Stream of Consciousness
The Lie You Keep Telling Yourself That’s Holding You Back
We lie to ourselves more than we realize. Not with dramatic stories or outrageous excuses — but with quiet, subtle phrases that feel harmless. So soft, they slip past our awareness. So believable, they feel responsi And the most dangerous of them all?
By SHADOW-WRITES9 months ago in Confessions
The sad things that I see
There are so many ways one can deal with their emotions, especially depression. For me, it's doom scrolling on TikTok for a good laugh. However, there are a few videos on there today that I cannot stop thinking about, and it's due to my survivor's guilt that I struggle with. I tried to go back and look for the video, however, TikTok totally did the thing, and I cannot find the two videos of it now.
By Jessie Lynn Nelson9 months ago in Confessions
I Got My Boss Fired by Accident (And I Still Feel Guilty)
It All Started With a Simple Email It was just another ordinary Monday. The kind where you sip coffee, scroll through emails, and mentally prepare yourself for a full inbox and back-to-back meetings. That morning, an email popped up from our department head with the subject line: “Share Your Honest Feedback – Help Us Improve.”
By Waqar Ahmad9 months ago in Confessions
Sweetness Without Disappearing
Lately, I’ve been running my life in maintenance mode—fitting in moments of work, stretching, journaling, painting, eating too much, trying not to feel too much. I keep searching for something to do so I don’t have to stop. Because when I stop, I hear it—the question: Is this it?
By Lola Sense9 months ago in Confessions
Artificial Superintelligence: A Myth from Science Fiction or a Real Threat to Humanity's Existence?
Artificial Superintelligence (ASI): A Real Threat to Humanity or Sci-Fi Fiction? The idea of Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) — machines surpassing human cognitive abilities — has fascinated and terrified thinkers for decades. From Isaac Asimov’s robots to today’s speculative tech leaders like Elon Musk and Nick Bostrom, ASI often feels like a distant science fiction trope. However, as artificial intelligence systems rapidly advance, the question of whether ASI is merely a fantastical concept or a real and immediate threat to humanity's future becomes increasingly important. How does artificial superintelligence work? In virtually all relevant fields, including scientific creativity, general wisdom, and social skills, the term "artificial superintelligence" refers to a hypothetical agent that is significantly more intelligent than the best and brightest human minds. Unlike today’s narrow AI — specialized in tasks like language translation, image recognition, or playing chess — ASI would operate with general intelligence, understanding and solving problems with greater speed and innovation than humans. If created, ASI would not just be a smarter human-like entity; it could be thousands or even millions of times more capable. Because it is able to learn, improve, and iterate on its own, it has the potential to change rapidly beyond our comprehension. The Case for ASI Being a Genuine Threat Many renowned thinkers and scientists argue that ASI is not just possible, but could be extremely dangerous. Nick Bostrom, in his seminal book Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, outlines the potential paths by which ASI could emerge and the existential risks it might pose. The core fear is the "alignment problem": the idea that even a slight misalignment between human goals and ASI’s objectives could lead to catastrophic outcomes. An ASI could pursue goals in ways that are devastating simply because it doesn't value human life the same way we do. Consider a paperclip maximizer — a famous thought experiment. If an ASI is programmed with the seemingly harmless goal of producing as many paperclips as possible, without proper safeguards, it might convert all matter on Earth (including humans) into paperclip-manufacturing material. The problem isn’t malevolence; it’s indifference combined with overwhelming capability. Additionally, humans may not be able to stop or control an ASI once it reaches superintelligence. Control strategies post-creation may be ineffective because an ASI could anticipate and outmaneuver any containment effort. The first entity to reach superintelligence could effectively dominate the planet's future, leaving humanity powerless. Tech leaders such as Elon Musk and the late Stephen Hawking have issued stark warnings about ASI. Musk famously called it "summoning the demon," stressing that regulation and research into AI safety should be priorities before it's too late. The Case for ASI Being Overblown Sci-Fi Skeptics argue that ASI remains firmly in the realm of science fiction for several reasons. First, current AI — even the most advanced systems — are nowhere near human-level intelligence. Despite enormous strides in machine learning, AI systems lack genuine understanding, consciousness, and common sense. They are, at best, specialized tools optimized for narrow tasks. Developing true general intelligence is not simply a matter of scaling up current technologies. It likely requires fundamental breakthroughs in our understanding of cognition, consciousness, and perhaps even new computational paradigms. Predicting that ASI is imminent, critics argue, is akin to early alchemists predicting flight simply by attaching wings to a human. Moreover, history shows that human fears of new technologies often involve dramatic overestimations. The printing press, the telephone, and even the internet were all predicted by some to herald societal collapse. In each case, humanity adapted, integrating new technologies into the fabric of society. From a practical standpoint, AI development is likely to be slow, heavily regulated, and diversified among different actors, reducing the likelihood of any single runaway system achieving dominance unnoticed. A Middle Ground: Proceed with Caution Rather than framing ASI as either a guaranteed apocalypse or pure fantasy, many experts advocate for a balanced approach: prudent preparation without hysteria. Organizations like OpenAI, DeepMind, and academic institutions are already investing in AI alignment research. International conversations about AI ethics, safety, and governance are gaining traction. Building “friendly AI” — systems whose goals are provably aligned with human values — is an active and critical area of study. Moreover, public awareness of the stakes is crucial. As AI systems continue to influence areas like healthcare, finance, and defense, democratic societies must ensure that development is transparent, inclusive, and aligned with broad human interests. Ultimately, the real danger may not lie in ASI itself but in how unprepared humanity is for its potential emergence. We can hope to avoid the worst outcomes while still taking advantage of the enormous promise that intelligent systems could offer by encouraging global cooperation, developing stringent safety mechanisms, and remaining humble regarding our predictive capabilities. Conclusion Artificial Superintelligence occupies a unique space in the human imagination: a powerful symbol of both aspiration and fear. While current AI remains narrow and relatively controllable, the theoretical implications of ASI demand serious attention. Whether it arrives in fifty years, a hundred years, or never, the debate over ASI serves as a mirror, reflecting humanity’s hopes, anxieties, and responsibilities in the face of transformative technology. Rather than dismissing ASI as science fiction or surrendering to fatalism, the wisest course is to engage with it thoughtfully — to imagine the possibilities, prepare for the risks, and ensure that the intelligence we create, if we create it, truly reflects the best of ourselves.
By Mominul Islam 9 months ago in Confessions
The Mirage of Choice
The Mirage of Choice How Our Desires Blur the Lines Between Truth and Illusion Evan Calloway prided himself on his taste. Whether it was his selection of vintage wines, obscure indie bands, or his carefully curated wardrobe, he believed he could see through hype and spot true quality when he encountered it. His friends admired him for it—or, at the very least, they admired how confidently he spoke about things they didn't understand.
By Gabriela Tone9 months ago in Confessions
Silk Paper and Side Eyes
There’s something comforting about writing by hand. The pen doesn’t rush me. It doesn’t interrupt or expect a performance. It lets me arrive as I am—unfinished, unpolished, uncertain. I’ve been journaling for years, mostly in solitude, mostly without any clear purpose except to stay connected to myself. But recently, I turned a few entries into something I could share online. And to my surprise, it felt good. Like I had taken something deeply personal and held it out in my palm—not to be admired but just to say, this is real.
By Lola Sense9 months ago in Confessions
I think about dying a lot, but I'm not exactly suicidal
I wonder sometimes how common this is — how many people walk through their lives carrying these kinds of thoughts in silence. I wouldn't know. I don't really talk about it. And I’ve never been to therapy. I know I probably should, but there are other issues that get in the way — namely, other issues caused by my upbringing, which make me feel like I have to do everything myself. But that’s a story for another time.
By Elias Tannuri9 months ago in Confessions
A Story to Put an End to War
Whispers of Peace As is typical these days, the sky above Almina was gray. The horizon was obscured by smoke from nearby fires. The chatter of market stalls, the laughter of children running through cobblestone alleys, and the evening songs of elderly fishermen on the docks once filled the town. Almina was silent at this point, save for the distant thunder and sirens—not storms, but bombs. As Mira cautiously made her way through the ruins of her neighborhood, she tightened her coat around herself. She was 16 at the time, but now she felt much older.
By MD BILLAL HOSSAIN9 months ago in Confessions
