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- 1-2-3: Human Existence
Welcome to Ponderer's 25th edition.
If we were Disney, we would sing you a song—Shimmering Seas—for a 25th Disney Magic “Silver Anniversary at Sea.”
Well, we’re not Walt, and this isn't Disney.
But we’ll still take you for a dive into the big 💙 blue.
So before anyone gets seasick…
Here are 1 idea to ponder, 2 resources to skill up, and 3 tools to try out.
Let’s set sail. ⛵️
PONDER THIS
The Big Idea
"You live in a deranged age, more deranged than usual because, despite great scientific and technological advances, man has not the faintest idea of who he is or what he is doing." —Walker Percy
Muses about a paradox—the human disconnection from self-awareness and purpose amidst all the advancements.
This reflective morsel of wisdom is cited in "The Techno-Optimist Manifesto" by Marc Andreessen.
A reflection on how the modern man, while sprinting on the tech track, often overlooks the quest for self-understanding and meaningful engagement in the world.
Ponder this:
In the quest for digital dominion, have we sidelined the odyssey for inner dominion? The screen illuminates, but does it enlighten? Our tools are sharp, but is the hand that wields them wisely?
With every click, a question. In every swipe, a search.
For what?
As you navigate through the digital AI riddles, remember that the keystrokes may lead to discoveries, but it's the heartbeats that harbor the true essence of existence.
LEARN
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." — B.B. King
2 Resources
Skill up and expand your mind with our top picks of the week:
I. Guide
[Read it] If you thought AI images were cool then buckle your seatbelts and grab some popcorn. This guide from NFT Now will teach you how to turn text-to-video using Midvalley.
II. Tutorial
[Read it] How to talk to an LLM (with your voice)—includes the code for building real-time AI WebRTC applications. Start building voice-driven apps.
TRY IT
“Input, output. We leverage AI and AI leverages us.” —@rickyshq
3 Tools
Leverage our top picks of the week:
I. Ava PLS
Ava PLS is your personal language model server—a desktop application for running language models locally on your computer. [Try it]
II. Softr
Softr helps you build software without developers. From portals, project management tools, and lightweight CRMs to content calendars, applicant trackers, and more. All without code. [Try it]
III. Glimpse
CREW PONDERINGS
🎱 Boundaries: Are there boundaries to how efficient we can be? IBM doesn’t seem to think so, they spent 8 years developing a super-efficient AI chip. [Read it]
🎵 FOMO: AI is everywhere and companies don’t want to miss out. Not even YouTube— who rolled out AI album art covers for your playlists. [Read it]
✍️ Style: We all have our own, but Grammarly is looking to copy yours. Yep, its new generative AI feature learns your style and applies it to any text. [Read it]
TWEET TO PONDER
Our imagination ran wild on this one, only to end up with a mental visual of Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man. Hmm…😅
kids growing up talking to AI is going to result in one of two things (or both):
- unparalleled exercising of curiosity, self-directed learning, and self-understanding
- unparalleled lack of real-world social skills, awareness, and healthy relationships
— anu ☻ (@anuatluru)
Oct 25, 2023
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Today’s edition was crafted and sent with Beehiiv. Researched, curated, and written by Candy. Edited by Ricky. Designed by Pixels.
Well, we sure hope you enjoyed this week’s edition. Tag us on Twitter (X), if you did. We 💙 every mention of @pondererco or @rickyshq.
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Until next time 🫡
Pondering Crew
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