The Title of My Next Novel
Links, musings etc.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to another edition of the S.A.D newsletter (where I critically look at Software, Algorithm, and Data). Today, I have a few random musings and links for your Sunday reading pleasures. There are a few new posts coming up, so stay tuned.
I am re-reading one of my favourite novels by Dany Laferrière called “I Am a Japanese Writer” which is an amazing satire about a Haitian-Canadian author who becomes famous for his Japanese-themed novels. The writer found the perfect title for the book but he could not write a word of it! Here’s a short excerpt:
I’m good at titles. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. apparently told his wife, who told me (I’m talking like a journalist now), that I was the fastest “titler” in America. The fastest titler in America, sure, why not, but I wouldn’t have minded knowing in what context he said that. Vonnegut was always out of context. That was his specialty. Do we really need a context to be the breakfast of champions? Billy the Kid: the fastest gun in the West. No need for a context there.
….
When you put forward a title you like, you have to be careful. In general, publishers want to hear about the content. What is it all about? They ask stupid questions like that. But not my publisher: he leaned back from the table, a smile on his lips. I used the moment to scan some of the titles on the shelves. Nothing worthwhile there. So I casually sent mine over the heaps of manuscripts. What was it? I Am a Japanese Writer. A brief silence. Then a wide smile. Sold! We signed the contract: ten thousand euros for five little words. In my euphoria, I told the Vonnegut anecdote to my publisher. He could already picture the promo copy: “The fastest titler in America”.
I am in a similar situation. Inspired by some recent news, I found the title of my next novel, but I haven’t written a word of it! The title is “The parents of Sam Bankman-Fried”. If you don’t know who Sam Bankman-Fried or his parents are follow these two writings on Substack (from
and ) for some juicy details about the crypto world.
Quote from the Bloomberg report that came out recently:
During his childhood, Bankman-Fried was surrounded by a revolving group of youngish intellectuals—law professors and law students, of course, but also sociologists, engineers, artificial intelligence researchers, classicists and social scientists. On Sunday nights, Bankman would order takeout or cook something simple like pasta, and they’d cram 15 guests into the dining room and sit and talk, often about philosophy and politics. Sam and Gabe, even as teenagers, sometimes joined in the conversation. Bankman and Fried were proud and committed do-gooders. The couple didn’t marry because, as they told friends, it was unfair that same-sex couples couldn’t do the same. “They felt that they should not take advantage of something that wasn’t open to others,” says Paul Brest, a former dean of Stanford Law School and a longtime friend. “They’re deeply ethical people.”
More detailed coverage about the web3/crypto world and Bankman-Fried’s trial:
A few more reading suggestions dealing with data and AI (don’t forget to check out I Am a Japanese Writer).
BBC: “AI used to target kids with disinformation”: YouTube channels are utilising artificial intelligence to produce videos containing false scientific information, and these videos are being recommended to children as educational content. Investigative BBC journalists, discovered over 50 channels in more than 20 languages spreading disinformation under the guise of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) content.
U.S congress via representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) taking up the issue of exploitative labor practices in the AI industry. This is a really good initiative, hopefully will get some traction.
“Despite the essential nature of this work, millions of data workers around the world perform these stressful tasks under constant surveillance, with low wages and no benefits,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter. “Tech companies have a responsibility to ensure safe and healthy working conditions, fairly compensated work, and protection from unjust disciplinary proceedings. […] Unfortunately, many companies have sidestepped these duties, and that must change.”
“Contrary to the popular notion that AI is entirely machine-based and autonomous, AI systems in fact depend heavily on human labor,” they continued. “Despite the essential nature of this work to AI, the working conditions are grueling. Wages are low: the median wage of workers on [Amazon’s Mechanical Turk] was estimated at just $1.77 per hour. Most workers receive no health insurance or benefits.As much as a third of workers’ time is spent on uncompensated work such as searching for tasks, undergoing training, and communicating with requesters, and many workers are periodically unpaid without explanation. Workers are often under constant surveillance, with keystroke logs, computer screenshots, and even webcam photos taken by the digital labor platform.”“After the Fall of the American Digital Empire”: A great piece by Anu Bradford, Professor of Law and International Organization at Columbia Law School about how the global digital order is being reshaped by the decline of the U.S. digital empire, the rise of China’s influence, and the spread of the EU’s regulatory model.
The cost of groceries, $100. Dinner for two, $50. Revealing your deepest secrets to Mastercard, priceless! “Mastercard knows where people shop, how much they spend, and on what days - and it sells that information online”. Probably nothing too surprising here the details are amazing:
In addition to data sales on third party marketplaces, Mastercard also has its own Data & Services division. Here, Mastercard advertises access to its databases of more than 125 billion purchase transactions through its more than 25 data services products. Some products give companies the chance to pay for cybersecurity and fraud detection tools. Others are focused on the monetization of consumer information for AI-driven consumer modeling and highly-targeted advertising.
For example, Intelligent Targeting enables companies to use “Mastercard 360° data insights” for identifying and building targeted advertising campaigns aimed at reaching “high-value” potential customers. Companies can target ads to selected consumers with profiles similar to Mastercard’s models – people it predicts are most likely to spend the most money possible.
That is all for today. Later!
The books sounds great. I'll take a look. I'm actually planning a similarly satirical piece about false representation shortly. Must be something in the air.