Democrats danced in the streets last Tuesday. Special elections painted some red states blue, and California’s redistricting plan succeeded in waving a middle finger at Texas’s efforts at gerrymandering. Yet danger to our democracy persists. Oligarchs, aided by low taxes and the Citizens United decision, proved willing to spend small fortunes to influence political outcomes.
They will do more as their riches grow. If, for example, they succeed in drafting AI legislation to their liking, their wealth will reach King Midas proportions. Imagine their power if they were to control our economy and manage our information systems. The “little guy,” according to one Brookings report, would be unlikely to thrive because benefits would accrue to large rather than small corporations. As for unskilled workers, they’d be left in the cold.
Like much in life, not all change is bad, of course. AI will open new entrepreneurial opportunities. When television became widespread, for example, jobs were plentiful, though they required new skill sets. Based on the change, grocery stores stocked a new product, as well. TV dinners allowed families to gather in the living room to watch evening programs like Ozzie and Harriet and The Lone Ranger. Nor did radio disappear, as expected. Instead, it produced music and talk shows.
AI’s impact on medicine is already visible. (“The Brave New World of AI,” by Sari Harrar, AARP, Oct/Nov, pp. 40-48.) When it comes to finding miracle drugs, the sky seems to be the limit.
Regardless of its pluses and minuses, AI technology is here to stay and will make some of us very rich. This brave new world will require legislation to prevent oligarchs from dominating the field. These entrepreneurs may be the best and brightest among us, but being human, they also harbor attitudes. Citizens must be wary about the ways these tycoons exercise their power as they build a future that enmeshes the rest of us.
Already, and unbeknownst to many, right-wing operators are pouring dark money and AI technology into a global campaign against women’s rights. Words like “feminine” and “gender” are under attack. The intent is to erode the progress women have made over the last several years. A major assault occurred in 2020, when nations gathered at a conference on women’s health. What resulted was the Geneva Consensus, a document that should have raised eyebrows.
Not only did the resolution oppose abortion, but it also defined the traditional family as being a man, a woman, and children. Donald Trump was president at the time, and the United States was a signatory to the document. Innocuous as the wording seemed, it didn’t take long for a journalist to discover the Christian Right had heavily contributed to the effort.
As they rush to control the rules governing AI and cryptocurrency, oligarchs insist they aim to lead the rest of us into a wondrous future. That may be true. Yet, it is also true that the dark money flushing through the system without transparency could throw ordinary people backward into serfdom.
To protect themselves, people must use the power left to them. Surprisingly, I do not refer to the ballot box. I refer to consumerism. Times may occur when, to avert disaster, they must exercise their purchasing powers with the skill of a horseman. Rather than give an oligarch his head, they may find it necessary to pull the leather tight.
By reining in the oligarchs, I mean engaging in boycotts. As the nation sorts out its priorities, citizens may be asked to choose between convenience and country. At times, that may seem like a sacrifice, but we must remember freedom is at stake.
The word patriot sometimes gets a bad rap in this world. We know why. It is the cherished word of hypocrites. Even so, I am a patriot. And my hope is that my fellow citizens will make choices good for the country.
Boycott Tesla, Amazon, Apple
