I had one of the best resolution for this year, so far I exceeded it with a banger.
My resolution was to go into the year without having any expectation. It is one of the most counter intuitive thing, but yes. I achieved nothing this year. I went from (-) to (0).
Resetting life and thinking through it takes a lot of effort. I am continuing the same resolution with sub-goal of hitting 1 if possible.
Expectations and desires are the root of all evils in your life. Control them, and you control you.
If I may, I would like to ask you something a bit hyperbole.
You outlined a few key points which include learning people skills, communication, and requirements engineering.
Do you think it wouldn't be possible for AI/AGI of the future to supercharge this process?
What I feel people like OP and I are experiencing is the impending doom that is about to fall on us as a result of automation.
We are inexperienced, and our only feedback from the real world is job applications, which are getting rejected at an enormous rate. Adding AI on top of that doesn't paint a good picture, especially when we (our generation) have easily adopted it into our workflow and started producing results. In rejection emails we get responses like, "we found a better candidate". This means our effort is futile and what we compare against is AI because it is the only thing we can see. We can't see the profile of someone who was better and got into the job.
What we fear is people with AI + communication skills will outperform us, who just honed our skills in computing. Simply because they are better communicators and have improved efficiency. This would mean senior engineers will be demanded more and no one would care for juniors.
Now without any job, building a career is a nightmare. On top of that, even after a job, having a secured career is a problem, like OP said.
Final questions,
1. Regarding communication:
What is a benchmark that indicates if someone is a adept communicator? Is communication a skill that can be learnt? And can those who have hard time communicating be better at it than AI that spits out almost correct sounding hallucinations?
2. Beyond programming:
How to prove that we have better fundamentals than other people? What screams "I want to work with them"? How to show that we can design systems that last long?
It is a waste. I graduated 5 years ago. Joined Master hoping something good would happen. Learnt a few things here and there. Now I am in objectively bad position where I ruined my family relationship, ruined health and ruined most of the things.
I'm in similar boat. But I love CS and it seems easy for me.
But I butchered myself (meaning no substantial skills on paper) so I am unhireable. People don't even look at my resume. Deactivated LinkedIn because it was causing harm than good.
Yes, I have the debilitating fear that I am going to be automated out. I already believe I have failed in life and stopped trying. Now I am en route to being automated out even before my career begins.
If you wonder what the reason is, despite starting CS in 2014, I haven't had a full-time job once. My skills are so diverse that I don't qualify for anything but happen to know a few of most things. So what value do I contribute? Nothing.
Hence, what OP writes is something I relate to. If I make it, it would be a shittier version of what is already out there because I do not have the energy/skills to make something novel. And all those rejection emails have proven that I am worthless. So there is nothing in this world that gives me hope.
OP, if you are feeling like me, the only hope I have is something stupid like faith. No idea why but I have started to trust religion because of the peace of mind it brings. This faith thing, at least helps me bring back on track and allows me to do even when I know, to the point, this all matters to nothing.
Why would anyone bother with learning anymore? When is learning enough to get started?
How will someone get started with work? What qualifies someone to start a new position?
Pretty sure only smart people will be hired for the roles.
No matter what I do, I am forever unqualified, even from junior roles.
1. Have post grad degree
2. Have internships
3. Have only part time or short tenure roles.
But can't get into any industrial role. Why?
Means, I die? What qualifies for a job?
Well one option is to go back to shithole country I came from and just stay there earning pennies. With the money I make there affording a new mac will take 2 years salary. So that is the kind of shithole I am talking about.
Yes, that is true. I 100% agree. It is needed without a doubt.
For one moment, let's think it this way. You are a 20-year experienced engineer who is making whatever money you are making. Suddenly, your skills are invalidated because of a new disruption. And you have another friend in, the same situation.
Fortunately for you, luck played out and you could transition! You found a way into life, meaning and value. Your joy and your everyday life continued as it is.
But the other friend enjoyed the process, and liked doing what they were doing and there was no suitable transition for them. Humans are adaptable, but to them, nothing mattered because the whole existence didn't offer any value. The sole act of doing was robbed WITHOUT ANY ALTERNATIVE. The experience and value of a person rendered worthless.
Can you relate to that feeling? If yes, thank you.
If no, your words are empty and hold no value.
Artist went through the similar phase during the invention of photography. Now, it is rather soul-crushing because anything an artist make can easily be replicated, making the whole artistic journey a moot.
I have no idea about your background when I am commenting here. But these are my two cents.
NO. Details are mostly like icing on top of the cake. Sure, good details make good art but it is not always the case. True and beautiful art requires form + shape. What you are saying is something visually appealing. So, the reason why diffusion models feel so bland is because they are good with details but do not have precise forms and shape. Nowadays they are getting better, however, it still remains an issue.
Form + shape > details is something they teach in Art 101.
My resolution was to go into the year without having any expectation. It is one of the most counter intuitive thing, but yes. I achieved nothing this year. I went from (-) to (0).
Resetting life and thinking through it takes a lot of effort. I am continuing the same resolution with sub-goal of hitting 1 if possible.
Expectations and desires are the root of all evils in your life. Control them, and you control you.