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Elmore420 t1_j5ge4sl wrote

Reply to comment by jcurie in Are we doomed through AI or will it generate new opportunities (an optimists viewpoint) by jcurie

This is where the tantalum for all our capacitors comes from. When you use an electronic device, you are benefiting yourself from the profits from human suffering. You can choose to rationalize that away however you please, but it doesn’t change the outcome vis-a-vis nature’s reality. All humans live in 2 realities as a consequence of Free Will and independent thought. There is the reality we create for ourselves that drives our choices as to how we live, and there is the reality nature provides for us to fulfill our place in. Now that we have evolved from animals to creators, it is up to us to create our own future together. It is our evolutionary challenge to create our future to fulfill our place in nature. We have one simple instruction to manage that, “Be kind and take care of each other.” In 10,000 years, we have never followed that instruction regardless any religion, revolution, or even science indicating that is what we should do.

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jcurie OP t1_j5ghbpk wrote

That’s not true. Australia is the largest producer of tantalum. Yes, you can get it in central Africa but its a small % of tantalum. Therefore, AI is not driving slavery through tantalum consumption any more than any computer or piece of electronics.

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Elmore420 t1_j5gi26a wrote

Then explain why we use it still? Why does Coltan Slavery exist if we don’t use it to profit from? Also your information is incorrect:

https://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/critical-metals-investing/tantalum-investing/2013-top-tantalum-producers-rwanda-brazil-drc-canada/ Australia doesn’t even make the top 5. The slave mines are the big suppliers.

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jcurie OP t1_j5hbezs wrote

We have slavery problems all over the planet. I don’t have a problem with you highlighting this issue. But saying AI leads to slavery in mines is quite a reach. We have capacitors in car, tractors, trucks and machinery that makes the products you eat and the roof you are under. Not to mention your access to Reddit. Only enlightened businesses, or legally obligated ones, are going to do something about the demand. Turn off demand for the cheapest product. Talk to your local politician and electrical engineer.

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Elmore420 t1_j5he59r wrote

Yes we do, it’s a humanity wide issue. It’s why we’ve been failing evolution for the last 7000 years, and are facing extinction when we hit 9 billion people. We absolutely refuse to meet nature’s requirement for us even though the requirement is as simple as “Be kind and take care of each other.” We just don’t accept what nature made us and why.

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