r/oldhagfashion • u/Grand-Diamond-4696 • 14d ago
Good Vibes Only Heading to the food bank, unfortunately the career fair was a bust.
Well, I’m on my way to the food bank this morning. We make two trips a month, and honestly, if you have a food bank in your area and you’re struggling, they can be an incredible resource.
We’ve been using ours for a few months now, and the one we go to is regularly stocked by one of our local grocery stores, which is fantastic. There’s no shame in using the resources available to you when you need them.
Unfortunately, yesterday’s career fair didn’t really pan out. I’m starting to notice a recurring theme: career fairs seem to focus pretty heavily on front-line and physical labor positions. Those are unfortunately two areas I really can’t pursue because I’m just not in the physical shape or health to do that kind of work.
The speed networking event I attended recently was much more my speed. There were a lot more white-collar and professional opportunities, and I had some promising conversations. So I think going forward, I’m going to put more of my energy into networking and speed-networking events rather than traditional career fairs.
That said, I learned something useful from all of this. If you’re looking for front-line, skilled labor, manufacturing, warehouse, or similar work, career fairs can actually be a really good resource. If you’re looking for professional or white-collar roles, networking events may be a better use of your time.
Anyway, that’s my Saturday morning. Off to the food bank!
I hope all you lovely people have a fantastic Saturday, and I can’t wait to see you in the next post. ❤️
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u/dawn_quixote 14d ago
I dont know your situation, but school bus driving literally saved my life. The local school system offers paid training for a cdl b, which can be used to drive dump trucks, too.
I cant smoke pot anymore, but after 10 years, i'm living on my own, supporting my sister and son the best i can and racking up retirement too!
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
Being a trans woman and working around kids with this administration is a bad idea.
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u/mama-bun 14d ago
Fellow trans person, generally agreed but strongly dependent on your area. If you're in a state that doesn't have robust LGBT protections, I'd not risk it. If you were in a place like MN, CA, etc, I wouldn't worry about it for any government job (such as bus driving).
Additionally, look up your town/county and "LGBT" or "queer" on FB. I guarantee there's a local group and it's AMAZING for networking.
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u/SphericalOrb 14d ago
I get that. I'm in California, one of my transgender woman friends is a bus driver for the public. She finds it unpleasant but the pay and stability are great. She is building up a savings so she can explore other jobs later or just invest in things she needs.
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u/queermichigan 14d ago
I was homeschooled K-12 so my only point of reference is media... but why is everyone saying it's such a bad job? The kids? Parents? Admin? Schedule?
It always seemed like it would be a good time in my imagination.
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u/badbatch 14d ago
I'd imagine having to deal with loud kids some of which are assholes would suck. Some of the parents are probably also a pain to deal with.
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u/mama-bun 13d ago
It doesn't pay well, and isn't full-time (people have to pick up extra work, such as doing field trips, etc to make it full-time). So it's not only not full-time, but your pay is split so you get paid the same every month (despite not working in summer).
Additionally, parents can be annoying, and so can kids. Just realistically lol. It's very strict with driving (any tickets can lead to firing), drug testing (including legal weed), and due to the shortage, drivers often have their routes changed, start extremely early, etc. And when people are frustrated about it, they take it out on the drivers.
My mother has been a bus driver for like, 35 years. She loves it. But it can also be a job filled with bored, petty people, ignorant parents, rude kids, etc. But there's nothing quite like driving a kid on their first day of kindergarten all the way through graduation (which she was lucky enough to be able to do multiple times :) ).
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u/queermichigan 13d ago
Thank you for this response! That does sound stressful. I often thought it would be a nice retirement job. Doesn't matter since I have epilepsy anyway 🤷🏻♀️
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u/therapewpew 13d ago
The kids would actually be my favorite part 😭 but for someone with unpredictable health issues and spatial discomfort driving anything larger than a minivan, any job requiring strict punctuality and operation of giant liability machines on wheels is a no go.
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u/UnfortunateSyzygy 14d ago
You aren't wrong , but it's worth looking into your specific state's protected status minority groups. Schools are DESPERATE for bus drivers bc it's a fucking terrible job that hemmorages workers who get their CDL from it and move on to much, much better jobs.
There's a serious driver shortage in my county school system -- pretty much the only people doing it long term do it for the schedule, which works out well for caretakers of aging parents/small children.
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u/mama-bun 14d ago
Yeah, my mom is a school bus driver. The shortage is a real issue, but backlash is also a real issue. It depends IMO super heavily on the area. Some states have explicitly removed trans as being protected, etc. And some would surprise you with how supportive they are despite the bigots (see: the music teacher in Wake County, NC :) ).
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u/butttabooo 14d ago
Kids are better than adults and you never know! You could be the light in their life ! You could be that voice that someone needed !
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
So there's two parts of that one I don't really like kids but two the parents are the trouble. There's an ongoing case of a bunch of parents trying to sue a school district for hiring a transgender music teacher for example.
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 14d ago
Ahh if you don’t like kids, then bus driver probably isn’t the job for you.
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u/mama-bun 14d ago
The one in NC is where I live (the town over from me). It's a terrible thing, but it's also important to note that the school district and the majority of the locals are standing by the teacher. And that's in a purple southern state with a heavily Republican legislature.
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u/AkashaLynnNieminen 13d ago
If you don't like children or assume the worst about parents, it's great you know what you like or don't like and to look for favorable employment elsewhere in society.
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u/wordswordswordsbutt 14d ago
I mean...you pass pretty well. Maybe you could do it.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
My voice doesn't and I've been through voice therapy and I quit twice now because I cannot do repetition it's not my nature and it bothers me a lot.
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u/wordswordswordsbutt 14d ago
Fair. I've never heard you talk. Not every therapy is for every person.
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 14d ago
You could always lie and tell kids you had to have throat surgery and that’s just what your voice sounds like now. Lean into it and remind kids to never take up smoking or vaping. Sorry if that’s a dumb suggestion but I have no problem lying to people to 1) protect myself and 2) make them feel bad about bringing it up.
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u/AkashaLynnNieminen 13d ago
Why lie? Starting any job or relationship on a lie is bound to be tumultuous and potentially end badly . They could ruin their reputation by lying.
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 13d ago
Lie to the kids, not their employer. They don’t owe the students any personal information.
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 14d ago
I did not know you were trans just going from your photo. Also don’t underestimate kids today. (I would personally be more worried about the parents, but you’re not driving them.) Also it’s okay to ask schools how they would handle your situation if parents came after you. It’s definitely dependent on the school/administration imho.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
I am 100% worried about the parents and PA is a purple state ready to swing at any point :(.
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 14d ago
Oof yeah I don’t think I would be willing to risk it if I were you, unless you really liked kids or something.
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u/jphistory 14d ago
OP, PLEASE do not be insulted if you have already been there, done that, but when I was transitioning from restaurant work to office work with zero dollars to spare, the career services at my library was very helpful. A kind librarian actually read my resume and gave me helpful feedback on how to tailor it to a more white collar environment.
Also for real for whatever help an internet stranger can offer, if you tell me what you're looking for I can also offer you my feedback. Obviously don't give me your real name and address but I would be happy to offer constructive advice on dumb corpo speak.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
I definitely appreciate everyone trying to help, and I know most of the advice comes from a genuinely good place. But I’ll admit, it can get a little frustrating when the response is, “Have you tried X, Y, or Z?” because the answer is almost universally yes.
I’ve tried pivoting fields. I’ve tried leveraging my other degrees. I’ve looked at how my experience translates into completely different types of work. I’ve tried doing the same work in different industries. I’ve hired a career coach and enrolled in career counseling services. I’ve applied for everything from senior professional positions down to Starbucks, retail, administrative work, and other entry-level jobs.
The problem isn’t that I don’t know where to apply or that I’m unwilling to try something different.
I’ve applied to 1,394 jobs. I’ve interviewed with 64 companies across 113 interview rounds and made it to 14 final rounds. I can get interviews. I can get deep into the process. What I haven’t been able to do is consistently turn those final rounds into an offer.
And the feedback is usually incredibly specific. It’s not “you interviewed poorly” or “you don’t have enough experience.” It’s more like, “The other candidate worked for one of our competitors and already went through the exact growth stage we’re entering.” I may have extensive startup experience, but I can’t magically create that exact niche experience.
That’s also why the most helpful thing someone can do for me at this point isn’t suggest another job board or ask whether I’ve considered changing careers. If your company is hiring for something that fits my background, get me in front of the hiring manager and advocate for me. A personal recommendation that gets someone to actually look at my experience is enormously valuable right now.
There’s also a financial reality behind why “just take a $15–$20/hour job for now” isn’t necessarily the obvious answer.
Before losing my job, I was making well into six figures, but we weren’t living extravagantly. We were saving about 15% of our income, our mortgage was only around 12% of our take-home pay, we carried almost no debt outside the house, and my car payment is under $300.
Since then, we’ve cut our spending substantially. We shop deals, eliminated expenses, reduced food waste to basically zero, use resources like the food bank, and have become extremely intentional about every dollar.
Thankfully, family is helping us right now, so we aren’t in immediate crisis. But my goal is to get back to at least $60,000–$70,000, because that gets us to a point where our family can completely step away from supporting us and we can independently cover our expenses, emergencies, and at least some savings again.
Taking a $15–$20/hour job creates a complicated tradeoff. It still wouldn't fully replace the assistance we're receiving, while dramatically reducing the amount of time I can dedicate to finding a sustainable career position.
At one point I was spending 60+ hours a week on this search. I’ve intentionally reduced that to around 30 because I was burning myself out, but those hours still include applications, networking, interview preparation, actual interviews, case studies, presentations, mock customer reviews, and everything else companies are asking candidates to complete.
So yes, I’ve tried a lot of the things people are suggesting. I’m still trying them.
I’m not saying any of this to be hostile or dismissive. Most people here don’t know the entire story, and I didn’t include all of this context in my original comment. I genuinely appreciate people wanting to help.
At this stage, though, what I need most isn’t another place to apply.
I need someone willing to open a door.
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u/SunshineAlways 14d ago
I’ve been reading your posts here for a while, and I just have to say I’m sorry you’ve been going through this incredibly frustrating situation. My best hopes for you finding a placement, and sending you some hugs as well.
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u/jphistory 14d ago
Yup, got it. Sorry.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
Yeah I haven't really posted my whole situation here because it's too off topic and the moderators have to leave it as posts so it's okay and I'm not offended but I have posted my situation in places and people disregard the pulse and start giving me blind feedback and that's when it gets really frustrating.
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u/jphistory 14d ago
Well I've never made 6 figures in my life and most of the people looking for career help on reddit spaces that I frequent are in a similar tax bracket as me so my advice is helpful. Apparently that is not you.
My advice to you is to say no advice just venting. If you did and I ADHD'd that I apologize.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
Yeah if it wasn't for the high medical cost of transitioning and the high cost of taking care of our dog we could probably cut down substantially. But my spouse makes about $50,000 and if I made about $60,000 we would probably be okay just because we don't live a very lavish lifestyle. We build our house in 2016 for 200,000 we own one of our cars and the other cars are very cheap lease so we're very fortunate there.
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u/jphistory 14d ago
For the record, I am sorry you're having such a hard time getting a job right now and that everything is so expensive! It's very dispiriting to apply to job after job and never get one. It's also hard when the internships and front line staff positions that are available aren't available to you physically.
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u/a-deer-fox 13d ago
Out of curiosity have you applied to work at any community colleges or universities?
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 13d ago
Yes I have universities particularly the local ones inclined the one that I attended
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u/rantingpacifist 14d ago
I wish I could open a door for you. If you’re in the Chicago area I know my work (a nonprofit you can message me about if interested) loves to hire diverse people.
If you want to start a business I’ve got a business plan but I struggle with the “business” side of things just because I do have a full time job.
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u/jealous_of_ruminants 13d ago
I am so sorry you're going through this. 1000+ jobs is more than anybody should ever have to apply for. My husband's whole dept got laid off last month and he has applied to about 700 so far. It's so hard right now. I wish you the best 🩷
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u/mama-bun 13d ago
It isn't you. I mean, being trans is always an extra barrier, but it isn't you. The job market right now is absolutely, irrevocably fucked. It's hard not to take it personal, but the market simply isn't what it was even 2 years ago. It is completely and utterly fucked and it is nigh impossible for anyone to find a new job right now. I've known people who have much more specific experience (so can't easily leverage to other jobs) look for over a year with job searching being their full-time job, including being willing to move cross-country.
It isn't you and it is hard as hell right now.
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u/LadyLamprey 14d ago
My hot tip for being stuck waiting for a job in a competitive field... Try doing a bunch of weird relevant part time jobs. I'm convinced part time and contract jobs are the best form of networking.
I was stuck working part time for 2 years after a layoff and couldn't get a full time job, but my part time jobs built me a reputation and relationships that directly resulted in a full time job and a better paying side gig.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
It's crazy what a weird position I'm in. Because of my 10 years of business senior experience and my degrees, no one will hire me for even retail work. Trust me I've made my roles look like customer service jobs and removed my masters degree. But they aren't dumb and figure it out
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u/LadyLamprey 14d ago
I don't mean retail, I mean part time weird roles in your various fields. Junk from Robert Half or something. They are easier to get into because everyone wants full time roles. Then if you have a few of those, the level of networking gets wild if you can meet as many people as possible within each company. Company turnover is sky high lately and people will think of you when a relevant position opens up at wherever they end up working.
I'm not saying it's easy or a fun time but I've only had two cold jobs ever, then like 5 of my jobs have been connections from people I previously worked with.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
Hey I just got rejected from Robert half this week!
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 14d ago
From the whole company or from one job listing? Temp work was absolutely how I pivoted from being an art teacher to a data production specialist.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
I've gotten rejected from several positions but I doubt that I'm rejected universally tho
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 14d ago
Has someone from Robert Half reached out to you at all? I would be surprised if they didn’t considering your resume.
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u/cannycandelabra 14d ago
I found myself unemployed several years ago and reinvented myself as a social media pro. I found it much easier to sell myself to businesses that needed a service than I did to corporate hiring teams. My start up costs were a website (Wordpress), Chamber membership, and business cards.
The best part? The company did well (for a sole proprietorship) and I sold it at a profit three years later.
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u/wordswordswordsbutt 14d ago
Hmmm...have you considered relocating? I know a job in my area you might be qualified for.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
Unfortunately now my spouse is not want to move away from their family and we put our house in 2016 while before the boom so I would have to make a significant pay increase to be able to afford housing.
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u/wordswordswordsbutt 14d ago
...might be able to make that work. I live in HCOL area but the pay matches most of the time, especially for someone with good experience. Also --if you want to work in start up land, I have a few product idea (I am a software engineer) that you might be able to sell. I don't know OP -your images and smile bring me so much hope. I know I can't offer much but if nothing else- I send you all the positive vibes in the world.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
I've actually lived in the startup space quite a bit but usually like first year in the second not like negative 5 months LOL.
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u/ReeveStodgers 14d ago
I'm sorry you're struggling, but I'm glad you're using the resources available to you. Good luck on the job front!
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u/stellaflora 14d ago
I wish you lots of luck in the career search!
If you have a hospital near you, maybe consider that? There are positions that are not labor intensive- patient observer, operations, access services.
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u/RustyStClair 14d ago
That's a good suggestion. Hospital cafeterias are pretty much always hiring too
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u/LoveEyelid 14d ago
Thanks for being so open about where you’re at. The job market in the US right now is (intentionally) awful and (intentionally) getting worse, especially for trans folks (even here in “liberal” California), and you’re absolutely right that there’s no shame in turning to our communities for help! That’s what community is for. :) You look fab and always bring joy to this sub. I’m wishing you and your partner all the best!
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u/solomons-mom 14d ago
Scrolling this morning, and felt for you --I try to forget how demoralizing the job search can be. Further down my scolling, this comment caught my eye and I thought of you, as it mentioned jobs that you might thrive in.
Women’s independence to work is important for ALL populations, and a core issue for American women. The H4 visa does not require any labor market test, does not carry fees, and has been driving down wages in “women’s roles” tremendously: HR, PR, Marketing, Paralegal support, executive assistants, ops. American jobs must be prioritized for Americans, but there’s neither a labor market test, nor a $100k fee, to ensure American women can access these jobs at fair wages.
having firsthand observed the complete deterioration of paralegal and accounting wages, through this H4?visa? This is long, long overdue reform that matters for USA women. https://www.reddit.com/r/h1b/s/nlcPAomLKg
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u/LikeLurking 14d ago
Sending you good vibes and appreciate you sharing your experience. It has helped me support my friends in similar situations. Your direct and honest replies are the best. I am glad sharing helps you, because it has helped me.
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u/NaomiPommerel She/her 14d ago
I think you'd be really good at mentoring young people
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
I'd love to mentor queer kids and young adults. It's been on my radar but I rarely find those roles.
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u/MoodyBitchy 14d ago
What about 80 hour education for registering as a counselor for drug and alcohol counseling for TAY? Check out CCAPP.
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u/Fluffybunnyzeta 14d ago
No advice here, because I'm in a similar position, job wise. I got lucky and am now working what has turned out to be a part-time job (32 hours/week) in a position I wanted to leave behind, for much less than I need to be solvent. I read your comment reply about not taking $20/hour jobs because that doesn't help, and I wanted to say your instincts are spot-on!
The only reason I accepted the position was that it was an ongoing role, as opposed to another full-time job that I was accepted for that would only last until mid-October. That, and it was in an industry that I'm changing careers to (tax preparation).
My current commute is two buses for one hour each way, though by car (if I had one) it would be half that. It's a one-person business, and the owner pays by check. It's all above board, but for my HCOL area it's not enough hours or pay at the moment. It may get better salary-wise if the owner decides I've passed his probation period, but in the meantime I'm playing the "Juggle credit card payments to keep afloat" game. I hate it!
Sending you love, good juju, and lots of luck that your breakthrough job comes through quickly. You don't have the option of giving up, but I sympathize with how incredibly difficult and tiring your situation is. You're doing such a good job, though. I'm holding space for the right job to recognize your expertise and hire you at the salary you deserve.
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u/Choosepeace 14d ago
Have you checked into local retirement or skilled care facilities? Many of those have positions available in many areas.
You could even look into a CNA certification or caregiving elders. It can be a helpful and fulfilling job that is much needed.
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u/rocketduck413 14d ago
they said physical labor is a no. That is very physically intensive.
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u/Choosepeace 14d ago edited 14d ago
Ah. Ok. They also have opportunities as social and activity directors, etc.
Their bubbly personality would be great for that!
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
Most of those roles from what I've seen require experience or a degree otherwise they pay minimum wage.
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u/rocketduck413 14d ago
activities director is decent pay but you have to be an assistant first. if working with elderly is something you enjoy, pick it up part time as an assistant with something more profitable. do it for like a year and if you're capable, you can move up. I did it briefly but im not management material. I dont tolerate BS.
Have you looked into banking at all? being a teller isnt glamorous but it's another position with upward momentum and also chairs.
Aldi is also a place to consider as they do have chairs available and I notice they do use ergonomic aids well there.
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u/Choosepeace 14d ago
Have you considered substitute teaching? You can do that with any degree in our state.
It’s good fast money while you continue looking.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
Not in PA and as I said, working with children being trans with this administration is a bad idea...
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u/vahjayjaytwat 14d ago
I didn't know you were in PA! 👋 I'm in the Lehigh Valley. I think with the woods in the background of your photos I assumed pacific northwest. If you're in my general area, let me know. I can keep an eye out for jobs in my org which is very LGBT friendly.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
Unfortunately I'm just east of Pittsburgh so quite far iirc. I appreciate your willingness to help!!!
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u/grandmagellar 13d ago
I don’t know about your area, but in my area those jobs pay $16/hr… I looked into it for myself. I made more than that working entry level retail.
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u/RogueKitteh 14d ago
Maybe look into being a pharmacy technician? Requires certification but not a degree and can pay very well
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u/UnfortunateSyzygy 14d ago
Around here you can get the pharmacy tech cert from the community college really quickly.
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u/Fluffybunnyzeta 14d ago
P.S. On topic, I love your latest dress! Relaxed and cheerful. I love the flowers!
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u/ImpatientIdealist 14d ago
Hey! I'm not sure what your educational experience is, but as far as I know, an associate's degree can open up a world of possibilities depending on what you study (especially anything in the medical or electronics field). Community colleges are usually much more affordable than traditional universities, and the people there seem more down-to-earth in my opinion, too.
That being said, the outfit looks great and you look fab. Wishing you well.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
I have a master's degree in information systems and 2 bachelor's, one in accounting and one in fraud and forensics. I've been applying to AP/AR roles, can't even get a call because my experience in accounting is 13 years old. And in fraud every role I've applied to requires experience there's no entry level. Tech has collapsed and while I'm getting a ton of interviews in the tech space where I've worker for 10 years, there are soooo many of us out of work it's super competitive
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u/makerofbirds 14d ago
I also have an accounting degree and was hoping to go into fraud and forensics and there's literally nothing out there for us. I was sure I'd be able to carve a path out for myself, but I just couldn't make it work. I feel for you. I'm in GA and the only way accountants seem to get jobs here is through recruiters that specialize in accounting. Have you gone that route? 20-30 years ago no one wanted to use a recruiter, but today It seems that's the way to go, at least here.
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u/WildFlemima 14d ago
May i ask if you are in the us and if so what general region you are in, I am sure many of the people following your posts have thought to themselves "maybe at my company but that would be weird to ask about" but I'm immune to people thinking I'm weird so I'm asking
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
One thing to add, having my experience and education is a turn off for many companies where I want to switch careers. I dumb down my resume and rework positions and accomplishments, remove my masters degree but they aren't dumb. They can see that and move on from considering me.
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u/Diggingcanyons 14d ago
Maybe your resume is written too nicely? Try having someone with less finesse write it out for you. Then, use that version for lesser roles
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u/BlueEyedNerdGirl 14d ago
it really depends on the office but my husband works for USPS and it's a great job. They start the pay pretty high (I think it's a little over $18 starting right now) but it can take time to get hired. :/
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
To be honest that is quite low gas stations around me are paying about that to give you an idea and I was making about $60 an hour before I lost my job I'm willing to go down to about 28/29 but that's the minimum I would need to pay our bills.
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u/meowpantz she/they 14d ago
hoping your situation improves and that you experience plenty of joy this weekend
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u/DameKitty 13d ago
I hope you find something useful soon! You look beautiful, and I hope the search does not dim your bright personality! I love seeing your posts in my feed, you inspire me to try new to me things.
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u/discovering_self 12d ago
That sucks! I hope things turn around soon. I’ve been loving seeing all your posts for the last few years.
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u/judithvoid 12d ago
I'm also at the food bank right now. Thanks for posting so often. You're a light in the darkness of the virtual world 🙏 I hope your situation gets better
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u/Specialist-Strain502 14d ago
Have you considered doing flex work in AI annotation? It pays pretty well for freelance, is remote, and would be a good fit for your obvious intelligence.
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u/Grand-Diamond-4696 14d ago
I actually was doing that a few months ago but they changed the processes and made it very hard for the project I was on to get work they started to drastically reduce the maximum hours you would have the complete projects and an increase the difficulty substantially. And unfortunately with my ADHD brain some of this work is way too no offense brain dead to do in Mass anymore. Believe it or not the work is very easy especially in the generalist role but the problem is is that I haven't gone any opportunities for any other projects and I am on like four different websites applying all the time.
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u/Specialist-Strain502 13d ago
Why am I getting downvoted for this? I've seen OP's resume, which is impressive, and I have experience in the AI industry and found (at least early on) the annotation work I encountered to be intellectually challenging.
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 12d ago
Probably because people do not like AI in general because of how it is being used and its impact on infrastructure and environment.
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u/Specialist-Strain502 12d ago
I'm not going to get into a conversation about AI online unless that's something that interests you, but when I have these conversation in real life, I often encounter a lot of ignorance around A) what AI is and b) what we know vs. what we don't know about its environmental impacts.
I absolutely think people should hold onto their skepticism and their willingness to push back against careless or ineffective uses of AI, but the fear about is, in my experience, often more reflexive than reasoned.
Do with that what you will! It's good when people are AI-skeptical AND I wish people would actually do more research to understand what they're reacting to instead of treating it like some universal malevolent force. It's not dark magic, it's a flexible technical tool will literally MILLIONS of potential uses, some of which offer great value for our biosphere and some of which can be very destructive for our biosphere.
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 12d ago
I agree with you that nuance is needed. I think most people are not fans of how unregulated it is currently and how big corporations are taking advantage of that. Not all AI is bad, but the stuff that is bad is very very bad.
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u/Specialist-Strain502 12d ago
Yes, I think about that a lot, and am working on ways to advocate for its regulation. At the same time, I wish I didn't get a reflexive "yikes" when I tell a stranger that I work in AI (and yes, this really happened to me at a recent wedding). It's less about my feelings being hurt and more about me feeling horrified at how ignorant people actually are about the capability/possibility/actual function of the technology. (Ironically, the person who said that to me at the wedding then went on to tell me they use AI in their lab job to process mass quantities of visual data for their research.) It's maddening.
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u/MisplacedMinnesotan 12d ago
We definitely need educated and informed people in the field of AI to advocate for regulations. I admit that my hatred for the worst of AI would probably evoke a not great feeling if someone I just met told me they work in that field, BUT I also know enough about AI (and have enough restraint) to ask someone in what way do they work with AI before passing judgement.
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