I started Notes from the Circus hoping to write about AI ethics and Humean philosophy. I wanted to explore technological determinism, the fatal conceit that rational systems can presume on human will. I would have been perfectly happy with 2,000 subscribers writing interesting things about technology and existence for the next few years.
Instead, we opened the floodgates of hell onto human civilization.
Former colleagues who called me hysterical in October and November—who told me I was overreacting, being paranoid, damaging my reputation—are now asking for mercy. Asking me not to name them. Not to document what they said and did. Not to hold them accountable in the historical record.
Here’s what I told them, and what I want to tell you:
This is not about revenge. I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m not seeking to make you feel shameful. I would appreciate it, though, if you took things as seriously as I think I’m taking them.
I feel a sense of responsibility—to the people who sacrificed before me, and to the generations that come after—to document what I know about what bad people have done to hurt a lot of people. Not for vengeance. Because I don’t want these mistakes repeated.
We have nuclear weapons. We have advanced biological weapons. We have synthetic biology. We have everything we need to destroy this planet. And we’re going to have a world of insane people building big red doomsday buttons.
If this is our last chance to cleanse the world of corruption before we start really playing with fire, then I’m going to do everything I can to make sure everyone knows what mistakes were made.
At this point, I would let Trump go to the Kremlin if he would just leave. If that’s what it would take, I would do that. This needs to stop.
But we do need a full accounting. And the bad people among us do need to face justice. Not because I want revenge. Because I want them to stop being evil, apologize, pay restitution, and reintegrate into society.
That’s where I stand.
