👋 Introduce yourself or check-in for 2022!

Hey everyone! I’m Leo, and I’m an undergraduate at UMich. I’m majoring in philosophy, and am currently developing a senior thesis on the ways in which contemporary forms of technology impinge on/affect our realities, our interactions with one another, and our ability to be present (or immersed) in the content of our direct experience. I also want to look forwards and discuss how upcoming developments might affect similar changes. I would love to end up working in humane tech/tech alignment more generally, and will be actively recruiting for next year in the coming months (I graduate in May '23). If you’d like to connect, you can find me on LinkedIn here!

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Hi Leo, welcome :wave: This community isn’t as active as it used to be. As facilitator I’m most active now on the Fediverse (humane tech playground, you might consider this alternative social networking space) and building a new initiative, called Social Coding Movement which may interest you.

Hello all,

I am a design enthusiast and have worked on several strategic design thinking projects across the world. I now oversee client servicing, and business operations and actively work on design strategy, content, and more at Vyas Giannetti Creative. VGC is founded in 1997 by Preeti Vyas as a Strategic Integrated Design and Creative Communication Agency. Ranked as one of the top brands and design agencies in India. Check out our branding works here.

Just found this community from “Stretchly” application. Happy to be part of this. :grinning:

Hi all, i’m the creator of Mindfulness at the Computer
https://mindfulness-at-the-computer.gitlab.io/
and i want to create more free/libre applications for well-being

I have a background in computer science, and am interested in using my tech skills to create applications like the one above. I’ve been practicing Buddhism for many years now so that is a big influence on my thinking. Also worth to mention is that i have an autism diagnosis, which sometimes makes it hard to interact with others

The last couple of weeks i’ve been studying UX design, most recently UX strategy, and just a few days ago i created the group “free software for well-being” on codeberg.org (similar to github/gitlab) fswb - Codeberg.org

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Great work @tord. I will drop your post link to two people who are working in very similar areas.

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Hey there! :wave:

My name is Orwa and I am at a point in life where I have the luxury of being on unemployment benefits in Germany, allowing me to take a step back, look at the big picture, and try to reposition myself in life for maximum impact.

To me the biggest risk humanity is facing is polarisation. It is precisely what is preventing us from working together to conquer all the other challenges, which are many, and of conquering which we are entirely and remarkably capable as a specie.

Today’s polarisation is driven by a reality in which short-sighted algorithms and human’s worse tendencies were entangled. Tomorrow’s harmony will be the result of human’s best attributes being amplified through more humane technologies.

To work against this, we cannot rollback time and hence we cannot stop using our phones or demonise technology. This “rainbow approach” is one that is only likely to increase division by splitting people into technology aversive and technology immersed groups.

The Humane Technology course for technologists was the best thing I have come across to address this at a conceptual level and pave the grounds for a plan of how it may be addressed. However, it seems that the CHT is mostly occupied by operating at the policies leverage point.

It is hence my goal to connect with others here in the hope of providing a policy-agnostic, untangling path for our society at large. Doing so, I believe that an ethical component might be required to elude the public, but convenience cannot be ignored. Namely, a reliable untangling path should offer reasonable convenience, similar to the path that got us to this level of entanglement.

By being both convenient and while serving our users long-term goals, we are likely to gain a following just by acting, and hopefully without preaching. This is my vision for the upcoming months and my goal by joining this community.

I am a little conflicted at the moment between the following options:

  • Education: Create tutorials (e.g. a YouTube channel) on the conscious use of technology
  • Career: Create Humane Technologist CV/Cover Letters and seek relevant opportunities, possibly look for those starting Humane platform alternatives (social networks, dating apps, etc.)
  • Entrepreneur (digital): Start a group where we identify and work on an application that disrupts a certain technological facet of our lives by implementing humane principles

Below is a mindmap I have created while mentally exploring my options:

Additionally to my interest in Humane Technology, I am also interested in intimacy training, consent workshops, and personal development as I think these human issues are major inhibitors of establishing deeper relationships. Deeper relationships with other humans being a crucial fact in mental/physical health, happiness, and healthier collective. Polarisation between men and women is also a major societal issue that disrupts the family union and cuts through every household. In this sense it is a more devastating divide than racism.

Additionally to the above, I am fluent in many programming languages and an educator of coding which is something I love but seems to me to be less important than the issues above, which is why I intend to look in directions that are more needed by society.

If anyone shares the same values as I do and would like to get in touch please message me on the forum. I would love a video call to brainstorm and see what might be within practical reach that we are both motivated to do, and promises positive change.

Big hugs,
Orwa

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