Mathematicians' AI anxiety and the 'rooms in a house' metaphor for identity
soumitrashukla9 · x · 2026-10-12
A thread on technological change and identity invokes Brad Stulberg's metaphor: treat your identity as rooms in a house — with only one room, a flood is devastating; with several, you can find peace elsewhere. Amid mathematicians' strong reactions to rapid AI advances, the author argues technological change has always been a deeply personal event, from silent looms to dark switchboards, each bringing a crisis of what it means to master a craft.
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