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Many science fiction stories are what we call "cautionary tales." They are called "cautionary" because the things that happen in the story are bad. Part of the reason authors write stories like these is so that we can *avoid* things like that happening.
The stories show how people were short-sighted or made mistakes with technology and science and the horrible things that can happen.
IDK... I just suddenly felt the need to explain this very clearly for some reason.
@futurebird my favourite book is “please don’t build the torment nexus” , it has a really cool torment nexus in it
@bri_seven @futurebird We should totally build a torment nexus!
Oh dear. OK let's start again. You see, in the story the torment nexus is BAD. It's bad because it torments people and they do not like it. It's bad. It's not what we want. And the point of the story is NOT to build one because of all of the tormenting that it will do. Does that make sense?
@futurebird @bri_seven BUT IT'S SO COOL! Did you see how it terrified the characters? It caused them so much torment! Fuck yeah! Let's goooooo!
Noooo. No. No. Let's NOT "go." Let's just. Let's just sit down. And let's breathe a little OK?
Let's NOT build the torment nexus because we do not like to be tormented, yes? You don't like being tormented do you? I don't! No one does!
Let's just.
Let's NOT.
@futurebird @bri_seven Obviously it's BAd but like we'd only use it on BAD PEOPLE right? That makes it GOOD! I am very smart.
@nikink @futurebird @bri_seven
Ladies and gentlemen, we have successfully built the Torment Nexus from the classic sci-fi novel "Please Do Not Build The Torment Nexus."
@futurebird @nikink @bri_seven
In all seriousness, that's how I feel every time I read about some bullshit that mentions artificial "intelligence." Next time I get a car, I just want it to get me from point A to point B. I do not need it connected to the internet where some virus or malware or some other shit could turn my car into a rolling Terminator.
@drakenblackknight @futurebird @nikink @bri_seven
But what if -- hear me out here -- a shadowy set of corporations could bid on where to take you *instead* of point B, or for an additional variable fee you could attempt to outbid them?
@codefolio @drakenblackknight @futurebird @nikink @bri_seven
Or what if your employer had the legal right to override your travel plans, so you can't go anywhere but your workplace on work days, not even if your fridge is empty?
@futurebird @drakenblackknight @nikink @bri_seven I am subscribing to their Torment Nexus Newsletter on LinkedIn, it sounds awesome!
@futurebird @drakenblackknight @nikink @bri_seven this thread is magic.
And unfortunately uncanny 
Still, thank you all for that great moment of role playing
@drakenblackknight @nikink @futurebird @bri_seven Unfortunately the statistical algorithm we used only makes everyone very annoyed. But that's basically the same thing as torment, right? Sorry, I'm only familiar with being annoyed so I don't understand if there is a difference.
@indigoparadox @nikink @futurebird @bri_seven
If you want an example of how an algorithm can be a Torment Nexus you need look no further than Meta's spyware-riddled products.
@nikink@aus.social @futurebird@sauropods.win @bri_seven@queer.party And the characters had so much character growth! Surely if I lived in a world with a Torment Nexus, I would get protagonist style character growth, right?
@futurebird @nikink @bri_seven “torment nexus” is actually a misnomer! We prefer to call it the Opportunity Nexus and we’re excited to announce …
@migurski @futurebird @nikink @bri_seven
a ton of crypto-torments with the ONT: Opportunity Nexus Token..
(sorry, i flash my way out the fastest possible)
@futurebird @nikink @bri_seven no, no. Not like to use or anything. But I keep thinking about how it would work, ever since I read the book. So I wanted to try building it just to see if I could.
That is nice. But please do not.
@futurebird @amanda @nikink look if *I* don’t build the torment nexus certainly someone else will. so it may as well be me
@bri_seven @futurebird @amanda @nikink [Narrator in 2082] ultimately the torment nexus was first built by cosy craft youtubers Evan and Katelyn in 2027 on a record breaking live stream
@bri_seven @futurebird @amanda @nikink hmmm I'm afraid that would lead to accidentally tormenting the wrong people. I should also build one, faster.
@Gurke @futurebird @amanda @nikink calm down everyone. It’s fine, gnu torment nexus will be finished any year now and we can be saved from proprietary subscription torment nexus
@futurebird @nikink @bri_seven I'm pretty sure that if we ever built it, either Schwarzeneggar or Reeves would save us from it in a spectacular fashion. Oooh, maybe a team up!
@futurebird @nikink @bri_seven instructions unclear, made the Sundial Bomb. It will stop all the things.
@futurebird @nikink @bri_seven
I get that the Torment nexus AS WRITTEN is bad, but it’s inspired me to build something I’m calling Ormentay Exusnay and my version is good because I am a disruptor and have reached Series A venture capital funding so I am very smart.
@JoshuaACNewman @futurebird @nikink @bri_seven
No, no, no. The Sci-Fi tales are *warnings*, that's why they're set in the future. You can't get your ideas there.
Instead, you mine *Fantasy* tales. They even have sexy names for their torment nexus...es: Just think of what we could do with Narsil, Andruil or a Palantir...
@NiftyLinks @JoshuaACNewman @futurebird @nikink @bri_seven as a software engineer, I do not pay attention to warnings. Only errors. I am very smart
@JoshuaACNewman @futurebird @nikink @bri_seven I am so smart I totally could've been a physicst if I hadn't dropped out the day before the quantum midterm to take a job I totally earned at my dad's investment firm. Wanna see the imaginary supersonic train I drew on a napkin that is far better than all the world's public transit?
@JoshuaACNewman @futurebird @nikink @bri_seven and at any rate, the people that it will ormentay won't be me, or my kin. It will be others - and who cares about others?
@futurebird
Bad, bad Torment Nexus! Naughty naughty! No presents for you this year!
@futurebird @nikink @bri_seven I think there is a world market for maybe five torment nexuses.