I'm looking forward to the day where pelicans aren't the first thing in discussion threads about model releases... no offense(!)

Not sure why this is interesting; it seems like anything that becomes "popular" could be cast as a "virus", including things like "having a fridge". Why does this give particular insight?

Smart fridges are a pathological virus, yes /jk

Even normal fridges are a memetic virus, fridges clearly live in a symbiotic relationship with humans. They make our lives better and in return we create more fridges. If they weren't useful to us, we'd stop making more fridges. Any medieval human who sees a fridge would instantly recognize why it's useful and valuable.

OP is right, anything popular is virus-like. Richard Dawkins invented the word meme for this all the way back in 1976.

"We invented a new term to express how much we dislike LLMs! Look at us, we certainly deserve your attention!."

That is woefully naive. But even if so: aren’t you against it?

It's not naive. In fact any comment to the contrary of what I wrote would be naive.

Yes of course I'm against it. I'm against it when Donald Trump does it, and I'm also against it when my local government does it, or Nancy Pelosi does it.

There is, however, a question of scale.

What is the question? We can obviously pursue multiple cases simultaneously and we can do so effectively.

Scale affects priority. I don't think we have enough federal employees to actually go after everything Trump has done.

No offense, but "the idea that families with wealth offer easier paths in life for their children" - like isn't this obviously the case?

The amazing thing about America is that there are paths for those not as wealthy, but of course they are harder, as much as we might not want them to be... no?

> The amazing thing about America is that there are paths for those not as wealthy

The US is not special in that regard, and in fact not even particularly good at it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Social_Mobility_Index

The thread is about Taylor Swift, arguably the most successful music entertainer of all time. The parents with upper|middle class gave a boost, but you absolutely cannot buy this level of stardom and hasn't been replicated anywhere that I know of.

America is 100% the place to be rich or poor, if this really is your goal, from Dolly to Jackson or Swift.

> hasn't been replicated anywhere that I know of.

Did you hear about this little band called the Beatles?

> isn't this obviously the case?

It is, but people often act like it isn't and everybody has an equal chance. Therefore it is necessary to frequently restate the obvious.

"equal chance"

Nobody is claiming this or ever should. The claim is that there is real proof of "success" from dirt poor to middle|upper class with these music entertainer examples. Nothing ever will be equal chance, and that shouldn't really be the goal [depending on how it's defined and implemented].

What about Page? Brin? Etc.

I love this idea. At least make them turn it into some form of a public good.

I’m sorry to hear that about your parents.

It’s because of the opportunity to truly learn responsibility to others, instead of selfish responsibility to self.

Blockbusters were like the worst business ever and embodied enshittifying before the term existed. Once in a rare while there was a local video rental though that was cool. And the General point is true.

I would describe him as a leading educator / explainer / teacher in this space.

Thoguhtleader