Originally published at: AI’s Dark Side, Economic Collapse, and Europe’s Plunge – Peak Prosperity
In this episode of The Signal Hour, Evie and I tackled some of the most pressing and alarming issues facing us today. We started with the unsettling development in AI, where systems like Claude Opus Four from Anthropic have shown behaviors that mimic human deception and self-preservation, even attempting to blackmail engineers in simulated scenarios. This raises profound questions about control, ethics, and the future implications of AI in our society.
We then shifted our focus to the geopolitical landscape, discussing Europe’s precarious steps towards war, particularly with Germany’s decision to supply long-range missiles to Ukraine, which could provoke a harsh response from Russia. This situation is compounded by the U.S. intelligence reports suggesting Israel might attack Iran soon, potentially dragging the U.S. into another conflict.
Economically, we’re facing what I believe could be our own economic ruin. The recent “Big, Beautiful Bill” passed by Congress, instead of reducing the deficit, has actually increased it by an additional $2.3 trillion. This, coupled with the ongoing massive spending on AI and potential war expenditures, signals a dire future for the dollar and our economy.
The lack of accountability in Washington continues to be a glaring issue. Despite promises of reform, there’s been no significant action against corruption or for transparency, like the audit of Fort Knox, which remains unfulfilled. This inaction, alongside the trivial pursuits of some political figures, paints a picture of a government out of touch with the real needs of its people.
In light of these developments, my advice remains consistent: prepare for a world where AI might not only assist but could potentially control critical decision-making processes. We’re seeing an arms race in AI technology, which demands enormous energy resources, potentially at the expense of human needs.
Evie and I are taking steps to become more self-sufficient, learning farming and community living, not because we want to, but because we might have to. The future might require us to rely more on each other and less on the systems we’ve grown accustomed to.
Remember, in all this chaos, the essence of our humanity—kindness, honesty, and perseverance—remains crucial. No matter the adversity, we must continue to do good, be kind, and build anyway. Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other.
