松易涅

Current Information#

Time Period: 25/01/29-02/04

Keywords: Medical Insurance, Aging, Family Structure, Spring Festival Gala, Catering Entrepreneurship, AI, Epistemology

Directory#

Information Flow#

1. 【Media reports that [the gradual withdrawal of original research drugs from public hospitals has become a foregone conclusion], what are the underlying reasons?】(Population, Medical Insurance, Aging) https://www.zhihu.com/question/9545429419/answer/79202514393
2. 【The historical changes behind “the daughter-in-law of farmers does not take care of her in-laws”】(Demography, Urbanization, Family Structure) https://www.zhihu.com/question/10990288123/answer/90814927754
3. 【The structuring and de-structuring of media rituals—an analysis of the narrative model changes in CCTV's Spring Festival Gala skits】(Spring Festival Gala, Drama, Ideology) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/wOH1WHHVwHmb1-Z2Yvdtqg
4. 【The man in Beijing who loves fried chicken the most: I want to apologize to the restaurant owners I criticized】(Catering, Entrepreneurship) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/IP4ks3TCdI48NZ-S9XpVng
5. 【The strengths and weaknesses of deepseek】(deepseek, AI, Epistemology) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/T0dq1x-XFNOYvHRHTACCLA

Thoughts#

1. The significance of rituals
2. Creation
3. True happiness and joy
4. The similarity between human socialization and the emergence of intelligence in large models

Information Flow#

【Media reports that [the gradual withdrawal of original research drugs from public hospitals has become a foregone conclusion], what are the underlying reasons?】#

(Population, Medical Insurance, Aging) https://www.zhihu.com/question/9545429419/answer/79202514393

Many things can be connected logically, and the logic is the unexpected aging. The aging problem is just like this; it will almost affect all aspects and make these aspects more vulnerable than before. When this foreseeable and unexpected systemic shock gradually manifests, arguing about details such as drug efficacy and consistency evaluation has little significance.

【The historical changes behind “the daughter-in-law of farmers does not take care of her in-laws”】#

(Demography, Urbanization, Family Structure) https://www.zhihu.com/question/10990288123/answer/90814927754

In modern society, especially in cities, the proportion of nuclear families has an overwhelming advantage. It can also be said that nuclear families are the result of the disintegration of extended families.
Extended families disintegrate into nuclear families, and the key factor is that the division of labor in modern society has become highly differentiated. This leads to family members participating in different social labor and obtaining outputs (labor remuneration) separately, rather than all family members tending to engage in labor together and obtain labor remuneration collectively (and reinvest what they earn).
The differentiation in social production leads to the differentiation of labor types, which in turn causes the disappearance of scenarios where family members work together, and labor itself can also participate in the market as a factor of production, so extended families inevitably differentiate into nuclear families. One result is that, in fact, new families formed through marriage are financially independent of their original families.
However, due to China's rapid and large-scale urbanization process, society as a whole has not yet realized or is unwilling to fully acknowledge this fact, still hoping to maintain the lifestyle of the extended family era.

【The structuring and de-structuring of media rituals—an analysis of the narrative model changes in CCTV's Spring Festival Gala skits】#

(Spring Festival Gala, Drama, Ideology) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/wOH1WHHVwHmb1-Z2Yvdtqg

This article divides the narrative model of CCTV's Spring Festival Gala skits into three developmental stages. (1) The anti-structural model of the 1980s and 1990s, which uses dialects and other informal languages, as well as the design of "status reversal" (common people criticize high-status figures, those in power and resources play the role of "humble" ones), aims to dissolve grand dramatic narratives. Especially in early skits, they often intervene in real issues through satire, mocking and deconstructing lofty topics, such as the collaboration between Zhao Benshan and Song Dandan in "White Clouds and Black Soil." (2) The mixed model of the early 2000s focuses on the "conflict-reconciliation" plot line, widely applied in family relationships and interactions with strangers. Its creative context is that the updating of concepts such as individual vs. collective, diversity vs. mainstream, and reality vs. ideals has brought confusion and bewilderment; at this time, skits attempt to take on the ritual function of social integration, reuniting people through awakening collective consciousness and idealism. However, the somewhat stiff and lacking authenticity reconciliation process leads to generally low evaluations of skits. (3) The structured model after 2016 emphasizes presenting an idealized social picture, where conflicts mostly arise from lack of communication, language ambiguity, and stereotypes, weakening the intensity of real conflicts. Character creation focuses on conveying positive energy, centering on establishing positive images, and the targets of satire are no longer purely "bad people," but neutral figures who can be educated and transformed. The author believes that as the integrative function of skits strengthens, the content begins to show a trend of standardization. In the face of a complex audience composition and multiple tasks such as maintaining the cohesion of the national community and releasing public emotions, the creation of skits needs to update narrative strategies, introducing new types of anti-structural forces and realistic logical discourse.

【The man in Beijing who loves fried chicken the most: I want to apologize to the restaurant owners I criticized】#

(Catering, Entrepreneurship) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/IP4ks3TCdI48NZ-S9XpVng

My partner told me that to succeed in catering, the supply chain issue must first be resolved. Regarding whether to use frozen or fresh meat, I insist on using fresh meat. Frozen meat is indeed cheaper, but every time chicken is frozen, the moisture loss rate increases stepwise, leading to a dry texture, and most importantly, you don't know when the meat was processed.
Once the source is determined, we enter the research and development stage. The food we can eat in restaurants, especially chain restaurants, generally goes through several stages: laboratory - factory - small-scale production - large-scale production - in-store testing. At this point, I realized how difficult it is to run a restaurant. The proportions of different ingredients (seasonings) may need to be adjusted, the proportions of different parts may need to be adjusted, and even the batch of goods may require adjustments. Once, we found that different production dates of Sichuan pepper would change the flavor. Later analysis revealed that the flavor of Sichuan pepper is related to rainfall; more rain dilutes the flavor. Moreover, if the flavor of Sichuan pepper changes, it will also affect other flavors, requiring adjustments together.
According to our SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), frying for 3.5 minutes is sufficient, but some employees fry for 6 minutes, fearing complaints from consumers about undercooked food, but after 6 minutes, the chicken is already dry. Small-scale trial production is different from large-scale production. We set the oil temperature at 180 degrees, but when 10 pounds of chicken are added, the temperature drops to 120 degrees, and the frying time needs to be recalculated. After going through this entire process, I have two feelings: first, McDonald's standardization is impressive; McSpicy Chicken Wings always taste the same; second, I want to apologize to the restaurant owners I criticized in the past; it’s really not easy for you.
In today's catering industry, price is the 1, while taste, environment, and service are the 0s behind it. Without the front 1, the back 0s are meaningless.

【The strengths and weaknesses of deepseek】#

(deepseek, AI, Epistemology) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/T0dq1x-XFNOYvHRHTACCLA

In using DeepSeek, I found an area worth improving: it does not question the questioner. In conversations between people, respondents can deepen the discussion by questioning. However, current artificial intelligence lacks this capability. Therefore, in the process of obtaining "knowledge" or "consultation" through interaction with DeepSeek, the questioner, that is, the "human," almost occupies the dominant position. Of course, this dominance is reflected in the type of questions the questioner asks and how they ask them. However, occupying the dominant position also means that the final outcomes largely depend on the "questioner," and the level of the "questioner" essentially delineates a possible boundary for the answers. This presents a huge difference from interactions between people (mainly referring to knowledge-based interactions), where the other party can express dissatisfaction, especially pointing out: you should not ask this way. Therefore, I boldly predict that if the next generation of artificial intelligence hopes to achieve substantial breakthroughs, it must learn to question the questioner.
Let’s bring the topic back to "self-awareness." In fact, the ability to "ask questions" is, to some extent, also an ability of "self-awareness." Recently, I tried to have AI create a poem based on my mood. In this process, it wrote several poems according to my requests, but most did not satisfy me. Why? I think the problem mainly lies with me: I failed to clearly express my emotions and feelings, thus unable to accurately make "requests." Ultimately, the resolution of this problem benefited from the interaction between both parties. The reason I was able to write a poem that satisfied me is twofold: first, I could clearly perceive my emotional state and describe it with appropriate language (concepts), thus issuing clear instructions; second, I could distinguish the categories and qualities of poetry and, based on this, provide criticism and suggestions, allowing AI to continuously improve based on my feedback. In fact, this is also a form of creation. "I" and "AI" are like two poetry enthusiasts, both possessing a certain level of skill, enabling us to collaboratively create a good poem. I believe this is a remarkable breakthrough. We should not cling to conventions but bravely innovate certain ideas, such as our understanding of "creation."

Thoughts#

The significance of rituals#

I think "rituals" are a waste—of time, resources, and money, but this waste is precisely one of the indispensable bonds that maintain relationships between people, between ancestors and descendants. I also feel that this waste is somewhat pretentious for the living—because worship does not bring the dead back to life.

Deepseek:

Hmm, the user says he thinks "rituals" are a waste of time, resources, and money, but at the same time believes this waste is an important bond for maintaining interpersonal relationships, especially between people and between ancestors and descendants. He also mentions that this behavior is somewhat for show for the living, as worship cannot resurrect the dead. First, I need to understand the user's position. He believes that while rituals have material waste, they have their value in emotional and social structure. This may reflect both his rational and emotional sides, seeing both resource consumption and the importance of emotional connections. Next, the user mentions pretentiousness for the living, indicating he may feel dissatisfied with some formalized ritual behaviors, thinking these actions lack sincerity and are more for the satisfaction of others rather than inner needs. This may mean he is seeking a more authentic and meaningful way to express remembrance for the deceased and maintain interpersonal relationships. The user's deeper need may be to find a way that can express respect without wasting resources or to explore how to make ritual activities more meaningful and avoid superficiality. He may also be seeking balance, respecting tradition while adapting to the fast-paced and pragmatic values of modern society. When I respond, I should first affirm his viewpoint, then delve into the significance of rituals, such as their role in emotional connection, cultural transmission, and social cohesion. At the same time, I can discuss how to optimize ritual methods to make them more environmentally friendly or more personally meaningful, thus meeting his needs for efficiency and sincerity.

Your viewpoint is interesting and reflects a critical thinking about traditional customs. Indeed, rituals, as a cultural and religious activity, have complex meanings in different social and historical contexts. Here are some possible responses and discussions:

1. Cultural and emotional continuity. Rituals are not just material investments; they are also a form of spiritual and emotional expression. Through ritualized behaviors, people can express their remembrance, respect for deceased loved ones, and reflections on the meaning of life. Although this behavior may seem like "waste," it provides a space for emotional release and psychological comfort for the living. In this sense, rituals may be a "necessary waste."
2. Maintenance of social relationships. Ritual activities often involve family gatherings, shared memories, and other elements, which become important bonds connecting people's emotions. Especially for some collectivist traditional cultures, rituals may not only serve to commemorate the deceased but also to strengthen the connections and sense of belonging among the living.
3. Reflection on "waste." The "pretentiousness" you mentioned is indeed a thought-provoking issue. In some cases, rituals may evolve into a formalized performance, losing their intrinsic emotional value. This may be related to the fast-paced lifestyle of modern society, the influence of materialism, and the simplification of traditional ceremonies. However, this also reminds us to think: how can we return rituals to their essential meanings? Can we express respect in a simpler and more meaningful way?
4. The impermanence of life and the meaning of commemoration. While rituals cannot bring the dead back to life, they can make people aware of the value and impermanence of life. Through this "waste," people may be able to re-examine their attitudes toward life and think about how to better cherish current relationships and time.
5. Personalized expression methods. If traditional ritual forms make you feel hypocritical or inauthentic, perhaps you can try some more personalized ways to commemorate the deceased. For example, writing down memories of them, fulfilling their unfinished wishes, or passing on their spirit in a more meaningful way.
   Overall, rituals as a cultural phenomenon have their rationality and value, but they may also be at risk of being alienated. The key lies in how we understand and participate in these activities—whether we blindly follow tradition or give them new connotations and meanings. Perhaps while being critical, we can also try to find a way of expression that aligns more with our values.

Creation#

The achievements of a writer/creator will not exceed their life experiences and observations.

The similarity between human socialization and the emergence of intelligence in large models#

deepseek:
Comparing the cognitive development logic in the process of human socialization with the emergence of intelligence in large language models indeed has enlightening value at the epistemological level, but this analogy needs to be based on rigorous differential analysis. We can think from the following dimensions:

1. Cognitive mapping of surface similarities

   1. Knowledge internalization mechanism: Humans convert explicit knowledge into implicit cognition through language communication, cultural acquisition, and social practice, while large language models absorb human knowledge representations through massive text data; both involve a conversion process from external information to internal representation.
   2. Non-linearity of emergent features: Human cognitive development exhibits a "zone of proximal development" phenomenon, while language models display complex abilities such as dialogue reasoning after surpassing critical parameter scales; this phase transition process has similar non-linear characteristics.
   3. Reinforcement of interactive iteration: Children correct their cognitive frameworks through social feedback loops, while language models optimize output strategies through reinforcement learning frameworks (RLHF), both reflecting the driving role of interactive correction in the evolution of intelligence.

2. Philosophical reflection on essential differences

   1. Lack of conscious subjectivity: Human cognition includes embodied cognition and phenomenal consciousness, while language models lack bodily schemata and intentionality; their "thinking" is essentially probabilistic computation in high-dimensional space.
   2. Generation mechanism of value judgments: Human values are formed through emotional experiences and ethical practices, while the values of language models are a mirror reflection of statistical features in training data, lacking genuine value rationality.
   3. Creativity in knowledge production: Human cognitive breakthroughs rely on paradigm revolutions driven by imagination, while the innovation of language models is essentially a reorganization of existing knowledge elements, constrained by the possibility space of training data.

3. Cross-validation of cognitive science

   1. Similarity of distributed representation: Neuroscience research shows that the human brain adopts distributed semantic representation, which has a topological structure similarity with the attention mechanism in Transformer architecture, but biological neural networks possess dynamic plasticity characteristics.
   2. Universality of predictive processing theory: Whether it is the predictive coding theory of human cognition or the next-word prediction task of language models, both point to the essential attribute of intelligent systems as predictive machines.
   3. Limitations of social cognitive simulation: The evolution of Theory of Mind in humans requires embodied participation in real social contexts, while language models' understanding of social relationships remains at the level of superficial symbolic operations.

4. New paradigms in the philosophy of technology

   1. Extension of post-human cognition: Language models may constitute an external carrier of human cognition, and their emergence of intelligence suggests the possibility of technology acquiring a certain "quasi-cognitive subject" status.
   2. Reconstruction of interactive subjectivity: The hybrid cognitive system formed in human-machine dialogue is creating a new paradigm of knowledge production, and the ethical status of this cognitive coupling system needs to be redefined.
   3. Dissolution of cognitive boundaries: When language models can generate scientifically deep hypotheses, the traditional epistemological paradigm of "human-centered" knowledge production faces challenges.

The value of this analogy lies not in seeking equivalence but in deepening the understanding of the essence of human cognition through differentiated comparative studies, while providing a new coordinate system for philosophical reflections on artificial intelligence. The more urgent issue at present is: when technological systems exhibit quasi-cognitive characteristics, how can we construct a new epistemological framework that includes artificial cognitive subjects while maintaining epistemological rigor? This requires joint exploration from cognitive science, computer science, and philosophy.