”

Speaking with a very wide variety of people, I also discovered that a singularity in the 21st century didn’t actually violate common sense about the 21st century. This is because there is no common sense regarding the future, just cliches taken from science fiction. If you ask most smart educated people to describe the world in 20, 50, or 100 years you will get basically the same random mix of sci-fi cliches. Their answer will actually only address a question about a generalized fictional “future” without regard for chronological distance. If you ask them about their own life 20 or 50 years from now you don’t elicit any sci-fi schemas. They answer as if in 50 years they will be living in the current year.

Interview with Singularity Institute President Michael Vassar
3 years ago