Prot Asks: Ro about programmatic thinking, political discourse, and self-discovery through art
Raw link: YouTube OR Internet Archive
In this ~3-hour video I talk with Ro about a wide variety of topics that cover programming, politics, lifestyle, and art. We start by learning about Ro’s work as a software engineer for military projects. Ro studied electrical engineering and then transitioned to programming.
I learn that Ro has an interest in politics and art. In terms of the latter, Ro draws a portrait of me during our discussion. We talk until the drawing is done, which you can check out towards the end of the video.
On the politics front, we discuss my current thinking about political issues, where I am interested in the implementation of any given opinion. This is where I introduce the notion of “programmatic thinking”. The idea is to frame your opinions in terms of how you could implement them, given the prevailing conditions. Doing so helps filter out opinions that are not feasible.
We also comment on the quality of political discourse. Part of this is informed by the current technology, which reduces the spacetime of current affairs: everything happens instantly and feels proximate. Ro suggests how people need to be getting together to discuss politics. If people are open to talk, instead of shouting at each other, then common sense can prevail.
Ro points out that discussions tend to avoid any kind of disagreement, which Ro explains is not constructive: the realisation of disagreements can still bring people closer, as they can appreciate the others better and the diversity among us. Part of why this is happening, I explain, is because people adopt an expanded conception of identity, which includes their specific opinions. Then I go on to comment how criticism can be constructive: it helps people grow by better understanding what they are doing and why they do it.
The next topic is about the quality one has as a person. I comment on how those who are influential have responsibility towards those they influence. This is because they hold power. We explore this theme further. I argue that if we decouple power from responsibility, then we end up with egregious or abusive power.
The last big issue we cover is art. Specifically, how we can have a better sense of our self through the pursuit of recreational activities. Ro asks me about my writings. There are different sections on my website, which cover distinct areas of interest I have. This gives me the impetus to elaborate on the notion of being mindful of our emotional state and how we can stay fresh. The point is to commit to something that expresses a side of you. Ro comments how art is not about the result, but rather that you enjoy doing it.
This is relevant also in light of Artificial Intelligence, which we consider in further depth. I bring up the myth of Prometheus, which reminds us how all technological innovations comes with pros and cons. There are problems that come from the technology itself but also others that are the result of how people use the technology.
We close with questions about me, such as my personality, way of living, and the experience of blogging. This also connects to the point about how people are attached to their opinions as an extension of their identity. I explain how to think of our works as snapshots of who we are. Mistakes are a part of it. If we acknowledge them, we are more resilient, as we can change our views and/or face criticism without fearing that we lose who we are. I say that we ultimately do not need to take ourselves too seriously, in the sense that if we make a mistake it will not be the end of the world.
Add Ro on Instagram
Here: https://www.instagram.com/aldebaran.alpha.tauri/
About “Prot Asks”
In this video series, I talk to anybody who is interested to have a video call with me (so do contact me if you want!). The topics cover anything related to Emacs, technology, and life in general. More here: https://protesilaos.com/prot-asks.