Digital health - Beat Richert

Wake up!

Kommentar verfassen / Artificial Intelligence AI, Critical thinking, Digital health, Medienerziehung, Responsible AI

It was on October 4th, 1933, when Reichsminister Joseph Goebbels and his National socialist cabinet passed a law known as “Schriftleitergesetz”. The law came into force on January 1^st, 1934, and made of German journalists and the German press a controlled, synchronized propaganda machine for the Third Reich. About 1300 journalists lost their jobs, either because they were Jewish or not willing to actively support the NSPAD agenda. Loyal journalists had to be member of the “Reichspressekammer”, a Nazi controlled, political body keeping total control on media content in Germany. It took five and a half years to turn reasonably thinking and peace-loving Germans into a Jew-hating and war-embracing nation.

Skip forward 91 years and closely observe a consortium of investors led by Elon Musk offering $97.4 billion to grab and control OpenAI. After having turned Twitter into his own propaganda machine, buying the keys to any US-Department, Database or Financial authority through a combined $277 million of donation to the republican party and Donald Trump, he reaches for the very foundation of AI based information. All of a sudden, Goebbels typewriter and paper-based architecture of opinion shaping looks like chicken shit compared to what we are witnessing as I write these lines. Those who fall asleep in a democracy wake up in a dictatorship. Please grab some energy drinks folks, will you?

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Fluch und Segen des Smartphones

Kommentar verfassen / Datenernährung, Digital Detox, Digital health, Handysucht, Medienerziehung

Eine wichtige und gelungene Diskussion über das Smartphone in der SRF Sendung „Sternstunde Philosophie“. Wir brauchen wederTechnologie Verteufler noch früher-war-alles-besser Argumente, sondern eine differenzierte und aufklärende Diskussion über die unbegrenzten Möglichkeiten digitaler Technologie. Es ist nicht nur das technische Verständnis der Smartphone Blackbox, sondern sogar unsere Fantasie und Vorstellungskraft über das, was mit digitaler Technologie gemacht werden kann, an dem es uns fehlt. Tägliche Aufklärung durch einen ergebnisoffenen und konstruktiven Dialog, gerade auch zwischen jung und alt, ist angesagt!

Hier geht es zur 60 minütigen Sendung : https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/sternstunde-philosophie/video/digital-detox—das-smartphone-ein-gift?urn=urn:srf:video:93e14955-0f5b-46c8-b0de-420920f0973d

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Who deactivated Homo Sapiens’ health feature?

Critical thinking, Digital health, Fake News, Fake News und Realsatire

This week, Switzerland announced free self-tests for the entire population to fight the COVID 19 “pandemic”. Never mind that the median age of a Swiss corona death is above the average life expectancy in Switzerland. Ignore that up to 40% of COVID positive tested individuals do not show any symptoms and that up to 30% of deaths were collateral damage of lockdowns and fear mongering.

Within only one year, we managed to reverse the most precious “default setting” of human beings: our health. Homo sapiens became the undisputed ruler of this planet explicitly because of its resilience, flexibility and adaption to changing environments. Health is a “standard feature” that comes pre-installed in most human bodies and that can be updated for free throughout life – mostly through healthy food, exercising and hygiene.

The flooding of free tests and the mandatory face masks suggest that our new default setting has been changed from healthy to sick. This of course is the prerequisite to sell health as a service. Software as a service (SaaS in short) has become the world standard of the software business whereby the user of a software pays a monthly fee to get access to a cloud-based software. Health as a service (HaaS, I guess) seems to be the global strategy of COVID 19 rule makers to sell us back the stolen health in form of ongoing testing and vaccinations.

Now what? Live, love and laugh, eat well and exercise. This is by far the most effective protection against this global hysteria that has set out to make us all feel sick and then sell us a solution. And yes, you might want to curb most mainstream media news and switch to independent and fact based information.

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Why we are scared of exponential growth

Kommentar verfassen / Digital health, Media Literacy

Through an unprecedented and mono-thematic media hype around COVID-19, hundreds of millions of world citizens live in fear. The main argument of fear by the media narrative has been the exponential growth of the virus. But what exactly does exponential mean and why do we have a hard time understanding it? Here’s a quick think task: Imagine folding a letter sized copy paper in half, then in half again, and so on. How thick will it be after folding it 50 times? 100 Meters? 1 Mile? Maybe even 100 Kilometers? The correct answer is 100 million kilometers, which is roughly the distance between the earth and the sun! Exponential growth doubles with each interval and transforms seemingly neglecting matters into gigantic dimensions.

No evolutionary need for exponential thinking

As you can see in the interactive chart of human evolution below, more than 99% of our ancestors lived in a perfectly linear world and embedded into the laws of nature. Picking twice as much berries from the bush required twice the time and doubled the danger of getting attacked by a wild animal. Besides the fact that the fridge was not invented yet. Exponential thinking was simply not useful for survival and that is why, or brain is programmed by default on linear thinking. Exponential thinking requires quite a bit of brain juice, math and imagination. This is why most of us (including me) are terrible at it.

The unknown is filled with fear

Exponential thinking is not only hard to do, but even hard to imagine (take a calculator if you don’t believe the 100 million kilometer think paper). Anything that we don’t know scares us. Remember the nasty feeling before a school test without proper preparation. The big majority of us are neither epidemiologist nor math professors, and this is why the exponential growth of an invisible and new virus scares the hell out of us.

Flu seasons are called seasons for a reason

But wait a minute. If we look at the flu season in Switzerland throughout the last four years (Source), we recognize a yearly exponential growth, which is then followed by a sudden exponential decrease of the same magnitude.

No doubt, the particularly aggressive COVID-19 virus has taken thousands of lives and will continue to do so within the weeks to come. But there is absolutely nothing new or particular about the anatomy of the COVID-19 flu. Throughout all previous flu seasons, the exponential decrease of infected people occurred without an unheard-of media coverage, social distancing, let alone lockdown of entire countries.

The worst moment to panic is now

The real questions to ask are therefore: Why do hundreds of highly qualified health professionals assume an ongoing exponential growth of the virus? Have they all been infected by the media-virus of fear? Or do they know something the public does not know (yet)? Or is there a hidden agenda behind the synchronized mainstream media selling Angst and creating uproar across the globe? It was Winston Churchill who said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. And Milton Friedman, arguably one of the most radical proponents of free-market capitalism, once said: “Only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. That, I believe, is our basic function: to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes the politically inevitable.”

The worst possible timing for panic and fear is now. In order to preserve and protect human rights and democratic rules from more radical capitalism run by fewer individuals, we must stay more vigilant then ever.

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Hey Google, what’s next with Corona virus COVID-19?

Kommentar verfassen / Digital health, Media Literacy, Responsible AI

One thing that strikes me in this unprecedented media hype around the Corona virus is the suspect silence of Google and Facebook. Both multinationals are sitting on incredibly complete and accurate mountains of data. Remember, sinister use if such data can win elections or trigger mass murders.

I can think back to several Google sales pitches I got many years ago with sales representatives priding themselves of the insights they can get from aggregated search results.

Here is Mr. Eric Schmidt back in 2012 (yes, eight years ago) explaining the stunning capabilities of Google:

“Through centralized information, there are a lot of things that you can do that you couldn’t do before. We can alert the health care professionals and get them in the cycle six months ahead [of the flu].”
Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, 2012

Hey Google, why aren’t you sharing your knowledge? Hey Mr. Sundar Pichai, why are you not informing of the public about the state of Covid-19 propagation? Dear Larry and Sergey, please don’t be evil. If sharing was caring (teilen ist heilen), Google would use its data to predict future Corona virus outbreaks just like it visualizes traffic jams on Google maps.

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Listen, think, and then talk (if necessary)

Kommentar verfassen / Digital health, Media Literacy

In a boundless landscape of instant communication through „social media“, we too often mistake the possibility of sharing our thoughts with the right of free speech. In other words, only because we can say something does not mean that we should say something. This simple, yet essential distinction, seems increasingly harder to follow considering the daily tweets of hate, disrespect and ignorance coming directly from the most powerful politician on this planet. The need to re-establish a sound understanding of respect and common sense is bigger than ever. This is best done offline, without any screens, preferably at a young age, ideally with eye contact and undivided attention.

The humorous sketch below shows how ruthless pursuit of one’s personal believes can rapidly obstruct progress and block any constructive communication.

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A Food Pyramid for Data Nutrition

Kommentar verfassen / Digital health, Media Literacy

As the number of empirical evidence between screen time and negative effects on our well-being is constantly on the rise, the many parallels between food and media consumption are becoming more comprehensive too.

In its recent article, WIRED Magazine proposes a Food Pyramid for kids‘ media consumption.

The link between food and media consumption makes it so much easier to communicate the importance of a healthy balance and the negative side effects of uncontrolled (media) consumption.

While highly addictive games such as Fortnite might well be viewed as an overdose of sugar, virtual reality games such as beat saber assure a good physical work out while having fun.

To get brain food while gaming, I suggest open source games such as OpenTTD where players seek to earn money through transporting passengers and freight by road, rail, water and air.

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Mom, Dad, this is why I play Fortnite!

Kommentar verfassen / Digital health, Fortnite, Games, Media Literacy

Dear boys, dear girls, here’s something really useful: A Lifehack list to reason with your parents rather than freaking out when disturbed amidst an epic „Fortnite“ game. Should the latter arrive: breathe deeply, stay cool and act like a rock star by using this cheat-sheet. You can combine the individual points as you like. Good luck

1. Social responsibility

„Fortnite“ helps me to consolidate and expand my social skills. In the Battle Royal mode, there is only one winner or winning team in the end. Without prior agreement, punctual appearance and precise arrangements prior to the game, there’s no chance winning. Incidentally, with every preparation meeting, I learn a lot about my teammates’ social behaviour.

2. Strategic thinking

Daddy, what you told me about your „offsite meeting“ in the office where you spearheaded future scenarios and presented them back to the teams, I have no time for that. I have to be able to access my strategic thinking in real time. Do I build a fortress? Do we jump together or at different times on the island? Are we attacking or hiding? These are just a few of countless strategic and tactical scenarios that I need to decide on as a single player or team player. One wrong decision is usually lethal.

3. Empathy

Since every „Fortnite“ game starts with at least 96 unknown players, it helps me to empathize with my enemy. When I see an opponent with a Galaxy Skin in front of me, I observe him briefly from a safe distance, to find out if he is really as good as the hefty price of his skin. You know, if I stiffened in awe, it would be as if you were standing still in the middle of a busy intersection staring after a Maserati.

4. Resilience

Ha! Have you ever seen a job description that does not look for a resilient personality? Exactly, my load capacity is put through its paces. The longer I survive, the tighter the playground, the more extreme the strain. Incidentally, thanks to such stress tests, I am better able to cope with the stress of exams in school.

5. Concentration

Now I finally understand what you mean when you keep telling me at homework that I should concentrate. During the twenty to thirty minutes of a „Fortnite“ game, full concentration is a prerequisite and the only way to win. It is my duty as a trustworthy team player to warn teammates of a hidden sniper.

6. Solidarity

As I explained to you at the point of social responsibility, a well-rehearsed team is very important. Based Mutual trust and best possible preparedness among colleagues is built up with every game and improves with each iteration. And if one of my friends should fall in the heat of battle, we decide in real time via headsets, whether the situation allows the few seconds it takes to revive him with collective solidarity among dangers of death. Virtual brotherhood with resurrection!

7. Responsiveness

Of course, I have to master my work tool. A wrong typing on the phone or a delayed keypress can be fatal.

8.Stamina

If my friends were tragically killed and I could not revive them, it’s time to persevere. During the game, I also learn to resist my desire for revenge, so as not to expose myself to additional dangers. What you call risk management in the management meeting, I learn and apply it on the go and remember my mistakes for each new round. Of course, the ultimate recognition of my stamina is to be the only survivor to win the game and thus help my lost teammates achieve posthuman honor.

9. Spatial imagination

Mommy, imagine you’re traveling alone in an unknown big city in your car and suddenly your GPS fails. Totally lost, right? Thanks to my regular Fortnite training, I’ve learned to remember complex maps and recognize them in the game. With this skill and the old road atlas in the glove box, I could probably help you and bring you safely to your destination.

10. Fun

Do you understand now that this is not just a stupid ego-shooter game? I playfully acquire many skills for life and even enjoy it. I’d like to invite you to look over my shoulder at the next game instead of turning off the Wi-Fi signal without warning. Please write down your questions so I can take time after the game to explain everything to you. Thank you.

This article originally appeared in German on Tages-Anzeiger on November 28, 2018

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Teens more aware than parents of cellphone addiction

Kommentar verfassen / Digital health

A new study from Pew Research Center suggests that U.S. teenager are increasingly attached to their cellphones and simultaneously self aware of their addiction. A total of 1,058 parents of 13 to 17 year old teenagers as well as 743 teens were asked whether they spend to much time on the cellphone. An astonishing 54% of teens agreed against „only“ 36% of parents.

When asked about five different feelings when cut off from their phones, 42% of teenagers said that they feel anxious without their phone (boys 35%, girls 49%). 25% feel lonely (boys 20%, girls 32%) and 24% feel upset (boys 20%, girls 28%).

The study adds to the growing evidence of negative impact that „social media“, online games and cellphones have on us. The very fact that hardware as well as software is addictive by design because their business model depends on it needs to take center stage of media literacy workshops. The fact that more than half of the interviewed teenager agree that they spend too much time on their phones versus roughly a third of adults correlates with my observations during various media literacy workshops with students as well as parents. While teens are increasingly smart with their phones and also understand the underlying technology, parents often lack the necessary technological know-how. This knowledge gap then gets filled with fear or overreaction (helicopter parents, draconian censorship etc.) instead of a constructive conversation. When parent’s life experiences is exchanged with teens tech expertise in transparent manner, media literacy for old and young is created.

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Meat Porn and Sex Bots

Kommentar verfassen / Digital health, Responsible AI

As a child of convinced vegetarian parents, I always had an awkward feeling in the supermarket when I left the fresh and colorful food section behind me, strolled through the diary food department and finally arrived at the somewhat hidden butchery section. Often, the meat section would be at a dead end or even in a partly separated area. Every time, an eerie mix of shame and guilt overcame me and forced me back to the cozy section with chocolate bars and cereals.

Years later, I realized that the architecture of a video shop was just as strategic as the layout of a supermarket. The fresh and colorful fruits were the fresh released family films, the diary section would be dramas and series whereas the meat section was the hidden room full of porn. The strange mix of shame and revolting feelings filled my boy’s chest again. I did not have the courage to step into the porn room and sought instead emotional relief in the family comedies section.

Reading through an interesting photo blog post on a Chinese manufacturing facility of sex robots with sophisticated AI software, the emotion driven boy in me woke up again and the vegetarian father I became was the motivation to create this photo mashup.

The nascent industry of sex robots is peculiarly fascinating. It combines our eternal desire to create (artificial) life through our tireless innovation with the primitive urge of using our reproduction apparatus. A customizable sex doll with body temperature and contextual conversations is the output of the two opposing poles of Homo Sapiens. It is the combination of the uncontrolled, rudimentary impulsion of copulation with the incredibly sophisticated science of robotics and artificial intelligence.

Unfortunately, the fascinating coupling of these extremes also reinforces the disturbing ignorance on how we treat other living creatures on our planet. While we put some of the smartest brains at work to fake life with a talking plastic sex doll, we torture and kill billions of animals in most abominable ways. While we are incredibly busy trying to create life, we are at the very peak of destroying lifes. We successfully ignore vast scientific proof of animals being able to feel, communicate and suffer in the name of industrial production of cheap meat. Instead of opening the gates of the slaughterhouse, we open the doors of IT labs pretending to create “feelings” based on algorithmic calculations.

It is the paradox between the cruel and systematic killing of lives and the eternal desire to create life. The clash of pitiless indifference towards animal’s feelings against the sophisticated, AI driven “feelings” of a sex bot. It is this very gap that feels so wrong in my boy’s heart.

Photos: Aleksandar Plaveski

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