Curious Case of the Olfactory PhD
#NEWSLETTER | Cambridge instructor Dr. Ally Louks had no idea what was in store when she proudly displayed her completed thesis, but there is a lesson in here about AI & our consumption of info...
You may have heard that ‘brain rot’ is Oxford dictionary’s 2024 ‘word of the year’ (although surely, it is two words! 🤷♀️).
According to the etymological experts over at Oxford, the phrase means, in part, ‘the overconsumption of trivial information.’
That said, not all that’s trivial is useless… sometimes you find a gem of a lesson in nestled in there…
Brain Rot in Action
And so, while scrolling aimlessly on X (formerly Twitter) last night, I came across a flurry of comments related to a Cambridge instructor, Dr. Ally Louks, who had rather excitedly and sweetly posted about having completed her PhD.
The young woman likely expected just a few friends, peers, and maybe even a wider circle of academics, to respond. But what happened instead was the algorithmic equivalent of kicking a hornet’s nest… because algorithms love the obscure and Dr. Louks’s image with the title of her thesis delivered obscurity in spades.
Off to the Outrage Races
Boy did folks have time for Dr. Louks and her post: “What a waste of time,” they said. “How could one get a PhD in smell?” they crowed. “Another case of wokeness gone amok’ or ‘DEI out of control,’ they agreed.
It even went so far as to result in threats of violence against the young woman.
Now, I'll admit that on first pass, and with the usual one-second attention span we all have these days, I thought: “That sounds absolutely ridiculous.”
But as I try in earnest to question everything, I dug in and looked for context and detail. And I am happy to report that I am delighted with what I found…
The Lost Art of Inquiry
The study of English Literature *is*, of course, all about digging into symbolism, context, history, entomology, and the intent of prose (English major here 🙋🏼♀️).
So, yes, the description of scent absolutely is used to convey class, status, etc. It’s one of many literary devices available to writers. There is no drama here.
I mean, how would one describe a person who spends $500 on cologne? Would they smell, err, rich?
A little bit of curiosity would have gone far here (but then, of course, there wouldn’t be as much *engagement* for those looking to troll).
Too Much of Nothing
The bigger point here is this…
We are starting to know far too much about everything and far too little about anything.
By amassing facts like stones skipping on the water, we never break the surface and come out having learned anything new.
What This Means for AI
How will we know if the answer is wrong? Or if the context is not quite right? How will a society that doesn’t debate or discover ever advance?
If AI tells us that something is ridiculous, or not worthy of additional exploration, do we just walk away? Will AI bots bully and humiliate us? Will we know what is real?
Power of the Teacher
The best part of this story, in the end, is that Dr. Louks did not close her account, trade barbs, or hide away. She has very clearly, and with good humor, tried to educate the curious (and even disdainful) about her work.
She acted like… a teacher.
We must go deeper and teach our kids how to ask excellent questions… even when they think they know the answer. The only straight path here is through the question.
Also in the News
Getting Real About Tik Tok
John Oliver took on privacy and Tik Tok recently. It’s worth watching with your kids. I personally think he glosses over the risks (which I’ve written extensively about) too much, but it’s bringing the issue to the mainstream and for that I applaud the segment.
Check Those App Settings
Apple iOS updates are in the news with AI features integrated into the newest phones (16 and up). So it’s a good reminder to always check your privacy settings after an update — both of your phone’s operating system, as well as, any apps.
With the race to integrate AI features heating up a lot of times you are automatically opted into new features. If you like it, great! But if you don’t, hit those suckers like they are Whack-a-Moles…
