Analogy by weaker-than-us entities: What does human civilization’s unstoppable absolute conquest of Earth look like to a gorilla? What does an adult’s manipulation look like to a toddler failing to understand how the adult keeps knowing things that were secret, keeps being able to direct one’s actions in ways that can only be noticed in retrospect if at all?
Analogy by stronger-than-us entities: Superintelligence is to Mossad as Mossad is to you, and able to work in parallel and faster. One million super-Mossads, who have also developed the ability to slow down time for themselves, all intent to kill you through online actions alone? That may trigger some emotional response.
Analogy by fictional example: The webcomic “Seed” featured a nascent moderately-superhuman intelligence, which frequently used a lot of low-hanging social engineering techniques, each of which only have their impact shown after the fact. It’s, ah, certainly fear-inspiring, though I don’t know if it meets the “without pointing towards a massive tome” criterion. (Unfortunately, actually super-smart entities are quite rare in fiction.)
Strategies:
Analogy by weaker-than-us entities: What does human civilization’s unstoppable absolute conquest of Earth look like to a gorilla? What does an adult’s manipulation look like to a toddler failing to understand how the adult keeps knowing things that were secret, keeps being able to direct one’s actions in ways that can only be noticed in retrospect if at all?
Analogy by stronger-than-us entities: Superintelligence is to Mossad as Mossad is to you, and able to work in parallel and faster. One million super-Mossads, who have also developed the ability to slow down time for themselves, all intent to kill you through online actions alone? That may trigger some emotional response.
Analogy by fictional example: The webcomic “Seed” featured a nascent moderately-superhuman intelligence, which frequently used a lot of low-hanging social engineering techniques, each of which only have their impact shown after the fact. It’s, ah, certainly fear-inspiring, though I don’t know if it meets the “without pointing towards a massive tome” criterion. (Unfortunately, actually super-smart entities are quite rare in fiction.)
Really appreciate this response, I think you nailed it! A general superintelligence is unseeable so you have to use one of those analogies.