Ethan Marcotte

modern computing is just repeatedly muttering “no, i do not want to click the sparkle button” to yourself as you try to get your work done

I was quite literally in the middle of typing something when this happened

🦊 Wrote down some rambling thoughts on “AI”: as generational damage, on what repair might look like, and on asking what happens next. https://ethanmarcotte.com/wrote/all-tomorrows-parties/

🦊 When I redesigned my website, I added a statement about how I used (or didn’t use) “AI” on it. I quickly learned that there were *so* many similar statements already out there, representing a wide spectrum of approaches and opinions. I learned a lot from them, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorites. https://ethanmarcotte.com/wrote/folded-between-the-pages/

I was *so excited* when I heard JS and Clarissa were working on their new book, AGAINST TECH OLIGARCHY, not least because I couldn’t have written *my* book without their literal years of activism and organizing within the tech labor movement. This is going to be an invaluable read, folks. Can’t wait to get my copy ❤️ https://againsttecholigarchy.com/ #1u #unions #TechUnions

RE: https://discuss.systems/@dev/116807460725864716 i read softbank’s latest unhinged slide deck last night, and both “goose was not valued” and “eggs do not lay eggs” have already entered my lexicon of overused phrases apologies to literally everyone i’ve texted, please do not block me

logging on

There’s a lot of (correct imo!!) outrage in my mentions, with some folks brainstorming actions to take. One suggestion from the peanut gallery: follow @wwu@social.wikiworkersunited.org, and support any actions *they* ask us to take, and when they want us to take them. You can (and should!) register your displeasure with The Wikimedia Foundation however you see fit. Just consider that your action will be *even more effective* if it’s part of a worker-led campaign.

And here’s @henry@front-end.social nailing the key point: it doesn’t matter if so-called AI “works.” What matters is that the value of your labor goes down, and workers are pushed further into precarity. But what *really* matters, of course, is what we collectively decide to do about that. https://henry.codes/writing/it-doesnt-matter-if-it-works/

“Organizing is not about putting coins in a change vending machine. It’s about trying things and throwing stuff against the wall and building networks of care that sustain to the next fight, whether you win this one or not. The things that won last time may not win this time. The things that lost this time may win the next. The point is, you gotta try even when it seems pointless, as long as you try together.” @phire@phire.place does such good work on @showuptoronto@cosocial.ca, y’all. https://phire.place/@phire/117011967025065197

@mwichary@mastodon.online @futurebird@sauropods.win @GeoffWozniak@masto.hackers.town Has https://url.town/ already crossed your desks? It’s pretty delightful. (I can recommend bookmarking the /random redirect as well, it’s always a little bit of joy.)

@aworkinglibrary@mstdn.social —mandy please write this fanfic, i medically need to read it

@mwichary@mastodon.online I know a lot of other folks have compared AI to plastics, but that Gibson line—about a technology flipping a, like, generational switch—really has haunted me. (Ever since I first read it, honestly, but especially since November 2023.)

@grahamsleight@mastodon.online @ingrid@everything.happens.horse [steeples fingers] wait no let her cook

@maya@social.seattle.wa.us gross; veto

@mass_driver@typo.social Hey, that means a lot. Thank you so much for reading! And honestly, I’ve been collecting these posts for a few weeks—and some of them a little longer than that—but reading yours was the impetus to pull them all together into one spot. So thank YOU for writing it, Rutherford 💜

@kissane@mas.to Wow yes I would like to do both of these things (Always so nice to see you here, frond.)

@ben@werd.social There’s just so much unalloyed *joy* on all their faces, I can see why you would <3

@ben@werd.social Oh gosh Ben, that’s a TREMENDOUS photo 💜

@rstevens@mastodon.social —TAKE ALL MY MONEY

@alex@dair-community.social @DAIR@dair-community.social This is just tremendous, Alex. Congrats to everyone involved, and thank you all.

@mwichary@mastodon.online Thanks so much, Marcin—that really means a lot, coming from you. Appreciate you reading it 🫶🏻

@ben@werd.social delighted to learn medium has its own waluigi

@patrickfulton@mastodon.social Aw hell, Patrick — I’m so sorry. Boosted, and I’ll keep my ear to the ground. Hope she’s holding up as well as she can 💜

@aburka@hachyderm.io 💜

@rstevens@mastodon.social as someone who’s still hanging back on sequoia and ios 18, this is all really good to hear. thank you!

@jonhicks@mastodon.social Man. If Liquid Glass looked like that, I’d upgrade in a heartbeat.

@mwichary@mastodon.online @futurebird@sauropods.win @GeoffWozniak@masto.hackers.town (I’m pretty sure I found it via @brendn@phire.place’s newsletter, which is ALSO a delight https://kaijuville.com/)

@grahamsleight@mastodon.online i feel like if it was it’d be describing something COOL and FUN, instead of well

@rstevens@mastodon.social couldn’t be me

@ben@werd.social WEDIUM BEN I CANNOT

@NicMakesStuff@indieweb.social As someone also poking around for his next contract, and on roughly the same timeframe, I get both of these feelings 💜

@kayserifserif@sunny.garden (also katherine, i had to include your essay—it’s one of the first ones i saved, and i think of it often. thank *you* for writing it!)

@kayserifserif@sunny.garden oh man, i think so too: i really did learn a lot by reading through these pieces. it’s a kind of triangulation, i guess? helpful to figure out which pieces were validating, and which ones weren’t, and then sit with the why of both

@overholt@glammr.us We’ve checked our weather apps multiple times for imminent rain, and there’s nothing in the forecast. Which has an…unsettling effect.

@ingrid@everything.happens.horse this is a stellar direction, keep going imo

@overholt@glammr.us WE TRULY LOVE TO SEE IT

@rstevens@mastodon.social awright who snitched

@kpl@social.lol HELL YEAH (and congrats on your launch, kevin! that rules!)

@ben@werd.social i cannot help but pronounce their name thusly https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=12&v=CKOc6hXMDhc&feature=youtu.be

@swachter@toot.boston Little out of my depth here, but whenever I’ve bought a t-shirt with a print on it, I’ve been delighted when I see it has a Canvas label. Quality seems good, and they’ve been very comfy to wear.

(via @Wilto@front-end.social)

@mrkeen@mastodon.social You’re welcome to do so.

@fox@front-end.social thank you so much, karolina! and yesssss i’d love to read your statement, it’d be great to hear how you think about [gestures]

okay have a good weekend everyone don’t forget to plug in your mouse butts

@ingrid@everything.happens.horse hell yeah hell yeah