UK judge orders rightwing extremist to read classic literature or face prison
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/sep/01/judge-orders-rightwing-extremist-to-read-classic-literature-or-face-prison
I know several liberals who agree with the righties that vaccine and mask
mandates are bad, though not for the same reasons. Righties yap about fascism
and limits to their "freedom". But the liberals talk about how mandates just
push the righties further into their foxholes, preventing collegial
conversation.
So the story above is an interesting situation in similar style. Renee', to
this day, hates Shakespeare because she was forced to memorize Romeo and Juliet
as a kid. Of course, she doesn't hate Shakespeare, because she hasn't read much
Shakespeare. She just *thinks* she hates it because of this "mandate" she
suffered under. This court mandated "literature therapy" being imposed on this
kid could work, if he can read it sympathetically. But if he can't, if he
simply reads it "syntactically", what will he learn?
BC Smith, in his book "The Promise of AI", channels Steels & Brooks [ψ] in
writing:
"What does all this mean in the case of AIs and computer systems generally?
Perhaps at least this: that it is hard to see how synthetic systems could be
trained in the ways of judgment except by gradually, incrementally, and
systematically enmeshed in normative practices that engage with the world and
that involve thick engagement with teachers ('elders'), who can steadily
develop and inculcate not just 'moral sensibility' but also intellectual
appreciation of intentional commitment to the world."
If we think of this kid, Ben John, as an AI, what will he learn by mandating he
read Dickens? Similarly, what are the mandate protesters learning from our
mandates? Stupidity should be painful. And the court's reaction to this kid's
stupidity, the pain of reading Pride and Prejudice, should teach that kid
something. But which is the more dangerous stupidity? Which stupidity runs the
risk of a more catastrophic outcome? Avoiding the vaccine? Or mandating
vaccination?
[ψ] https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351001885
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