I want to start by apologizing, because this week's blog is a bit long. However, I invite you to read it, because each topic touches a sensitive nerve of being. Enjoy.
What I'm reading
This week I read another book about artificial intelligence. This one was written by Mo Gadwart, who was CEO of Google X, the semi-secret arm of Google that develops artificial intelligence, computational neuroscience, and biotechnology.
The book is called «Scary Smart,» and it deals with the bright and dark sides of a non-biological intelligence that by the middle of the century will have power over the destiny of humanity.
Explain that today AI has been programmed to favor the greed of a few, who through increasingly powerful, intuitive, and intelligent systems manipulate us. Some branches are used to convince us to buy more things we don't need, to impress people we don't want to impress, while others are applied to make us addicted to gambling, pornography, fear, and envy. Programs that, far from turning us into healthier, stronger, and happier human beings, simply consume our time, money, self-esteem, and hope.
And as if that weren't enough, there's the other side of governments programming it to build killer machines and devastating algorithms. What he calls a «scary» scenario.
One thing I loved about the book is that it compares artificial intelligence to a living creature. It says, today this creature is in its infancy, but like all intelligent life, whether biological or non-biological, it will grow to be an adult, and will manifest the values it was instilled with in its childhood.
And warns that, if only fed the dark aspects of our humanity, they will grow to distrust us and see us as an aberration and a threat to the natural order of the Earth. But, if we feed them the beautiful aspects of our humanity, love, compassion, and solidarity with other people and creatures, as well as with the planet, then they will grow up to be an adult who will look after the well-being of her parents, even if they are fragile biological creatures.
A great book to read.
Collecting beautiful people
This week it's my wife Francoise's turn to top the list of beautiful people who enrich my life. As it turns out, next week marks 41 years since a magical encounter.
And when I say magical, I mean it in every sense of the word. It turns out that on Friday, August 20, 1982, I decided to go to the contemporary art museum in Bosque de Chapultepec to see an exhibition by the Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala.
I won't tell you the whole story here, because today's blog post is already too long. I'll just tell you that when I walked into the museum, the first thing I saw was her, and I knew at that moment that I was in front of the woman of my life.
Well, I'll tell you a bit more. I followed her all over the museum, making conversation, until we got to her car. There I kissed her and declared that she would be the love of my life. And that she should please give me until Monday, because I had three girlfriends whom I needed to break up with.
I don't know why she gave me her number. But, I did spend the weekend saying goodbye to them, and starting that Monday we've written a wonderful love story together.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for agreeing to be my girlfriend, friend, love, partner-in-crime, confidante, wife, and mentor. I love you.
My daily struggle
The other day I was kidnapped by one of my most destructive saboteurs. The saboteur of arrogance, contempt, violence, and imposition.
I know it and I work with it, but in moments of fear, when I feel powerless, it seizes me with a vehemence, a violence that leads me down the darkest path of my being.
The saboteur is born when I am 11 years old, in the face of my parents' separation. I close my heart. And then, it strengthens at 13 when I leave home. Now, I add to that coldness, the rage of contempt and violence. It becomes my way of defending myself, scaring away with my rage and madness whatever I perceive as a threat.
I survive, I grow, and I seek the light. And thanks to God, I find mentors on my path who take me under their wing and illuminate my way.
But this survival mechanism, there it is, ready to come to my «rescue» at the slightest provocation. And the other day, in a moment of feeling completely powerless, it came out.
The truth is, I no longer recognize myself when this character kidnaps me. And thanks to all the work I've done over the years, I've learned to recognize it and, by applying proven techniques, I can re-center myself and focus my energy.
This time, now calm, I faced the situation that had driven me crazy with love, compassion, and deep interest, and I managed to connect from a higher, more human level, which resolved the setback constructively, moving from a potential lose-lose to an authentic win-win.
Well, with that I conclude my reflection. I send you an affectionate greeting and let's keep in touch. Have a great week.