The Alignment Problem
The alignment problem. A phrase Yuval Noah Harari uses in Nexus to describe the mismatch and thus the problems created by today’s information systems. The Internet started off by being free (content), but companies had to find a way to make money. They found ads. But that created a second-order consequence – it became necessary to show more ads, which meant it became key that users spent the maximum possible time online. User “engagement” has thus become the mantra of the Internet, quality (let alone truth) of content be damned. And outrage outsells tranquillity by a mile. Clausewitz, a Prussian general, wrote a book called On War , in which he famously said that: “War is the continuation of policy by other means.” In his view, wars should not be based on emotions or egos or even righteousness. Rather, war should be used as a political tool and even then, only if it aligns with some overarching political goal. (Indira Gandhi in Bangladesh is pure Clausewitz; George W B...