Keats when presented with the question of what was he was going to do with his life. Chose the path of surgeon. It was a one year trades course at the time. He had seen several members of his family die of Tuberculosis. It was happening a lot at the time. Not long after getting his qualification he coughed up red foam. And knew his fate was sealed.
He set out to become a poet; and had all the poetic craft of a trained surgeon. “Truth beauty, beauty truth” is considered one of the worst lines of poetry ever written. Towards the end of his short life a friend came to visit him. His friend noted that it was the fashion among young Londoners to look like he did. Apparently you die of Tuberculosis looking angelically beautiful.
This was the first teen ID trip. Up until this time you identified with what you had. And what you had was what you were given. And what you were given came from near by. You didn’t choose you ID. You were given it. And only a very few would be able or even inclined to break with tradition.
But now the industrial world presents our youth with a vast array of options which they have to navigate to find their identity. A world where the philosophers are saying there is no meaning so we have to create our own.
Now this issue of identity and choice in a meaningless world is being bought into the realm of our sexuality. People are being given choice over their physical sexuality from a very early age. Along side an increasingly classical view of sexuality with only a few taboos. This presents is a challenge to identity that is unprecedented.
Our identity has found an entirely new medium of expression. As a result criminals can now steal our identities. Our identities are associated with numbers in the machines we rely on to carry out our daily lives.
Now artificial intelligence comes into play. These things can come up with their own ideas and no one knows what goes on inside them. We will be carrying them around with us soon. These things will get to know you really well and will be able to speak on your behalf. The criminals are going to have them too. How challenging to our sense of identity will it be when we can’t be sure weather we are talking to the person or a machine that speaks like that person?
It is possible that in the future they will be able to gather a heap load of information about some one and give it to an IA and create a simulation of that person. Which then leads to the possibility that this has already happened. As it clearly is happening; it is more of a matter to where to draw the line between reality and simulation. At which point the question arises; is my information worth simulating?
“A future made of virtual insanity.” Jamaroquai
Robots will put manual labour in the realm of old arts worth maintaining. Artificial intelligence will do the same to the academics. But there will be no replacing nurses, some things require a human touch. What will we value in this world. Time is money; not anymore. Information is money. Our information will have value and not all information will be equal. Our information will be properly and will be identified with us. The property will be exchangeable and inheritable. Our identity will out live our bodies.
“My blood runs cold my memories have just been sold.” P!nk
So how do you identify?
Clown Artist Philosopher 