November 5, 2025
November 5, 2025
The decline of civilization began when the noun “friend” became a verb, or roughly 2005, with the advent of Facebook. Defenders of this nuisance will point to the ancient English word frēon, meaning “to love, like, be friendly to; set free (from slavery or confinement)” [1], to show that “friending” has been around forever.
Perhaps I am just uncomfortable with changing the substance of a sentence with a word, especially when it renders the subject soulless. Despite furious, immoderate friending, for example, I hardly know who reads this newsletter. I think you are real, but I wonder.
Which brings me to the nail in the coffin, or the word “artificial.”
As Facebook kicked the stuffing out of friendship, American business has turned the word artificial, with traditionally negative connotations [2], into a positive. It remains difficult, however, to see how the fake can foster the common good. Cut to the new Mayor of New York, opposed to capitalism and its love of artificial things. Mamdani implies that socialism is humane, which it might be, but the genie is already out of the bottle.
As I have said before, this newsletter is not about politics, unless what happens in this sphere informs conversations about AI. The lurch to the far left in the politics of progressive cities, however, has something to do with productivity, the Mamon of markets.
AI makes business more productive and humans less valuable, which increases a general sense of vulnerability and yearning for a kinder politics. For the time being, such dreams remain a mirage. But heh, if we can’t vote our way around AI, we can still think through it, and here I see green shoots that give me hope.
Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, recently said that AI cannot be conscious. Which I believe is the first time I have heard a positive used as negative in the war over words that writers fight today.
If what he says is true, then it positively reinforces the need to be artful. That means using your own grey matter to generate ideas that not only catch attention but invade the conscience in an unforgettable way.
If what he says is true, then you have license to render your brain off limits to robots are overly eager to do your thinking.
If what he says is true, then AI can be used to refine, but not replace, the power of expression and the meaning of words.
If what he says is true, we will live in a world where “friend” means person, and “artificial” becomes a neutral word, like “nebulous.”
And not a nail.
References:
[1] See: American Heritage Dictionary Entry: friend
[2] From ChatGPT: “Does artificial convey a negative connotation?” “Yes — “artificial” often carries a slightly negative connotation, depending on the context — especially if you play soccer or football” (ok that last bit I added myself)
[3] From ChatGPT: Suleyman has stated on multiple occasions that only biological beings are capable of consciousness. He argues that attributing consciousness, emotional experience, or suffering to AI is fundamentally misguided.