I’ve enjoyed Mark Rober’s videos for a while now. They are fun, touch on accessible topics, and have decent production value. But this recent video isn’t sitting right with me

The video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrGENEXocJU

In it, he talks about a few techniques for how to take down “bad guy drones”, the problems with each, and then shows off the drone tech by Anduril as a solution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anduril_Industries

Anduril aims to sell the U.S. Department of Defense technology, including artificial intelligence and robotics. Anduril’s major products include unmanned aerial systems (UAS), counter-UAS (CUAS), semi-portable autonomous surveillance systems, and networked command and control software.

In the video, the Anduril product is a heavy drone that uses kinetic energy to destroy other drones (by flying into them). Quoting the person in the video:

imagine a children’s bowling ball thrown at twice as fast as a major league baseball fastball, that’s what it’s like getting hit by Anvil

This technology is scary for obvious reasons, especially in the wrong hands. What I also don’t like is how Mark Rober’s content is aimed at children, and this video includes a large segment advertising the children’s products he is selling. Despite that, he is promoting military technology with serious ethical implications.

There’s even a section in the video where they show off the Roadrunner, compare it against the patriot missiles, and loosely tie it in to defending against drones. While the Anvil could be used to hurt people, at least it is designed for small flying drones. The Roadrunner is not:

The Roadrunner is a 6 ft (1.8 m)-long twin turbojet-powered delta-winged craft capable of high subsonic speeds and extreme maneuverability. Company officials describe it as somewhere between an autonomous drone and a reusable missile. The basic version can be fitted with modular payloads such as intelligence and reconnaissance sensors. The Roadrunner-M has an explosive warhead to intercept UAS, cruise missiles, and manned aircraft.

  • raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.worldEnglish
    109·
    7 months ago

    Someone just being religious is “borderline acceptable?” In educational Youtube videos, yes.

    but I’m not about to give SmarterEveryDay a dislike and a block because he puts a bible verse at the end of each video. Maybe give him a dislike and a block because he gave Jared and Ivanka a platform?

    I don’t take issue with personal beliefs, but religion is organized belief, telling people what and how to believe. Anyone who advocates for religion has no business in any education system whatsoever.

    • VirtualOdour@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      32·
      7 months ago

      He’s not even in an education system he made a video on YouTube, but still you’ve got to recognize ‘ban all Christians from any form of education system’ is utterly wild?

      • raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.worldEnglish
        33·
        7 months ago
        1. he’s making educational videos on Youtube, with a wide audience. You don’t have to be a teacher to be part of an education system
        2. fuck your strawman bullshit, learn to argue, here’s what I wrote:

        Christian, muslim, I don’t care what religion, these people should stay away from child education programs. Keeping your faith completely private is borderline acceptable, but please keep your symbols of faith out of your videos (white shirt for the mormons as I learned)

        • starman2112@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          11·
          7 months ago

          “Ban all Christians from any form of education system” seems like a fairly accurate summary of “Christian, muslim, I don’t care what religion, these people should stay away from child education programs.”

          Like, I guess we could give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you don’t want them banned, you just want them to voluntarily never educate children in any way, and that’s… Still utterly wild