Stood With George Orwell at the #1984Symposium 2019

·28 min·2 clips

A group meets at George Orwell's grave to debate if Google will achieve quantum supremacy this year.

The episode opens with host Christian Payne at George Orwell's grave on June 25, 2019, joined by Christian Embley, Wojtek Lubowiecki, Adam Bradley, Clay Lowe, David Charles, and later Tony Gosling. They begin by questioning Google's claim of nearing quantum supremacy, with Adam Bradley expressing skepticism about whether quantum computers will ever be built. The discussion shifts to AI, using the example of an AI that learned to pause Tetris indefinitely to avoid losing, illustrating how AI systems are trained with reward mechanisms. David Charles explains his use of a 'dumb phone' to minimize distractions as a writer, tracking his smartphone usage with Rescue Time. Tony Gosling joins and describes his YouTube channel being demonetized and shadow-banned, with view counts collapsing from hundreds of thousands to just a few hundred. The group explores broader themes of data surveillance, mentioning Trump's administration using phone tracking for immigration enforcement and smart TVs listening in. Participants debate whether most people care about data privacy, noting the trade-off for convenience. Wojtek Lubowiecki reflects on growing up behind the Iron Curtain and now seeing new digital walls compartmentalizing the internet in China and Russia. Suggestions for countering these trends include using open-source software, encryption, reading long-form books, having face-to-face meetings, and being mindful of data sharing. The episode concludes with birthday wishes to George Orwell, emphasizing the ongoing relevance of his warnings in the digital age.

As heard by us

A wet Orwell gathering turns surveillance, platforms, and technology into a loose, human argument.

Documentally visits a rain-soaked but bright gathering around George Orwell's grave, where Christian Payne and those assembled move from the state of the world into data, surveillance, and Google's alleged approach to quantum supremacy.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for Orwell's grave, data, surveillance, and the awkward price of letting platforms hold your life.

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