Dear Friend and Reader:
You might have seen this news item from last week and rolled your eyes with a sigh or a ‘tsk-tsk’: Researchers at Microsoft decided to let loose on Twitter a form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) — a machine learning program — to learn how to interact like a human being on social media. Perhaps unsurprisingly yet still dishearteningly, the Twitter bot fell prey to trolls and the lowest-common-denominator factor online, and soon began spewing bigoted, callous hate speech.
Photo by Amanda Painter.
As Vice magazine reports, “Within 24 hours, the Twitter bot @TayandYou had turned spectacularly ugly in the way only the Internet can turn things ugly, spewing racism and hate at Twitter uses in a series of horrifying tweets.”
Microsoft took it offline, deleting most of its 100,000 tweets (Screenshots still exist of some). What happened after Tay’s initial, enthusiastic greeting of “Hellooooooo World!!!”? Well, just ‘the usual’ in that vast, cold wilderness of cyberspace; except that Tay, not being human, had no way to screen out harmful influences. Instead, it was subject to mirroring whatever kind of online dialogue came its way without being able to weigh consequences, or check a person’s comments against some kind of ethical standard or sense of empathy.
The Microsoft researchers encountered what you might call a form of “radical intervention”: their plan was for Tay to model human behavior, but Internet trolls had their way with it and sent Tay off the rails. Presumably, if the folks at Microsoft continue trying to improve this type of machine learning AI, they’ll need to find a way to guard against this type of unexpected negative influence. But how can you design any kind of foolproof AI, in terms of a machine or program that could possess the faculties of true empathy, consideration, critical thinking and those ineffable qualities that lead us to becomes better people, both to ourselves and toward others?
As the Vice column points out, “Microsoft’s AI developers sent Tay to the Internet to learn how to be human, but the Internet is a terrible place to figure that out.”
Astrology, on the other hand, is a great place to learn how to be human; or, rather, if you’re already a human, it’s a great place to discover who you are, who you could be, and how to evolve in your individuation and sense of core self — no matter how much the path might spiral over similar ground on a regular basis. Life-lessons and soul-lessons tend to need repetition in various forms, so that we can integrate them on different levels of awareness.
Astrology shows us patterns of these layers or waves of evolution on a regular basis, in many different formats. We have one of those multi-layered processes happening over the course of this season, as we approach the Uranus-Eris conjunction in Aries in early June.
First, a note about Uranus and Eris in Aries. Uranus in Aries has been providing the revolutionary fuse that has sparked a great deal of upheaval in the world since 2010-2011. In concert with Pluto in Capricorn (in a still-close-but-separating square) Uranus has been inciting society to evolve, through events ranging from the positive Occupy movement to the tragic Fukushima disaster. Eris, on the other hand, has been in Aries since 1927, serving up the kind of identity chaos and individuation impulses that have marked the 20th Century through now — and which we rarely notice, since it’s been so inherent for generations.
Eric has been covering Eris extensively (including here in the context of Rachel Maddow’s chart; and in the context of Uranus, last week here). Last year in April, he wrote, “Eris has the property of radical intervention.”
As you can see from the AI experiment, radical intervention in the form of the Internet does not always have positive consequences. Now, you are not a robot. You have multiple tools available to you as you interact with others. But as studies are showing, the Internet is changing how we think, shifting us to shorter attention spans, shallower thinking and less patience for full evaluation and inquiry into what we encounter.
Uranus conjunct Eris in Aries suggests that we’re in for a form of radical intervention that might be quite unexpected. You could argue we’re seeing it already, in the way that the ‘radical’ positions of both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have intervened in the ‘business as usual’ processes of both the Republican and Democratic establishments, whipping up an Eris-style political identity crisis for the U.S.
Luckily, on the personal level, you have greater agility than a political party does. You can respond to new ideas and challenges to your usual way of being by evaluating them against your ethics, desires and sense of purpose — internally, without having to stage a debate on Fox News. You can integrate new facets of yourself that you discover (or birth) without putting it to a nation-wide vote. And then you get to morph or individuate on your own time, with full awareness of the many layers of your being.
On our way to peak Uranus-Eris, this week Mercury contacts both of the planets in turn. Today Mercury conjoins Uranus at 4:49 pm EDT (20:49 UTC). This is an aspect that fosters fast thinking and intuition, and original ideas; so if you have to be creative at work or clever with your lunch date, the planets have your back today.
Because Uranus is not quite exactly conjunct Eris, Mercury will not meet her until Saturday at 3:27 am EDT (7:27 UTC). Since Eris and Uranus seem to share some similar properties of the sparky/surprising/this-changes-everything variety, Saturday also looks like a day to be open to and aware of new concepts — especially the kind that challenge you to drop outmoded ways of thinking.
Next weekend, the Aries Sun will do the same thing: conjoin Uranus and then, a few days later, conjoin Eris. It’s like the universe is letting us grasp Uranus-Eris on the intellectual level first (Mercury), and then we get a sense of it on the personality or ego level (the Sun).
Two months after that warm-up, Uranus and Eris finally peak. If you can keep moving and morphing with the “radical interventions” to your way of thinking and your sense of yourself, you’ll be in good shape come June — just remember not to feed the trolls on Twitter.
Thanks Amanda, I’ve been watching how transiting Eris has been quincunx the U.S. Sibly Neptune in Virgo for years now, and when Donald Trump joined the lineup of Presidential wannabes and his natal Sun at 22+ Gemini has been sextile transiting Eris in Aries while at the same time his Sun squares the U.S. Neptune, well, it all fell into place. Of course, Bernie Sanders has Venus at 22+ Libra opposite transiting Eris, and eventually Eris will return to conjunct his Mars at 23+ Aries.
For that matter, Hillary Clinton’s natal Mercury at 21+ Scorpio was quincunx transiting Eris for quite a while too. Safe to say that (transiting) Eris’ stock in trade is discord but that can be a positive or a negative stimulus. It must be a necessity for the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election process since it is so prevalent. Just who are we becoming anyway?
be
” Just who are we becoming anyway?”
That really is the million-dollar question, isn’t it Barbara? I do think you’re onto something about Eris’ discord — whether positive or negative — being necessary for this US election cycle. I’m putting my energy behind the positive stimulus, and hoping we see a tidal wave of others doing the same. Thank you for tracking the Eris transits to the candidates charts! It sure does present an interesting picture…
Just who are we becoming anyway? Thanks for that statement, Be. And as for me, it’s all been personal enough, not in a radical way but in a transforming, mutating way, nonetheless. Uranus has hovered in a conjunction state on my natal moon (Aries 18+) for so long that I no longer know what it’s like not to feel him. Now add transiting Mercury to underscore my thinking/communication today out this at 21+ Aries and look to Eris at 22+ Eris and wow. Oh BTW, transiting Sun at 12+Aries seems to be doing just fine reaching between my two natal planets as well, Venus, at 15+ Aries and, ah, Eris, at 9+ Eris. Like I said, for me, a lot of it has, and continues to remain as personal and with last month’s solar and lunar eclipses equally personal in the signs of Pisces with my natal sun and natal Mercury, natal North Node and Natal Chiron, to some extent being in exact alignment, I have set my intentions only for the good and full of love (nod to Amanda). The awakening moment, the full embodiment, the personhood (nod to both Eric and Amanda), and the “emergence,” (nod to Len), articles are most helpful as I reflect, meditate and then implement. Thank you PW!
Pisces Sun: I suspect that many of us are resonating with some of these long-term transits in compelling ways. Thank you for noting the possibility to “get used to” something like Uranus hanging out with your natal Moon; it can be so easy to think of some of these more “abrupt” planets simply as a shock to the system, rather than as a constant companion we’re learning how to work with productively.
I myself have had transiting Eris conjunct my natal Chiron for so long, I think I’ve just accepted it as “who I am” without much conscious thought at all. But now that I think of it…I think maybe I can see more clearly the mission of Eris and Chiron in the inner work I’ve been doing. Given the house placement, it might be time for me to consider with more awareness how it manifests in my outer life as well. Thank you for prompting that thought, Pisces Sun.
Typos, of course after the degree+, it should follow, Aries, not Eris, sorry!
“…just remember not to feed the trolls..”
Yeah the Mercury sent them feasting today. Well with one anyway. I did ok. But, o’vey I hear you all!
Exhusing work though dealing with discord and the glass half empty. I am working within consulting with a vast global company of potential reach and influence that i will benifit from in purpose, but currently in the tune of a somewhat antiquated system of intense structure tho. So with Eris, meeting (and ahem.. greeting) Mercury yet exact sextile Natal Venus/Mars conjunction 20+ Gemini, valuing the station up and trying to positively lead to the positive point of view took half the morning away from the overall point aND goal.
Then there’s the trans Eris Mars conjunction semi sextile natal Jupiter also in the communication loop.. yep and natal Chiron is there lose to exact sextile as well from Pisces 18+ degrees. I think?! I did ok. Well at least I was aware. That’s the best I can do today.
(ARIES 21°): A PUGILIST ENTERS THE RING. KEYNOTE: The release and glorification of social aggressiveness.
The Sabian Symbols are quite amazing.. This is Mercury’s current degree i just reat after wring the above.. With Dane Rhudyer ‘s keynote and added interpretation, that pretty much sums up the shot I was ‘hit with tday.
I stood up and replied compassionate and i believe intelligently while continued to try to keep the dialog positively moving forward. Does that sound right amanda, is that how you are reading the planets best stance with this adpect?? I feel like I rebalanced the potential of disfiguring from what felt like a power play. God only gives us what we asked for..is the mantra in my salt bath tonight!
Not Eris Mars conjunction, I meant Eris Mercury.. long day!
Good for you, P.Sophia for taking a Salt Bath! Ovey, is right, P. Sophia! And, yes, Amanda, these planets have some personal aspect to us all, I am sure. After all, mass movements do require agitation to move the masses, and not only leaders but followers, something that inspires or persuades one to follow. Either folks are tired of things (revolutionary aspect) or inspired to achieve (romanticism or age of reason) or even ready for a new order (fall of autocracies and rise of merchant states and democratic nations or even the current rise of international organizations).
I was watching a documentary today about how the old world, i.e., Europe was exposed through trade to drugs: tobacco, cannibis, opium, etc., and its effect on the population. It was quite expansive and revolutionary back then but it also became a negative effect on individuals and nations and not surprising, around the same time lunatic asylums (as they were called) were also becoming more prevalent and populated! As I reflected on this time in our history, I was curious as to knowing where Eris and/or Uranus played a role, as I would expect the introduction of drugs into society was a pretty radical thing. The individual and social conscience was also clearly expanding. Look at what was also being produced by society at that time, so of our greatest thinking and writing! We (humanity) weren’t on this pony ride for the first time and this likely won’t be our last experience with Eris and Uranus and their effect on the collective and individual human psyche.