Before Collapse of #SiliconValleyBank #Fed Spotted #BigProblems. Bank was using an #incorrect #model as it #assessed its own #risks amid #rising #InterestRates & spent much of 2022 under a #SupervisoryReview....By early 2023, #SVB was in what the Fed calls a #HorizontalReview,” an assessment meant gauge strength of #RiskManagement. Checkup identified additional deficiencies but at that point the bank’s days were numbered. In early March, it faced a run & failed w/in days. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/19/business/economy/fed-silicon-valley-bank.html

To the thousands of skilled #TechWorkers who have been laid off in recent weeks, and those worried they may be next: The #nonprofit sector needs the #skills and #talent you have to offer—and workers should flock to the sector to work on #BigProblems. https://www.fastcompany.com/90821372/tech-layoffs-nonprofit-job-opportunities?partner=rss&utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

@dredmorbius

What are the big problems? Domination, Climate
What scares you spitless?
Authoritarism (as an internal trait within us, and all it's consequence)
What gives you hope?
Struggle and solidarity
What have you changed your mind on? Not much I have to admit
What are you certain of though you cannot prove it?
Not much I have to admit
#Questions #BigProblems #Hope #Fear #ChangeMyMind #Certainty #AvailableForChildrensBirthdaysAndBarMitzvahs

Questions

1. What are the big problems?
2. What scares you spitless?
3. What gives you hope?
4. What have you changed your mind on?
5. What are you certain of though you cannot prove it?

Boosts appreciated.

#Questions #BigProblems #Hope #Fear #ChangeMyMind #Certainty #AvailableForChildrensBirthdaysAndBarMitzvahs

Unless you can address the economics of capital, rents, labour, public goods, and assets, and their relationships to power, privilege, and oppression, then technology itself either does not help, or worsens, power imbalances.

https://diaspora.glasswings.com/posts/49817e2057a40139c261002590d8e506

#BigProblems #economics #technology #power #PublicGoods #Assets #rents #capital #inequality #oppression

How Many People Can the Earth Support? (1998)

... I hope to offer a perspective that differs from the views of those who say that rapid population growth is no problem at all and those who say that population growth is the only problem. A rounded view of the facts should immunize us against both cornucopians and doomsayers. I give more details in my recent book How Many People Can the Earth Support? ...

https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1998/10/08/how-many-people-can-the-earth-support/

Paywall: https://archive.is/E5AB8

HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29450230

#Population #Overpopulation #CarryingCapacity #LimitsToGrowth #BigProblems #JoelECohen #RockefellerUniversity #ColumbiaUniversity #NYBooks #NewYorkReviewOfBooks #Books #BookReviews #Reviews

If you could work on any problem or project, and money were no object, what would that be?

That could be a personal project, a global one, local, some interest, whatevs.

Reshares welcomed.

#BigProblems

What is the present state of civilisation and challenges facing it?

(Piggybacking off @cwebber's thread / poll.)

Intent here is to focus on the relationship and scope of problems, not the specific problem(s) themselves, if any. Though I suspect some may wish to discuss that in comments....

#Poll #BigProblems #ExistentialThreats #Risk #ThreatPerceptions #PaulChefurka

What is your outlook on the future of human civilisation?

(Piggybacking off @cwebber's thread / poll)

#BigProblems #Civilisation #Collapse #TechnoOptimism #TechnoPessimism #Singularity #Transhumanism #Rapture #Resilience #TransitionTowns #TransitionMovement #Polls

@cwebber For those looking for an IMO more useful representation of viewpoints on humanity's future, I recommend #DavePollard's #NewPoliticalMap

https://howtosavetheworld.ca/2013/02/04/preparing-for-collapse-the-new-political-map/

#collapse #BigProblems #PoliticalMaps #Risk

@calcifer It took me a couple of reads (and a lot of re-searching for this thread) to realise you're arguing the point I agree with.

There's some gwadawful crap out there that is insidiously complex. Worse, it's often been made far worse through the application of simple fixes.

Though one can of course note that there are numerous fairly tractable and readily applied intermediations (possibly just addressing immediate rather than long-term systemic harms) that are dismissed by "it's complex* counterarguments.

To which I'd respond: There's a distinction between immediate rescue, recovery, and aid efforts, and long-term systemic improvements. These are both parts of the solution, they are complements, not opposites.

But yeah, the "you're just saying it's complex because you don't want to fix it or you think it's all just dandy" is exceedingly tired and needs to DIAF.

#Complexity #BigProblems #TiredArguments

Housing: The Three S’s: Supply, Stability, and Subsidy

[T]he solution to America’s housing crisis, both politically and technically, comes down to three coequal priorities that I call the Three S’s: Supply, Stability, and Subsidy....

[A]ll indispensable ingredients in the affordable city recipe book... One without the others will not bring true affordability and stability to a community—certainly not to all who need and deserve it. Nor can we simply enact the strongest possible intervention for one goal without considering its impacts on the others. Often, the most aggressive solution to one problem will undermine the best response to another.

https://www.planetizen.com/features/110948-affordable-city-offers-solutions-us-housing-affordability-crisis

Book: https://islandpress.org/books/affordable-city

HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26854819

#housing #homelessness #property #PublicOwnership #ShanePhillips #TheAffordableCity #books #BookReivews #BigProblems

Activism Survival Manifesto

1. My ability to be a force for good and change in the world begins with my own existence and health. I will tend to and be mindful of my own health, and be aware of and respect my strengths, weaknesses, and limits.
2. The world and its problems are larger than me. Working together with others, finding those to work with, ensuring their own health and wellness, and working effectively with them, maximises my own contribution. Doing more on fewer issues focuses my efforts and results.
3. Problem resolution is a process beginning with awareness and concluding with assessment and learning. Contributions throughout this cycle are useful.
4. Knowledge of leverage points and community activism tactics is useful. Generally, maximising effect through actions toward goals at minimum effort should be my operational standard.
5. Often communications is activism. Even a minimal contribution, yes, even a “like” or reshare, is a contribution, though substantial contributions may be far more useful. Do what I can.
6. Keeping interactions polite to the extent possible is helpful, but so are firmly establishing boundaries and protecting that which I, or those working with me, require.

https://joindiaspora.com/posts/e52eb55030d40139ee9b002590d8e506

#activism #politics #SurvivalManifesto #BigProblems #CommunityOrganising