December 24, 2024
“The time has come to talk of many things. Of ships and sails and sealing wax, and whether pigs have wings”, the Walrus said to the Carpenter in Lewis Carrol’s whimsical poem about the state of the world. As 2024 ends, we must think of many things.
· How to stop further break-down of democracies and drifts to authoritarianism and fascism
· How to stop countries tearing apart with civil wars, and tearing each other up
· How to cooperate to arrest climate change
· How to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, which were set for 2030, but which will not be reached until 2087 if we persist with our present un-systemic solutions and uncooperative ways
· How to control AI, which techno enthusiasts euphorically think will solve all these problems avoiding any need for humans becoming wiser
In the world of social media there is no place and time, and in a world run by AI there will be no need, AI celebrants imply, for reflective conversations, like the Walrus’ and Carpenter’s on their contemplative walk along the sands of time.
“When to the heart of Man was it ever less than a treason, to go with the drift of things, and yield with a grace to reason”, said poet Robert Frost. The time has come to honestly examine some solutions we have accepted as the best, and even only ways to govern our society and economy. One is the design of the economy. The other is the power of capitalist business corporations to shape our society.
I invite thoughtful persons to engage with these questions in two thought-pieces today. One, published in the Mint—Rethinking the Purpose of Economic Policy. The other, in the Business Standard—AI, Capitalism and Ethics: the urgent need for responsible governance.
Links to the articles are attached here, to my website where they are accessible to all, and to the journals directly (behind a paywall).
I wish your families, friends, and you, joy and peace in the new year. May there be peace on Earth and goodwill amongst all on it.
https://arunmaira.com/reading-ideas/f/rethinking-the-purpose-of-economic-policy
https://arunmaira.com/reading-ideas/f/ai-capitalism-and-ethics
https://www.livemint.com/opinion/rethinking-the-purpose-of-economic-policy-gdp-11734502352059.html