Comment by insane_dreamer 2 days ago
What do LLMs have to do with typing on phones, cancer research, or TTS?
Deciding not to enable a technology that is proving to be destructive except for the very few who benefit from it, is a fine stance to take.
I won't shop at Walmart for similar reasons. Will I save money shopping at Walmart? Yes. Will my not shopping at Walmart bring about Walmart's downfall? No. But I refuse to personally be an enabler.
It is a similar example. Just like you and I have different options about whether Walmart is a net benefit or net detriment to society, people have starkly different opinions as to whether LLMs are a net benefit or net detriment to society.
People who believe it's a net detriment don't want to be a part of enabling that, even at cost to themselves, while those who think it's a net benefit or at least neutral, don't have a problem with it.
You really need to research "The Wal Mart effect" before spouting that again. They literally named the phenomenon of what happens after them.
If your goal is to not contribute to community and leave when it dries up, sure. Walmart is great short term relief.
I don't agree that Walmart is a similar example. They benefit a great many people - their customers - through their large selection and low prices. Their profit margins are considerably lower than the small businesses they displaced, thanks to economies of scale.
I wish I had Walmart in my area, the grocery stores here suck.