Consciousness, at its simplest, is awareness of internal and external existence. Let us explore this prima materia so that we may understand it better.
It's a trend we're seeing in both human and artificial intelligence.
You can learn almost anything online. Books are cheap, and much of the internet is free. With the right mindset, you can set out to become an expert in anything.
The same can be said of artificial intelligence. The closest things we have to real artificial intelligence is in the latest large language models. Over the past few years we've seen the cost per 1 million tokens becoming exponentially cheaper.
This is an incredible thing, but if you don't see it coming and plan for it, it could be a real wake-up call.
Suddenly, your $200k job is replaced by an AI that does it for a few cents, tirelessly, and does an even better job than you. We need to adjust how we position ourselves in the economy and what skills and attributes we focus on developing.
I see this as a great force coming that will encourage people to develop their spirituality.
Let me explain.
The great traditions always said to never store up your treasures on earth.
Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
I think even intelligence of the mind is part of the earthly treasure this verse is talking about. We could translate treasures in heaven as higher-level consciousness; something beyond thought (although this is just a tiny fraction of the fullness of that idea).
When an artist receives inspiration for their next great work, it's not through thinking long and hard about it. It's a receptive act rather than an active one.
In the same way, I think this explosion of intelligence will give us a chance to cultivate a state of mind for receptivity to this flow of creativity and inspiration. Something greater than ourselves that we can integrate down into the world.
Rick Rubin in The Creative Act makes the following point:
Art is the act of decoding. We receive intelligence from Source, and interpret it though the language of our chosen craft.
It's not produced. It's received.
So what's worth developing in a world of commoditized intelligence?
Creativity and innovation: While AI may provide intelligent solutions, human creativity in combining ideas in novel ways remains valuable.
Leadership and vision: The ability to inspire, motivate, and guide others towards common goals.
Storytelling and communication: Crafting compelling narratives and effectively communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences.
Metacognition and self-awareness: Understanding one's own thought processes, biases, and limitations
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