this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2025
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.

Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:

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When hammers were invented, people were like, "Cool! So much easier and faster than screwing! And even cheaper!"

And they threw away their screwdrivers and happily hammered their screws in, telling each other how much better things had become.

This is a story about AI.

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[–] Opinionhaver@feddit.uk 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

Ironically, I had to use AI to figure out what this is supposed to mean.

Here’s the intended meaning:

The author is critiquing the misapplication of AI—specifically, the way people adopt a flashy new tool (AI, in this case) and start using it for everything, even when it's not the right tool for the job.

Hammers vs. screwdrivers: A hammer is great for nails, but terrible for screws. If people start hammering screws just because hammers are faster and cheaper, they’re clearly missing the point of why screws exist and what screwdrivers are for.

Applied to AI: People are now using large language models (like ChatGPT) or generative AI for tasks they were never meant to do—data analysis, logical reasoning, legal interpretation, even mission-critical decision-making—just because it's easy, fast, and feels impressive.

So the post is a cautionary parable: just because a tool is powerful or trendy (like generative AI), doesn’t mean it’s suited to every task. And blindly replacing well-understood, purpose-built tools (like rule-based systems, structured code, or human experts) with something flashy but poorly matched is a mistake.

It's not anti-AI—it's anti-overuse or misuse of AI. And the tone suggests the writer thinks that’s already happening.

[–] antbricks 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"... I had to use AI to figure out what this is supposed to mean." I can only hope you really mean "I CHOSE to IRONICALLY use AI to figure out what this is supposed to mean."

[–] Opinionhaver@feddit.uk 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You're not hoping anything, you're just trying to look clever by pretending to be worried about phrasing no one actually misunderstood.

Concern trolling / weaponized empathy - Pretending to care as a disguise for judgment or hostility.

[–] antbricks 1 points 1 week ago

This is kinda sad, since I am genuinely worried that we're relying on AI tools to assist with comprehending what I thought was pretty straightforward allegory.

I phrased it the way I did in case it was actually ME that was getting trolled. Hopefully that's all it is, and I'm just underestimating the depth of trolling here.

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