Elon Musk and the Chip in Our Heads: A Dyslexic’s Dream or Dystopian Nightmare?
Exploring Neuralink’s Potential and Its Impact on Communication and Cognition Or Gigantic Threat for Human Kind?
August 4, 2024
You ever sit back on a lazy Sunday, sip your coffee, and think, “What if I had a chip in my brain?” No? Just me? Well, buckle up because we’re diving into Neuralink—Elon Musk’s wild brainchild that aims to turn sci-fi into real life.
So, Neuralink. Yeah, the startup where Elon wants to implant a chip into our noggins, letting us communicate with computers. Sounds like something out of a Philip K. Dick novel, right? But here’s the kicker—they’ve already implanted a chip in a human, and it worked. The patient’s brain now chats with a computer like they’re old buddies.
I’m a huge fan of Lex Friedman and his podcast. The dude’s a genius, and his recent 8-hour marathon with Elon Musk and others from Neuralink had my brain buzzing. For the first hour, they dove into Neuralink and its potential. Basically, it’s starting with healing neurodamage—think paraplegics, the blind, and so on. The risk/reward is pretty clear there. But as more folks get these brain chips and they hit that sweet 99.9999% stability, it’s gonna be like driving a car. Sure, there’s risk, but it’s manageable.
Sci-fi’s been all over this idea for ages. Alastair Reynolds’ “Revelation Space,” Peter F. Hamilton’s “Pandora’s Star”—characters with chips in their brains gaining superhuman abilities. We’re talking uploading memories, superfast thinking, machine communication, the whole shebang. The real perks? Storing memories, faster communication, fewer misunderstandings. Sounds like a dream, especially for someone like me who struggles to get thoughts out clearly.
Elon and Lex didn’t shy away from the big questions either. They mulled over human-AI symbiosis. Humans will provide the “will” and “purpose” to the machines. I’m just thinking, if that is true will we need need 8 billion of us? Or maybe just a million? Less strain on the planet and can be managed easier, but still enough diversity of thought. But do we need bodies? Could we be like in those Skyline movies, just brains in jars?
Elon’s betting in 10-15 years, these chips will be ready for everyone. But will it be like Gattaca? If you don’t have one, you’re left in the dust? Honestly, I’m game to get one if the success rate hits that golden 99.99%. For me, a dyslexic who’s wrestled with words my whole life, it’d be a godsend. Imagine being able to clearly convey all the ideas and experiences bouncing around in my head. How often have I heard, “Great explanation, but that’s not what’s on the paper.” Written language is a beast, packing complex thoughts into a less info-dense form, then hoping the other person deciphers it right. With a chip, that whole mess gets streamlined.
Immortality’s another kicker. Storing memories, uploading your consciousness—that’s the dream, right? But only if I have control. Like in Dennis E. Taylor’s “We Are Legion,” where a guy’s mind gets replicated to control mining machines. No thanks. I want a kill switch. If things get boring or go south, I wanna be able to check out, no questions asked.
I’m in my early 40s, so it’s not crazy to think about. If Elon’s right, even if it takes 20 years, I’ll still be kicking and ready to plug in. My brain’s in decent shape, no major vices, so why not?
You might think I’m off my rocker, but is it really that wild? Neuralink could make life easier, faster, clearer. And for someone like me, it might just be the cure for my dyslexia, making me feel less like a fraud in so many situations.
Just some food for thought on this fine Sunday evening.
So long, live long and prosper.
Walter
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Current Books in Parallel Reading:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Pyramid of Success by Coach Wooden
Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Habits I’m Working On:
• Fitness & Health: More sports, healthy eating, no junk food, lots of veggies, and less sugar. Aim: Sports 4 times a week (weights and running).
Mindset: I’m a runner and I’m healthy.
Status: 3.5k run at the beach, sunny, nice and warm
• Dental Health: Flossing daily to avoid crowns and root canals.
Mindset: I have healthy teeth and I don’t hear the drill sound anymore
Status: found floss while packing so tonight is looking good
• Writing: Practice, practice, practice—daily diary entries, no excuses.
Mindset: When can I get a Neuralink Chip?
• Weight: 112 kg (still still no scale)
Mindset: back at the hotel no scale
Consecutive Days Posting on Walter’s Diary:
Twenty-Six (26)