LessWrong essay 'The Banality of Takeoff' warns humanity is catatonic as AGI nears
As AGI labs race ahead, a philosopher argues no one outside cares—and that's the real tragedy.
In a widely shared essay on LessWrong, Ihor Kendiukhov presents a deeply personal reflection on the state of humanity during what he believes is the ongoing AI takeoff. He contrasts his own obsessive focus on AI risk and cosmic futures with the 'banality' of everyday life that most people continue to pursue. The author admits he once dismissed transhumanist daydreaming as immature, but now finds himself watching society remain catatonic as the 'shockwaves of the Singularity' pass through. He notes that his relationship with ordinary people is evolving into a strange mix of love and contempt—he calls humanity 'the best thing in the Universe' and simultaneously 'a failure.'
Kendiukhov argues that most humans lack agency not because they choose ignorance, but because they cannot conceive of a different path. He compares their inaction to a medieval peasant pondering nuclear proliferation—correctly irrelevant, but for the wrong reasons. His central thesis is that the banal indifference of normal people during the most consequential period in history is more terrifying than any rogue AI. The essay has sparked debate across tech and rationalist communities, with some praising its stark honesty and others criticizing its elitist tone. Regardless, it captures a growing anxiety among AI researchers that the public may not be prepared for what comes next.
- Author Ihor Kendiukhov claims the AI takeoff is already happening, but most people are not reacting.
- He describes a 'bittersweet mixture' of love for humanity's potential and despair at its apathy toward cosmic-scale events.
- The essay argues that normal humans lack agency not from malice but from an inability to conceive of alternatives to their daily lives.
Why It Matters
Highlights a growing psychological divide between AI researchers and the public as AGI capabilities escalate.