So why do I think the internet is our 21st century Tower of Babel? The internet is knowledge. With knowledge comes power and the ability to make a name for oneself. Instead of trying to physically reach up to God, we're trying to have all knowledge. Nothing is ever a mystery anymore, because we can just Google it (or ask Alexa to do that for us) and we trick ourselves into thinking that we're all-knowing. (READ MORE)
The Power of the Tower: How Facebook Became Our New Tower of Babel "The Tower of Babel had its own human creator, an Emperor named Nimrod. Nimrod, the grandson of Noah, is introduced as the first man of might (a gibor or hero) on earth. According to the Midrash, he was a mighty hunter, he was gifted the clothes that Adam and Eve wore in the garden of Eden, and he developed a following." "With the tool of intelligence which led to new technology, Nimrod changes the intention of the tower. The rabbis say that Nimrod did this all to promote idolatry, the worship of other gods, but there are no other gods mentioned in this story. I propose that the gods are actually us, human beings, and he was at the center of us all. He was meant to be the god." "During the construction of the Tower, Nimrod perpetuated the idea that bricks were more important than people. The Midrash (Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer 24) teaches that when a man fell down and died, no one really paid attention, but if one brick fell down, they would sit and weep and say:Oy to us, when will another one be hauled up to take its place.” "Bricks over people was arguably his greatest sin." (CONTINUE)
Mont Saint-Michel (Saint Michael's Mount), Normandy, north-western France: the mount at high tide ... [+]Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Is AI the New Tower of Babel? Can we get it right this time? "The wow factor hit Babel. They became obsessed with their new invention, building to the sky. They said, “We will make a name for ourselves! We will be famous!” "Not to provide housing. Not to promote peace and harmony. To become famous. Fame is the aspiration of those who see no purpose in life." "To paraphrase the great halachist, Rabbi Moshe Isserles, fame is the aspiration of those who see no purpose in life. So too, the builders of Babel’s tower saw no purpose in anything at all. They just wanted to build something big in order to feel big." "And that’s a big problem. Because when you use technology without a purpose, you are no longer its master. You are its slave." Created, using AI