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I was chatting with my friend over how stupid the new law that would require real identity verification to determine age online, and how bad the situation with Visa and Mastercard against Steam and Itch.io was. We're so upset that the internet is ravaged by data hungry and power friendzied companys who aim to monitor and control what we see or do under the pretext of "safetey". He brought up the possibility that the early 2000's and 2010's we're the golden age of the internet, and we're only living in the aftermath of corruption. I know that the 2000's and 2010's eras of the internet are already glorified (by me), but the thought that those times could never be surpassed is scary.
I sorta knew this was coming, I wrote about it in my senior essay to graduate, but to be honest I had too much to really fit into 3 pages. It's safe to say the evils of late stage capitalism know no bounds, thats why places like pi.fyi need to exist, but I almost feel like stuff like this isnt even safe to be on the internet anymore, like the very fact it's here makes it prone to some sort of corruption from a 3rd party, or regulations that just make it harder to commit to any real self expression. I guess I'm saying the internet no longer feels public (though maybe it never truly was to begin with). Don't get me wrong, I would never be an advocate for illegal activity, as long as the illegal activity pretains to immoral or dangerous actions.
Luv u pi.fyi!
Luv u pi.fyi!
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🤖When the smartphone revolution began about 20 years ago you knew when you were using a smartphone or not. You knew when you were sitting down at a computer or not, when you were opening up a social media app or not, etc.
I think the big difference here is that AI is everywhere and in everything, almost without user consent. No industry is safe. Education isn't safe. Childhood isn't safe. Religious communities aren't safe. Text exchanges with family members aren't safe.
For months now I've recognized the need to establish a set of personal values and safeguards around AI. These apply primarily to me and in my domains of oversight. But also they will shape who and what I engage with and consume from.
In many ways I think this will be the issue of our time. What does it mean to be a human? Is there value in creating or only in the completed product? What do we gain from the struggle of the creative process?
Also I see opportunity everywhere.
As generative AI overtakes and as we realize that we can't trust anything that comes through a screen, even, soon, the person on the other side of a Zoom video chat (it could be their AI avatar authorized to speak on their behalf), then real life and real world interactions become so much more poignant and beautiful.
Right now I lead a community writing workshop on weekly basis. IT IS REAL. No one is using AI. We write together with pens in notebooks. We read our work aloud together. This will remain a safe space.
I can see other safe spaces springing up too. For instance: we gather and paint or make art, together and in realtime. Then we walk next door and hang our art immediately in a gallery and have a show. It's real. It's human. And we can trust it.
Also I see communities forming of people who choose to opt out of the generative AI devolution. There's a lot of thoughtful writing about this out there already.
May 15, 2025
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🤔as a good friend who goes by gilles deleuze said, there are often not bad answers but bad questions- being 'online' must be thought in its context and examined from a personal lense. its not secret tech companies are developing drugs in chocolate and fizzy drink like techniques that are: making people paranoid(conspiracy theories, scared of each other) over stimulated; regurgitaters; fascist; thinking thir opinion matters and should be shared;short attention span havers and losers to the trees outside. personally, i like the net and try to be online in not an 'ethical' or 'morally right' way, but a way that lets be in nature knowing i am in nature- meaning one should opt less for a phone in their hand that puts the whole world comfortably in the pocket but a cloggy loud computer that remidns them of the infinite nature of life and how a beautiful pc puts them online.the internet is mostly demonic and ig jesus didnt go online or anything but perhaps omnipotence is like the world web. idk.
Apr 13, 2024
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📰anyone on pi.fyi will likely feel seen and heard when reading this. it basically accentuates all the redundancies and senseless aspects of social media and how it’s disrupted every industry and how we are all dominated by the algorithm and have to be our own hype person. i always feel like an idiot after i finish a record or a book that i'm really excited to share with the world, but then have to think about “content“ to promote the art itself. obviously pi.fyi feels likes a refreshing beacon of hope because artists can share their work here in a far more simple and wholesome manner. the article also addresses non-creative jobs like accountants and other professions that are all being forced to become an “influencer” of some sort or build a brand. it’s spooky, yet we’re all feeling the fatigue so hopefully we can see a less algorithmic future soon…
Feb 8, 2024
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đź’»be able to archive and repost something instead of deleting outright, hiding the post from your account until you repost it
4d ago
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I have made an effort to return to using the internet like I did when I was a kid: strictly using the computer for social media, youtube, and games. My phone is purely used for music and reading or art. I have gone from a 9 hour average of rotting on social media, to a 3 hour average of reading and listening to music per day. I didn't always have such a long screentime but since summer started I realized I was really wasting my life on my phone instead of enjoying summer. Even though social situations drain me, I have encouraged myself to go out more often and take the opprotunity to socialize. Now, it's not like this has solved all my problems, but the best thigns that have from it were being able to focus on new ways to bust boredom, like playing my dads bass and the piano a little bit. I also spent more time actualyl playing games with my friends too, which isnt productive really, but isnt something I regret either. Really the main thing this achived wasn't making me more productive or happier, but allowing me to focus on things I like and making me slightly more creative. It's just a better opprotunity to spend my time more wisely and avoid regret.
4d ago
Jun 28, 2025