Month: September 2024

For the longest time, the fact that I was a queer man just did not matter to me. Not even in the way that it was not a big deal in the world, but merely the fact that it was never something that I talked about. I think that as far as I knew I never really had a preference when it came to gender, and it was only later that I found out that it wasn’t normal, and that there was a name for it. But even when I knew these things, it was always something I just wasn’t supposed to talk about. Growing up in a strict Christian household, I sometimes wondered if my queerness was never mentioned simply because it was something that was supposedly “forbidden”. My parents make it seem as though it wasn’t something I ever shared, and for the longest time, I just assumed that would stay the same. My friends knew, but even then it wasn’t really something I would just share with people, really out of that fear that it was a “forbidden” thing. But all of that sort of changed in the last few years. 

I don’t think I’ve ever really considered the option of being open about that part of my life with people that haven’t known me for a while. But during college and sort of living on my own, it just didn’t really seem like something that I needed to hide anymore. And for some reason, that feels really weird. I think that as time is going on, the idea of queerness is getting more and more normal to everyone. Although it is very slow, I just never thought it would be something I would experience in my life, especially living in a southern place that was generally homophobic. I think that being around people my age in new places has shown me that things are changing. Maybe they’ve already changed, but it is nice to see that in a world that used to think that being queer was a mental illness, more and more people are respectful to the identities and attractions of other people.

  A significant and very used established boundary that has made quite the shift , even in cyberpunk, is the shift from human intelligence to artificial intelligence. Human Intelligence of course has always been around and to some surprise artificial intelligence is not far behind. The usage of artificial intelligence was mainly pursued in scientific labs unlike today’s world. The advancement of artificial intelligence has grown tremendously in recent years. In today’s world you can use artificial intelligence for just about everything from answering most questions not found on google or even to have a friendly conversation if needed.

  Some time after Covid we see an already existing AI ( as some people may call it ) grow extremely popular. One of the reasons Covid pushed for more popularity in AI was because of its awareness. Many individuals like myself were unaware of what Ai was despite its long going existence. I became aware of Ai through Chatgpt but was still unfamiliar with artificial intelligence up until Snapchat created its own Ai bot which made me more familiar with Ai itself and what it was. Another thing that grew the popularity of Ai was the advancement of artificial intelligence. The capabilities accessible in today’s world were not always a part of Ai. Ai is now pictured as the number 1 place to go when you have a question of any sort. Comparable to google but also beyond comparison. While many years ago it could only be used scientifically now it can be used for just about everything and then some.

 Back when coronavirus was first introduced and then became the global pandemic known as Covid 19 , a lot of us were pushed to be 100% remote meaning no physical connection with the world but strictly from the safety of our homes. With a vast majority of the world being solely remote this caused many advancements in technology to allow everyone to continue work and also school. Many jobs we then knew to be in-person were now remote, which also meant that standers who used those jobs also had to handle their business online ( for example, remote doctors appointments). Everything being strictly remote and Ai already existing it gradually developed advancements to assist all the remote work and that is when the shift from human intelligence to artificial intelligence grew.

Social media and technology have become almost as essential to some humans as their shoes or car keys are. The boundary between a public versus private life has become blurred because of the impact of social media and technological advancements in surveillance. This shift has caused an effect in how information can be spread and shared, how humans navigate life, and how privacy has become almost non-existent in the present time. 

To some people, the government is always spying on us. Those people are accurate. Social media surveillance explains why ads of some of our favorite products constantly pop up on our devices. Companies and the government have data collections of our online behaviors simply from what we interact with on social media. If you’ve ever been asked about cookies on a website, this is exactly what that means. 

Nobody in the past would have guessed that these technological advancements would lead to identity troubles and societal interactions. Trying to make yourself seem better than you are is how some people live their lives on social media. Building a false persona has given a rise to a multitude of identity and mental disorders for society. Those people have no ability to distinguish between their real and fake life as they try to merge them into one. 

Sharing simple moments such as taking out the trash or driving a car has given rise to a concern for the amount of privacy society has. Personal moments that were once kept private have given rise to the question of “How much privacy do we really have left?”. Everyone knows that once something is posted, it is going to be on the internet forever. Therefore, this has led to public shaming with resurfaced images or posts that people have made. Sharing your whereabouts with the public is another example of privacy becoming obsolete. This can be useful in emergency situations, but it has also been known to lead to dangerous ones. 

“Social Media Surveillance.” Freedom House, freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-on-the-net/2019/the-crisis-of-social-media/social-media-surveillance. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024. 

The line separating humans from non-humans has become more blurred in recent years, especially with the growth of robotics and artificial intelligence. In the past, people understood humans to be sentient, creative entities, whereas machines were thought of as tools meant to carry out particular duties. But the quick advancement of AI has started to cast doubt on this idea. AI systems can already handle sophisticated activities like language processing, decision-making, and even creative pursuits like music and art composition that were previously assumed to require human intelligence.

The growing use of AI in daily life is indicative of a shifting boundary. AI-powered algorithms, AI-driven virtual assistants like Siri and Google and Alexa, and even AI-powered customer support representatives are the new becoming standard. The difference between human and machine interaction has become more unclear as a result of these systems relationships with humanity. Also, artificially intelligent social robots made for care or companionship they challenge the limit byt developing bonds with people. They begin witth the set up, they ask about your voice, the things you like, they are often times always on and can hear everything your saying regardless of if you are speaking to them or not. Which I feels like it becomes scary, and a somewhat invasion on privacy.

I believe what prompted this change was multiple factors. AI is getting increasingly integrated in daily life because to the continuous search of efficiency and convenience, as well as changes in culture that see technology as a vital part of the human experience. Also, ethical questions around AI’s rights and consequences of robots taking on typically human responsibilities are gaining importance as society grows more accustomed to using AI. These previous advancements are symbolic of a broader tendency within the cyberpunk genre, where the blurring of conventional lines forces us to reevaluate essential facets of identity, morality, and the essence of humanity in a more technologically advanced society.

#BP01

For this topic, the shifting boundary that I’d like to focus on is the change in Women’s reproductive rights and health. As we’ve seen in the past, we know that this country has not been very open or accepting of Women’s productive health and has kept very conservative views. In the 70’s, the case of Roe V. Wade allowed women to have abortions which was one way that women had control of their health and wellness. Recently in 2022, the case was overturned which not only didn’t allow women to have abortions but also made it illegal for women to get them and for doctors to administer them in specific states. Many women, girls, and doctors have been persecuted by the legal system just for exercising or helping achieve a right that was taken away. This shifting boundary is also very problematic in the sense that women are restricted even if they are trying to have abortions for specifc reasons such as having miscarriages but still having to carry them to term, the child not being able to survive, even cases of r*pe or sexual assault, etc.

To me, I believe what has prompted this change is that not only are people in power trying to make the country go back to a conservative construct but also to control the people in as many ways as they can. Certain ideals and issues have been brought up that only prove that certain people want to country to de-evolve rather than evolve from where we are now. How are women losing their reproductive rights almost 50 years later if we are an ever-changing country that literally preaches doing better for its own people? Concepts such as Project 2025 show that the people of this country are not valued and are seen less as people and more as subjects who are supposed to obey every backward law and rule.

references for more information: https://www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1102305878/supreme-court-abortion-roe-v-wade-decision-overturn https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/01/24/1226161416/rape-caused-pregnancy-abortion-ban-states

I’ve noticed a significant shift in the way society understands and accepts neurodivergent individuals, particularly those on the autism spectrum. This change reflects a broader collapse of boundaries that we often see in the cyberpunk genre—a genre that thrives on challenging the status quo and exploring the fluidity of identity. The past five years have seen a growing acceptance of people on the spectrum, recognizing their unique contributions to society. Whether it’s in the way they approach problems with fresh perspectives or how they can hyperfocus on details others might miss, autistic individuals are increasingly valued for their differences rather than in spite of them. The rigid boundaries that once defined what is “normal” or “acceptable” behavior have begun to blur. The conversation around neurodiversity has gained momentum, advocating for the recognition that neurological differences, such as those seen in autism, are not deficits but variations of the human experience. This shift mirrors the cyberpunk theme of breaking down traditional barriers, whether they be between human and machine or between different cultural and social identities. Cyberpunk often explores how technology can augment or alter human capabilities, challenging what it means to be human. Similarly, the growing acceptance of neurodivergence challenges what it means to think, learn, and interact with the world. Just as cyberpunk characters might use technology to navigate a dystopian world, neurodivergent individuals bring unique perspectives and strengths that enrich our understanding of humanity. This shift in acceptance is more than just a societal trend; it’s a dismantling of the old, narrow definitions of what it means to be “normal.” By embracing neurodiversity, we are moving towards a more inclusive society where different ways of thinking are valued, much like how cyberpunk envisions a world where the lines between human and non-human, or between man and machine, are no longer clear-cut.

The boundary between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly blurred, showing a significant shift over the past five years. Real-world advancements in AI technology have begun to make it hard to separate human and machine. For example, AI’s role in healthcare has expanded dramatically, with AI-powered systems helping doctors in diagnosing and treating patients, challenging what it means to be a “human” doctor. AI has also made its way into creative fields like: art, music, and writing, areas that used to be unique to humans. This raises ethical questions about AI’s place in society and whether AI might one day have rights similar to humans.

hen it comes to the creative field, this boundary is slowly going away. AI is no longer just a tool for technical tasks but is now contributing to the creation of art, music, and literature—fields once thought to require uniquely human creativity. AI-generated artwork, music composed by algorithms, and even AI-written articles are becoming more common, raising questions about authorship and the nature of creativity. As AI continues to excel in these traditionally human domains, the distinction between human and machine creativity becomes increasingly difficult to maintain.

This boundary shift has been driven by several key factors. Technological advancements, particularly in machine learning and neural networks, have rapidly improved AI capabilities, making them more integrated into daily life. Culturally, there has been a growing acceptance of AI, partly due to it being shown often in media and due to its increasing presence in our lives—like virtual assistants. Economically, industries are pushing for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness, often turning to AI to meet these demands, which pushes AI in human roles.

This collapsing boundary between humans and AI raise important questions about the future. Will this trend continue? How will society adapt to these changes, both ethically and practically?

Source:https://medium.com/@Umarzaib/the-role-of-artificial-intelligence-in-transforming-healthcare-0e0d7cd9f5ec

Within in the past five years a boundary that has continued to blur is the boundary between human and non-human relationships has significantly blurred, particularly the rise of AI as a companionship. Traditionally, relationships were exclusive to humans interacting but with the recent advancement in AI technology, that distinction is dissolving rapidly. AI entities, once seen strictly as a resource, is now designed to stimulate meaningful human connections. Virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, Google, and Chatbots like ChatGPT, are becoming more advanced and sophisticated, engaging users as an AI friend. These AI’s are capable to provide emotional support, advice, and companionship. Some users have even reported preferring the AI over human connections which shows how AI is starting to be integrated into personal lives. This shift was accelerated over the Pandemic when we were isolated for long periods at a time. Advances in natural language processing and machine learning have made these AI companions more capable of simulating empathy, understanding context, and fostering deeper connections. ALongside these technological advancements comes with societal acceptance of these tech-based relationships. As AI continues to evolve the boundary between human and non-human interaction is becoming increasingly fluid, offering new possibilities for companionship but also raising ethical questions about the future of human connection and what is means to form genuine relationships in a digital age.

What has changed is the music industry. The shifting boundary started in the late 20th century, more or so recently. I’ve learned about AI’s influence through TikTok, where AI-generated music is becoming increasingly common, how it can produce music and much more. For example, when artists can’t think of how to start music or content for their music, there is an app or tool called BandLab that is AI-generated to help with songs. It creates possibilities for artists to experiment with new sounds and styles without needing as much technical knowledge. In addition, it provides inspiration to artists to start a new project, offering a foundation upon which they can build. AI can now produce originals, break compositions for remixing, and even help tailor playlists to match specific moods or vibes. It enhances the listening experience by introducing songs that align with individual tastes and emotional states, making music discovery more engaging and efficient. My thoughts on AI with music can be a little weird because recently, there was a situation between two artists, and everyone thought the artist made a new song when AI used the artist’s voice to create a new song which freaked me out a little. I say that because it blurs the line between authentic and artificial music. The ability to replicate voices through the lines between real and AI-generated content raises concerns about copyrights and the rights of artists. Despite these concerns, I can see how AI could be valuable for musicians and creators. While I’m not an artist or songwriter myself, AI’s involvement could help streamline the creative process and make music production more accessible for many. As years go on moving forward will be finding a balance between embracing AI’s innovative potential and protecting the integrity and rights of artists in the process.