Being a person means going hungry, being afraid of dying, loving someone, feeling sorry or compassion… These feelings turn out to be the motor of all our actions. To think that a machine could feel something similar is absurd: it cannot. That is why this growing wave of fear does not make sense in the face of the possibility that artificial intelligence decides on its own to end the human being. Which of those feelings of biological origin could lead you to make that decision? A device will never be afraid of being unplugged, nor should it care about prevailing over the human being. This does not mean that machines cannot cause damage and catastrophes, but only after the intervention of the people who design, program or manipulate them. Because even the most elaborate artificial intelligence is still something lacking in autonomy and freedom. And although someone can always direct that something, that something will never be someone.
Pablo González Caballero. Boadilla del Monte (Madrid)
A little bit of respect
It is curious that authorized voices of the PP say publicly that the PSOE’s labor reform is correct and only ask for a few tweaks, or that the abortion and homosexual marriage laws should never have been appealed. As their lordships manifested in Congress in their day, these laws came from evil minds and represented the apocalypse. Please, gentlemen of the PP, make a civilized opposition, show a little respect for the citizens, do not insult our intelligence.
Javier Goicoechea Roso. Three Songs (Madrid)
The word
The word is something inherent to the human being. Using it when we are not faithful to it, we lower our category. For many politicians, the word does not matter. They talk and promise so much that they make an empty concept of it. What is proclaimed as black today, tomorrow is already white. María Guardiola, leader of the PP from Extremadura, changed her word in just one week: “My word is not as important as the future of the people of Extremadura.” Well no: the word is very important. The discourse of thinking about citizens, when in reality one is thinking about one’s own power, in the armchair, in oneself, is very present in the world of politics.
Manolo Romasanta Touza. Sigüeiro (A Coruña)
Protests that damage heritage
It seems that it has become fashionable to “attack” works of art to claim something or simply pass the time. Thus, picture frames were damaged in museums and, recently, a person started climbing on one of the walls of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. He climbed up putting his feet on the statues. Honestly, I believe and practice the claim of just causes but it seems out of place and a great ignorance to damage art to do so. Also, a person who does climbing on one of the walls of the cathedral, is he an athlete, a modernist, an original? It seems to me a rude who wants to appear in the media. We should deny publicity to these facts… Do not confuse us with them and their ignorance.
Ines Iglesias Barcia. O Pedrouzo (Santiago de Compostela)
