Tobias, this is a clear and compelling articulation of longtermism that forces readers to think beyond comfort, urgency, and short-term payoff toward responsibility across generations.
I engage that same frame, translating long-horizon thinking into disciplined choices about strategy, risk, and stewardship that outlast any single lifetime. ⚔️🛰️
Thanks for writing this. I've wondered where people are getting their morality. For some, I imagine their moral framework was not from an inward analysis, rather some external framework like religion or law.
I read the book "Raising AI" by De Kai, I explain its premise in my first Substack post here, https://elizabethsafran888347.substack.com/p/openais-move-into-erotica-is-fraught, but it had the same impact on me that William MacAskill's book had on you. Anyhow, great post, thank you, and also thanks for being supportive of fellow Substackers. As someone that is new to the platform I am grateful for your generosity of spirit🙏🏻!
This piece is very interesting but there is an obvious assumption that I not only reject, but argue any intelligent person will reject too. The future is obviously only large if you are an atheist.
. . . . The future is —
LESS THAN FIFTY YEARS.
The impact of today’s moral choices is insignificant to the tiny piece of human history the ENTIRE future will be.
. . . . The individual choices of spelling made by Noah Webster rom 1780-1828 impact almost EVERY HUMAN ON EARTH today. The most powerful nation today has never addressed or even recognized the human right to morally repent. This human right recognized in England in 1734, 1766 in legal cases remains unprotected in the U.S. This is why the fair-use exception to the American rite to control original communications invalidates the 1790 Copy[rite] Act. This failure of etymology is obvious and is why the Internet could only develop where the individual moral copyright (like exists in the UK) was NEVER recognized in the U.S.
. . . . SCOTUS finally recognized the Copy[rite] Act of 1790 was a rite or regiment designed to censor book printing without protecting the human right anchored in the Creator’s Clause of the Constitution by Benjamin Franklin’s refusal to use the neologism coined by Sir William Blackstone in 1766 when describing the human right to be forgotten after repenting.
. . . , Benjamin Franklin personally knew Jane Hogarth at age 66 when she was allowed to control republication of artwork showing her younger self modeling and exposing a bared breast to the public.
50/6100-=0.0082 or .82%
(2050-1790)/6100=4.3%
.82/4.3=19.1%
There is only .82% of history left compared to the 19% of human history where America’s copy[rite] Act FIAT existed? Only .82/100% of time exists or .0082x60=0.492x60=29.52
…
There are oONLY 29.5 seconds left till the end of humanity where all of human history is said to equal one hour.
Isn't every present moment the most influential moment in human history?
Precisely!
I think so!
Please how easy is it to learn Japanese? can you recommend an app?
It is one of the hardest languages for westerners to learn.
However, I'd argue that it is also one of the most rewarding.
I actually wrote a breakdown of how I started learning here:
https://www.outputtheory.com/p/journey-to-japanese-learning-the?utm_source=publication-search
I love this!
A someone who thinks about morality and ethics a lot, I really appreciate you adding something new to the discussion in this way!
Thank you!
Tobias, this is a clear and compelling articulation of longtermism that forces readers to think beyond comfort, urgency, and short-term payoff toward responsibility across generations.
I engage that same frame, translating long-horizon thinking into disciplined choices about strategy, risk, and stewardship that outlast any single lifetime. ⚔️🛰️
Thanks for your comment, Clint!
This sounds like a fascinating read. With the holidays, I'll add to my gift wish list.
Thanks for writing this. I've wondered where people are getting their morality. For some, I imagine their moral framework was not from an inward analysis, rather some external framework like religion or law.
Thanks for your comment, Tony.
This is a good wy to look at how we live today and the influence it creates for the future. Thank you for sharing.
I read the book "Raising AI" by De Kai, I explain its premise in my first Substack post here, https://elizabethsafran888347.substack.com/p/openais-move-into-erotica-is-fraught, but it had the same impact on me that William MacAskill's book had on you. Anyhow, great post, thank you, and also thanks for being supportive of fellow Substackers. As someone that is new to the platform I am grateful for your generosity of spirit🙏🏻!
Such a powerful message.
You are right, there is no need for more people who are powerful, but rather people who are kind and have good intentions at heart.
Thanks, Maria.
I agree that kindness should be the #1 trait worth pursuing.
This piece is very interesting but there is an obvious assumption that I not only reject, but argue any intelligent person will reject too. The future is obviously only large if you are an atheist.
. . . . The future is —
LESS THAN FIFTY YEARS.
The impact of today’s moral choices is insignificant to the tiny piece of human history the ENTIRE future will be.
. . . . The individual choices of spelling made by Noah Webster rom 1780-1828 impact almost EVERY HUMAN ON EARTH today. The most powerful nation today has never addressed or even recognized the human right to morally repent. This human right recognized in England in 1734, 1766 in legal cases remains unprotected in the U.S. This is why the fair-use exception to the American rite to control original communications invalidates the 1790 Copy[rite] Act. This failure of etymology is obvious and is why the Internet could only develop where the individual moral copyright (like exists in the UK) was NEVER recognized in the U.S.
. . . . SCOTUS finally recognized the Copy[rite] Act of 1790 was a rite or regiment designed to censor book printing without protecting the human right anchored in the Creator’s Clause of the Constitution by Benjamin Franklin’s refusal to use the neologism coined by Sir William Blackstone in 1766 when describing the human right to be forgotten after repenting.
. . . , Benjamin Franklin personally knew Jane Hogarth at age 66 when she was allowed to control republication of artwork showing her younger self modeling and exposing a bared breast to the public.
50/6100-=0.0082 or .82%
(2050-1790)/6100=4.3%
.82/4.3=19.1%
There is only .82% of history left compared to the 19% of human history where America’s copy[rite] Act FIAT existed? Only .82/100% of time exists or .0082x60=0.492x60=29.52
…
There are oONLY 29.5 seconds left till the end of humanity where all of human history is said to equal one hour.