June 25 Blog: Algae, Jacob Collier, AI and Arlington Primary

Dear Friends:

I hope everyone has been enjoying the various reflecting pool memes. The mess perfectly

encapsulates Trump’s regime. It’s hard to laugh at so much of what this Regime does because millions of real people are being hurt or killed. But the reflecting pool mess is hilarious and hurts (almost) no one.

These memes we can all laugh at didn’t really exist 20 years ago. Technology is a 2-edged sword for sure, but this week I’ve been delighting in it. Besides the funny memes, I’ve discovered Jacob Collier. He’s made me feel much more positive about the future. I think he’ll affect my readers the same way even if music is not “your thing."

Jacob Collier is a young musician. But he is unlike any musician I’ve ever encountered, and I think, changing music qualitatively for people. There are many things that make him extraordinary: pick any type of music: he does it; pick almost any instrument: he plays it; pick almost any note; he sings it. But what he does with audiences is what I love most. He makes them part of the performance. Here is a very short clip that gives you an idea. He builds community and connection with every performance. Here is a much longer video that gives you a better idea.

Collier surprises, delights and connects. I know this is what great performers do, but I think he takes it to a whole different level. He uses music to explain human life and makes a really good argument for why AI will never be able to do what artists do. Artists are always making new connections creating the unexpected. I loved this master class Collier taught last year in Sydney Australia. There’s no talking for the first 10 minutes. The AI discussion begins at 59 minutes 40 seconds. 

 Finally, if you’re as drawn to Mr. Collier as I am, I’ll recommend this documentary done 4 years ago. It doesn’t even get into how he relates to audiences (because I think that came after the documentary was made….remember Covid). It’s clear that YouTube and technology enabled him to exist as the musician he is... and is becoming. I don’t think Jacob Collier will ever stop changing.

Then there is film. I don’t watch horror films because I lose far too much sleep thinking about them later and find my fill of horror in the daily news, but, clearly something creative is going on when two filmmakers in their 20s make blockbuster films for a pittance (Backrooms and Obsession). They both grew up with YouTube. 

I’ve also been listening to some of Chris Hayes’ podcast series on AI. I’ll recommend

this one with someone who thinks the AI bubble will burst because it’s totally unsustainable economically. I did not realize how expensive AI is. Breakthroughs in efficiency are being made constantly and the economic calculus may change, but the discussion is enough to convince me that my hesitation about AI as an investment is probably wise.

I also really enjoyed Chris Hayes' podcast discussing consciousness. What is it? It turns out plants have much more consciousness than I ever knew. With the rise of AI and all the concern about it, a lot more people are thinking about what it means to be human and what we want from life. This is not a bad thing. Rather than destroy humanity, AI could be helping humanity understand what it means to be human. And, it’s a lot closer to Jacob Collier than the governmental and institutional horrors we see in the news every day. 

On the more practical side, I was pleased to see several of the primary candidates backed by Indivisible (and to whom I contributed) won this past Tuesday. Indivisible is working with many groups to prepare to protect the mid-term elections. For most of us, that means doing what we can to build our local community connections and prepare to support as many people as possible to vote Democratic. And, to help as many people as possible see the corruption and danger posed by Republicans. If they can’t vote for a Democrat, hopefully they will just not vote this time. It’s got to be discouraging when your “team” is being beaten by algae. You might want to check out on-line trainings that are being offered as we get closer to the fall.

Here in Arlington, we have a Primary on August 4^th. See details for ballot and voting information here: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/VAARLINGTON/bulletins/41aabf0

Yours in the beauty of art and peaceful resistance, 

Libby