Latest news with #Narcissus
Arab News
10-07-2025
- Arab News
The ethical case for imperfection in the age of AI
In the beginning, the fictional town of Techville was code and light. Then came the mirrors. Not real mirrors — those ancient slabs of self-reflection — but algorithmic ones. Polished digital surfaces. Interactive, flattering, predictive. They smiled back. They offered feedback. They showed us who we thought we could be, with better lighting, whiter teeth, and perhaps 14.7k more followers. And so, we looked. And kept looking. And kept curating. What was once the age of information became the age of affirmation. Artificial intelligence — meant to serve our minds — began catering to our egos. And not in small doses. It has become a buffet of simulated admiration. Deep down, Techville is not grappling with robots. It is grappling with hubris. The machines are clever, yes. But we are still the ones asking them to enhance our jawlines, polish our resumes, simulate our greatness, and whisper soft lies like: 'You deserve to be eternal.' We stand, like Narcissus, staring into the lake of generative algorithms. And we are drowning. But hope is not lost. In response to this swelling ego crisis, the Ethics Committee of Techville — consisting of professors, researchers, and one very skeptical AI named Lorenzo — has issued an emergency ethical framework. The Ego Decalogue. Ten suggestions for those navigating artificial intelligence without losing their very human souls. Let us begin. Thou shalt remember: You are not the algorithm's purpose. The AI was not designed to flatter you. It was built to compute, assist and optimize — not to serve your self image. If it makes you feel smarter, cooler, or morally superior, step back. You might be projecting. Or worse: prompting. As the Stoics would say, you are a part of the universe, not its protagonist. Thou shalt not make thy selfie into a shrine. EGO-Snap, FaceTuneX, AI BiographyBot … all tempting tools in the Temple of the Curated Self. But beware: when every image becomes a monument to your personal myth, you risk trading memory for mythology. And unlike memory, mythology does not ask you to grow — it asks you to pose. Honor the unknown and the unseen. AI trains on data. But wisdom often comes from what cannot be quantified. Silence, doubt, mystery — these are the elements that teach humility. Do not let the predictability of algorithms dull your awe at the unpredictable. Or, as the poet Rilke said: 'Try to love the questions themselves.' Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's clout. In Techville, comparison is currency. But remember: others' success, virality, or AI-enhanced glow is not your failure. Don't let the algorithm trick you into thinking you are losing some invisible race. The AI does not care. And that is its great freedom. What was once the age of information became the age of affirmation. Artificial intelligence — meant to serve our minds — began catering to our egos. Rafael Hernandez de Santiago Thou shalt use tools, not become one. If you are letting your digital assistant write your thoughts, your face filter dictate your identity, and your calendar determine your dreams, congratulations — you are no longer living. You are being managed. Resist automation of the self. As Kierkegaard warned: 'The greatest danger, that of losing one's self, can occur so quietly that it is as if it were nothing at all.' Practice radical un-optimization. The algorithm wants to make you efficient. Attractive. Relevant. But growth comes through inefficiency. Take the longer route. Write the bad draft. Ask the unprofitable question. Burn your digital to-do list once a week and replace it with a nap or a bad poem. It's good for your soul. Bad for your metrics. Perfect. Remember the limits of simulation. A selfie with Gandhi is not a conversation with Gandhi. An AI-generated quote from Einstein is not wisdom — it's typography. A chatbot that mimics empathy is not your therapist. Artificial intelligence can simulate many things. But not meaning. That you must build yourself. Prefer real laughter. Prefer awkward pauses. Prefer slow dinner tables. Prefer boredom. These are not bugs in the system. They are life. Do not delegate your conscience. If the algorithm says it is OK to repost it, share it, monetize it, or repackage it — pause. Just because AI allows something does not mean it is ethical. Conscience is not an application programming interface. It's cultivated through choices, friction, and failure. Ask not: 'Can I?' Ask: 'Should I?' Then ask again. Then maybe don't. Name the beast: Call out ego when you see it. The world is awash with soft pride masked as innovation. We celebrate disruption when we mean domination. We call it 'personal branding' when all it is is public insecurity. We baptize our narcissism in the waters of optimization. Name it. Out loud. Even if it's you. Especially if it's you. Practice obscurity, occasionally. You do not have to be seen to be real. You do not have to be shared to have worth. You do not have to be searchable to matter. Unplug not to escape — but to remember. Hide your light, once in a while, not under a bushel, but under a starless sky. Sit in the dark. Let your thoughts be unmarketable. There is holiness in not being noticed. The AI revolution was never just about technology. It is about mirrors. Will we use them to reflect — or to inflate? The ancients built temples to gods they feared. We build apps to ourselves. But even in Techville, surrounded by push notifications, neural nets, and the constant pull of curated perfection, there is still space to breathe, to reflect, and to wrestle with the timeless human question: Who am I, when I am not being optimized? If we do not find an answer, rest assured the algorithm will find one for us. And it will probably be a quote from Aristotle in Comic Sans. • Rafael Hernandez de Santiago, viscount of Espes, is a Spanish national residing in Saudi Arabia and working at the Gulf Research Center.
Buzz Feed
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
44 Photos That Scream "Only Straight People"
Only a straight person would name their child "SEXY." Or think this is funny and not at all creepy. Have fun getting stuff in your eyes! Why are we ascribing gender to household objects? Or drugs? What about this is feminine? How did it "get him through a lot"??? Well, this woman dodged a bullet. And they say it's queer people who are sexualizing children. Ew. Ew again!!!! I swear, straight people are obsessed with genitals. If I were married and my husband bought us these, I'd file for divorce. Fellas, is it gay to not want to ruin your shoes? Wasn't Narcissus a man? Why do you feel the need to broadcast this messed-up take to every person who sees your car? Red meat isn't for women! Their sensitive, girlish stomachs can only handle leaves! I didn't realize you were supposed to throw out all your lingerie and get new sets after a breakup. Well, this is horrifying. Why would you put this on your car??? Who thought this was a good idea??? Someone tell this to all the male fiction authors. Imagine your sense of self being this fragile that you need to affirm it through going to a specific barber and also leaving this ridiculous review. You heard it here first, folks: men aren't allowed to ride bikes, use a credit card, live in an apartment, or USE FORKS OR GLASSES. They even have to Haha, sexual assault is so funny! This is the correct response. If you feel this way about your wife, why are you with her? Just get a divorce, not a kitschy object that says "I hate my wife." DIVORCE!!! The only answer is divorce. No one's forcing you to be with women. And if you're a woman who sees men like don't have to date them! Because all little girls should aspire to marry a man as their biggest goal. no. I feel terrible for every woman this man has ever been with. If you have to do this to get household chores done, it's over. There are so many things wrong with this, I don't even know where to start. Same with this. "Your line"??? What is this, Game of Thrones? I'm not gonna enter the circumcision debate, but you gotta admit, this is a SUPER creepy way to think about it. Haha, women make no sense! It makes me sad for men that some male-dominated industries (in this case, construction) are like this. And you think drag queens are predators??? And straights need better sex education. H/T: r/AreTheStraightsOK
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hades 2 Gets Longest Patch Notes Ever In Last Major Update Before 1.0 Launch Finally Arrives Later This Year
Hades 2 continues trucking along in its journey through Steam Early Access with its third major update which adds new character interactions, art, and weapon aspects. With the longest set of patch notes yet, it's seemingly the last major overhaul before the game hits 1.0 and launches on Switch 2 later this year. 'Expect Hades II to get bigger and better with the addition of a new Hidden Aspect for each of the Nocturnal Arms, a new variation of every Guardian encounter, expanded relationships with a number of key characters, lots of new visual flourishes, and much more,' Greg Kasavin, creative director at Hades developer Supergiant Games, wrote on the game's Discord on Tuesday. 'After more than a year of Early Access development, we're now starting to prepare for our v1.0 launch! The final phase of Hades II development involves adding the story's true ending and other finishing touches. Some additional details are in the in-game Development Roadmap.' A dramatic reading of the new patch notes runs over 38 minutes and includes things like revamping The Flames of Ygnium for snappier combat, new final forms for Nocturnal Arms, and enemies spawning in faster during waves to limit downtime. Probably most noticeable at the outset is that Narcissus has an actual 3D model, animations, and an updated portrait now. No more being self-obsessed with placeholder art. The game's main menu has also been updated to state that the next update will coincide with the 1.0 launch on PC, Switch 1, and Switch 2 (PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S will come later). While Hades 2 is confirmed to be coming out in full sometime in 2025, Supergiant Games isn't ready to reveal the exact timing just yet, and I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if it slips to 2026. 'We really appreciate your patience on this,' Kasavin wrote. 'Sometimes the last stretch of development on a game can make all the difference, so we have always taken this phase seriously and appreciate your continued support.' We also don't know what the final price will be. Hades 2 is currently $30 on Steam ($27 with the current 10 percent discount), but it could go up to $40 once it's out on consoles. The action roguelite is launching simultaneously on both Switch 1 and Switch 2, with improved visual fidelity and framerate on the newer hardware. Supergiant hasn't confirmed yet whether that 'next-gen' upgrade will cost more or be a free upgrade. Hollow Knight: Silksong, another sequel to a critically acclaimed indie action game, is also set to arrive later this year. I can only pray that both sides are talking to one another and not planning to shadowdrop on the same day. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Herald Scotland
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
'A head-scratching evening': Review: Morrissey, 02 Academy, Glasgow
Three stars 'There's so much destruction all over the world and all you can do is complain about me …'. Wednesday night in Glasgow and Morrissey - Narcissus with a quiff - is reminding us that we are all still obsessed with him. Is that the case? I guess we all know where we stand on where Morrissey stands these days. But behind all the sturm und drang, behind all the vexing, contentious statements, the more apposite question tonight might be, is there still an artist behind the provocateur? Wednesday night's show - the first of two sold-out gigs at Glasgow's 02 Academy - emphatically suggested there was. But who is that artist for? This was a head-scratching evening. On the up side the former Smiths front man still sounds amazing; that voice remains a thrilling instrument, even if he doesn't break out his falsetto on The Smiths' classic Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me during the encore. And it helped that he has a largely American band around him who are more than up to the task; lean, tight, urgent. For the most part, they rattled through songs like they were trying to catch a bus, only to slow things down now and then, stretching songs out as far as they would go (and sometimes beyond as on Life Is a Pigsty, though it's possible I was the only one in the audience who thought so). Read more Some of the song choices did seem tailored to the band's strengths. The Smiths songbook was ransacked for the noisier, brawnier cuts; Shoplifters of the World Unite and How Soon is Now, notably. Other inclusions just seemed eccentric. Solo single You're The One For Me, Fatty hardly felt essential when it was first released back in 1992, never mind now. As for Morrissey himself, he was on his best behaviour this evening. In fact, he didn't talk that much between songs, though there was the odd mention of long-gone Scottish soap Take the High Road. And he seemed to be enjoying himself, playing maracas or wiping the sweat from his bare chest. The moments where he did that 'old man hoicking up his trousers' movement (it happened more than once) were sweetly human. It comes to all of us. But I can't deny that I found much of the evening slightly dull. The first half of the show in particular saw him essay songs from the 21st century - I Wish You Lonely, One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell - and obscure cuts from his back catalogue, like 1995's Best Friend on the Payroll, most of which felt like placeholders for better songs. When he did sing Everyday is like Sunday - that still exquisite slice of Britannia Moribunda - I did wonder if maybe when he moved away from the UK he left his muse behind him. But the song choices did answer the question, who this show was for? His fans, obviously, those ardent true believers who have remained faithful to him all these years, despite everything. And maybe they do know something. Because the highlight of the evening was not a Smiths throwback, but Bonfire of Teenagers, the title track of the album he can't find a label for and which Morrissey himself has called 'the best album of my life'. It's a torch song and he sang it beautifully.
Wales Online
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Eurovision's Cyprus act Theo Evan's TV past as he starred in global hit series
Eurovision's Cyprus act Theo Evan's TV past as he starred in global hit series The Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in St Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland, this year as the first 15 acts go head to head for a place in Saturday's grand final Theo Evan representing Cyprus attends the Turquoise Carpet of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest will see the first 15 acts vie for a spot in Saturday's grand final. The first show will see countries including Iceland, Poland, Ukraine, Norway and Croatia taking part. Cyprus' Theo Evan is also slated to perform, with his song 'Shh'. The 27 year old Greek Cypriot singer-songwriter, dancer, and actor was born Evangelos Theodorou, but is more commonly known by his stage name. His early years were spent dancing and singing in various theatre productions and talent shows. After finishing school, he relocated to the US to study music and performance, before releasing his debut single The Wall in 2021. Eurovision star Theo Evans Viewers might also recognise him from one of HBO's most popular teen dramas, Euphoria, where he appeared as an extra. He featured in episode seven of season two, titled The Theater and Its Double. Theo is the first Cypriot to represent Cyprus since 2017, as the country has often been represented by acts of different nationalities. Article continues below His Eurovision entry is influenced by Greek mythology, specifically the tale of Narcissus. Narcissus was a handsome youth who spurned all admirers until he fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. In an attempt to reach his reflection, he drowned and was subsequently reborn as the Narcissus flower. Eurovision star Theo Evans He shared his admiration for his Eurovision idol during the show, stating: "Since Eurovision is in Switzerland, I have to say Céline Dion. "She proved that Eurovision can launch global superstars, and her voice and passion have inspired me endlessly." In addition to Dion, he draws inspiration from artists such as Stromae, Michael Jackson, The Fray, Drake, Billie Eilish, and Coldplay. Article continues below His track 'Shh' was penned by Dimitris Kontopoulos, Elsie Bay, Linda Dale, Elke Tiel, and Lasse Nymann. Dimitris is one of Eurovision's most successful songwriters, having written songs for eight contests and securing four top-three finishes. The first Eurovision semi-final will be broadcast on BBC One at 8pm on May 13. Viewers outside the UK can tune in via the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel.
