To the Editor,
The recent numbers that came out about certain addictions are quite startling but not surprising. I know a lot of you people like Doug Ford. Me, I’m not a fan. Since he’s been in power online sports betting and gambling in general has gone up 157 per cent, alcohol and drugs not quite as high, but really up there. I remember years ago that the government didn’t want gambling machines in bars for fear someone might get hammered and lose everything. Now you can sit at home, the bar, or hell – anywhere and lose your shirt all as a result of our government feasting on the addictions of young people and their illnesses.
I don’t blame the people for wanting to get away from reality, because right now environmentally, emotionally, financially, politically and medically – reality sucks. We’re being saturated electronically by news, movies, game shows, sports, and anything else that helps us escape the real world, even just for a moment.
I recently heard some trees in a smoke saturated area started losing their leaves. The leaves aren’t changing colour, they’re just falling off because the tree just wants to stay alive and keeping the leaves on is a real energy drain. So, the tree sets things in motion. I wonder if down the road AI the tree and us might be humans might be the leaves.
We’re under estimating AI just like we’ve underestimated almost everything substantial in our past – nuclear waste, pollution, deforestation, computers, social media, and now AI. Will we ever learn? I doubt it. We’re too busy becoming a superpower and again the planet will suffer, because in our world now anything goes. No rules, no regulations – just ram through, we’ll worry about the damages later, like usual.
The creatures of our world have no voice; the forests of our world have no voice – but the people of our world have a choice. To make things better for our air, our water, and our world.
Please slow down and take the time to care.
Respectfully,
Andy Perreault
