The ball and chain

A hundred years ago, it was predicted that automation would be so advanced that we would not have to work today.

Of course, we were wrong but it doesn’t seem to be out of the question in the next 100 years (or sooner) that AI will be so advanced that most jobs will become obsolete.

However, this opportunity terrifies many. For good reason. We say we want free time. Yet, we want something to do, a reason to get up every morning, to feel validated and important. We often trade security and reliability to be told what to do next.

Working less is indeed a sales pitch.

What we say we want doesn’t match the opportunities we take.