fear of missing out | Dr. Suze Espouses

Last week was family vacay. We’d originally planned a trip to Bah Mar in Nassau, but given the impending arrival of grandson number 2, we opted to remain stateside–and close to the hospital. As usual, this nervous flyer was sitting at the bar in Charlotte, NC, awaiting her next flight, when the bartender drawled, “Where y’all headed?”

Y’all, I thought. Is she talking to me? “Me? Myrtle Beach.”

“Ah, Dirty Myrtle. That’s a wild place. Y’all staying where the action is?”

OMG! I’m a septuagenarian! Do I look like I could handle action? And what’s this Dirty Myrtle stuff? Granted, I hadn’t been there in fifteen years, but I don’t recall it being dirty. “Where’s the action? I’m staying at Sands.”

“Good for you. You’re a ways away from the action.”

Hmm. Maybe. But maybe, I was missing out on something. Damn, at my age, I can’t afford to waste time; I have FOMO. So I need to research this. Unfortunately, there seems to be no definitive explanation for Dirty Myrtle. Some say there was an old popular beer by the same name. Others suggest it’s due to the Atlantic Ocean’s color on this stretch of the beach, which is murkier than the water to the north or south. Yet, its nickname could have come from the 90’s, when Myrtle Beach was known for its strip joints and nightclubs.

After reading all of this, I was intrigued. I’d have to drink a Dirty Myrtle, gaze at the brown water, and go in a strip joint. Much to my disappointment, I didn’t find Dirty Myrtle Beer, nor did I even see a strip club! Thankfully, though, the Atlantic was clear and blue–probably due to lack of rain. We had great time beaching it; my grandson loved it; the weather cooperated.

I saw no evidence to corroborate the Dirty Myrtle nickname, until I was Ubering toward the beautiful airport:

Unlike the current US Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, I know the difference between AI (Artificial Intelligence and A1 Steak Sauce.) Earlier this week, I read an article by Mark Zuckerberg, who posited if folk don’t use AI they will be at a serious disadvantage. Hmm. Frankly, I have a serious case of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out,) so I decided to experience this new-fangled notion first hand.

I researched a bit because I assumed such a contraption would be very pricey. However, I bought a basic pair of Meta AI glasses for $300. When they arrived yesterday, I was surprised by the set-up ease and absolutely blown away by what they could do. I put my glasses on, and I could: translate from one language to another, ask questions and receive answers, take pictures/videos, make calls, etc. I walked outside and said, “Hey Meta. What am I looking at?” The instant reply was: your swimming pool and six dogs. I’ve yet to master the app about some of my sick house plants.

When my exuberance with Meta subsided, I wondered about the outcomes of such technology. I could easily wear my innocuous-looking glasses to weekly trivia and get every answer correct. Is that cheating or simply utilizing an available resource to win? As a high school student, I would be able to pass final exams or earn a perfect score on the ACT or SAT. What are the educational implications with AI? A nation of robots? Will our children even be able to think with integrity and creativity, or will they simply vomit back whatever AI says?

AI is in its infancy with early predictions positing it will make many jobs obsolete, what will our world look like in twenty-five years? Thankfully, I’m an old broad and won’t know.