me hungry so I'm particularly dying to see who/what gets eaten in this last episode

Who has two thumbs and just heard from his editor that the first few chapters of his book are excellent? This guy! Now if anyone has a few...

Who has two thumbs and just heard from his editor that the first few chapters of his book are excellent? This guy!

Now if anyone has a few hundred hours of intense focus and concentration (including childcare, and backup childcare) that I could borrow in the next few weeks so as to finish this thing faster, please send them my way...

Proud parenting moment: my 6 year-old son hadn't heard the word "punish" until tonight. It came up because he was exhausted,...

Proud parenting moment: my 6 year-old son hadn't heard the word "punish" until tonight.

It came up because he was exhausted, recovering from flu his sister & I now have, and refused to brush teeth. After a frustrating "discussion," I explained how when I was young, parents gave rewards when kids did what they wanted, punishments when not. I told him I don't believe in doing that. And I love him the same even when I'm frustrated. I asked for his help. Teeth got brushed. Sigh of relief. Zzz...

What a superb choice as the next president of Harvard University. We are lucky to have Claudine Gay in the role, and I hope the university...

What a superb choice as the next president of Harvard University. We are lucky to have Claudine Gay in the role, and I hope the university provides her with enough support to be truly and fully successful.

Harvard Names a New President, an Insider and Historic First https://nyti.ms/3PtpVi3