Certifiably human. (The kind with a conscience).
Who or What is 'The Secret Aspirant'?
A world-class underdog. An anomaly. A challenger to the system; to the norm; to thought; to myself. A debater.
The #1 debate: Medium turning a blind eye to AI-written content on their platform, even inviting it just to see where it leads? It's like inviting the wrecking ball to swing in your backyard next to our houses because they're being an accommodating but indecisive compound host.
Here is the company's announcement from earlier this year (26 Jan 2023), and here is my tardy response (I didn't see any updates to their announcement on their "3 Min Read" blog as of 2 April 2023).
A closely related debate is the AI audio narration. There is just something eerie and disturbing about the audio feature on this platform that should make anyone hesitate going 'all in' with a platform that is not transparent with what they are doing with the aggregate data they are gleaning off from our words to teach/create (and disproportionately profit from) their A.I. voices without giving the choice to writers to turn this feature off.
? Are we perpetuating the apocalypse of the value of real human audio voices? ? Are we contributing to our own demise as a whole as human writers and human narrators? ? Will this be the next 'FB' that will disrupt the democratic amplification of our actual voices?
Take a read and evaluate for yourself:
15 Jan 2022 We Are Better Than This (advance documentation of the platform rolling out the audio feature without announcing it beforehand);
19 Jan 2022 comments to the platform's audio announcement;
8 Feb 2022 A New Social Audio App with Glaring Fine Print (compare and imagine the risks of privacy and freedoms with another audio app which is using user aggregate data);
17 April 2022 comments to a platform writer's blind support (they have since deleted their story);
18 April 2022 The Difference Human Voices Make— not AI — using the Audm Audio App (compare AI to existing human audio narration);
15 May 2022 comments to the platform's 15 May announcement (followed up by 23 May 2022 comments);
The #2 debate: The original founder of this platform has 'abandoned ship' (arguably).
Observations as to why that is: [20 Nov 2021] The X Fear Factor Future (The un-‘Knowable’ kismet may be found in the context of some Twttr history); [31 Dec 2021] We’ve Been All Wrong About Ev (He’s the Wizard of Oz or a Willy Wonka of Medium);
[3 April 2022] Comments to Entrepreneur's Handbook's #22. Medium Founder Ev Williams Shares New Thoughts On Future of Creator Economy and More.
Comments/responses to the new CEO [20 Jul 2022] Comments to 12 Jul new CEO's comments: Let us control our own searches; [21 Jul 2022] Response to 12 July 2022 new CEO announcement.
The Secret Aspirant is also...
A nom de guerre. An experiment. An experimenter.
Always looking for context. Always pursuing an answer.
☞ What does the Mathematical Number π and Oak Trees Have in Common? ☞ So, Which Tree Are You? Seeking knowledge and to understand systems of all kinds--social, behavioral, cultural, national, political,...
though, a dish of politics won't do anyone any good except throw up:
...but the findings in history & art & language are a somewhat light relief:
...then, in A.I. & our online vices should raise your antennas:
Internationally-minded but westernized.
Keenly interested in architecture, films, but also different perspectives, lost histories, lost values, lost worlds, our times, and how to better glean and contribute ideas derived from them.
Holding to this platform's mission
[All added bold mine]
Found in the related story here: “…Our mission is to move thinking forward on the urgent issues shaping today and the next 100 years through honest, reflective conversation. We’re looking for teammates who are galvanized by this challenge, who dare to root for the underdog, who are deeply thoughtful and empathetic, and who love that words still mean something… [From Wrap-Up 08]
From their “Terms” page:
“Our mission is to deepen people’s understanding of the world and spread ideas that matter.”
From their official post of the updated Partner Program from 11 August 2021:
“…to further our mission of rewarding quality ideas by helping writers monetize their work.”
They state their ‘heart of the mission’ on their Help Center SEO page:
“The heart of Medium’s mission is to deepen understanding, and we believe the best way to accomplish that mission is to be an open platform — a place where anyone can have a voice, regardless of background, affiliation, or expertise.”
And it’s my personal take that they try to expound on all of this indirectly on their ‘About’ page in the first 2 paragraphs:
“The best ideas can change who we are. Medium is where those ideas take shape, take off, and spark powerful conversations. We’re an open platform where over 100 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Our purpose is to spread these ideas and deepen understanding of the world.
We’re creating a new model for digital publishing. One that supports nuance, complexity, and vital storytelling without giving in to the incentives of advertising. It’s an environment that’s open to everyone but promotes substance and authenticity. And it’s where deeper connections forged between readers and writers can lead to discovery and growth. Together with millions of collaborators, we’re building a trusted and vibrant ecosystem fueled by important ideas and the people who think about them.”
Simultaneously aiming to dissect and determine
if this platform is a sophisticated system of writers' hindrance, harm, hype, or help and hunky-dory. All the while also sharing this journey through the publication: What's Up? M.
Join the monthly serial newsletter, here.
My analysis of this platform's founder's interview from 30 March 2022, here.
Comparing this ecosystem/platform to Substack:
> Part 1: Comparing background & start up history to this platform; > Part 2: Comparing overall revenue models and their reasonings behind them; > Part 3: How do the missions and the extras offered to writers compare with this platform?; > Part 4: How the jobs, benefits, directives & goals for employees show subtle differences in their mission; > Part 5: What acquisitions say about company heading and differentiation.
Composing one story at a time.
Currently writing through the silent journeys and inscrutable questions on vast topics to keep better informed as sane concerned beings.
Long-form comments
Much of my long-form comments to anything are found here.
A time traveler
Take a virtual adventure tour with me to find out more about the origins of my avatar photo: The Ultimate Trip Back in Time.
