The Age of Individuality
Throughout time there has existed a tension between groups such as families, tribes, or nations, and the individual. Groups benefit when each individual works solely towards the interest of the group itself. However, individuals benefit when they have the freedom to pursue their own interests, and not just those of the group.
In Western culture and history, we have largely moved towards a system that favors individual freedom and self-actualization, rather than purely group identity. This is why individual freedom remains a tenant of the democratic and capitalistic systems that we currently benefit from here in the United States.
If we map the progress towards individual freedom to the worlds of work and education, in an ideal world, individuals would be given as much freedom as possible to work on and learn about the things that interest them. However, when we compare this ideal to the current state of work and education, we find that we’re not there yet.
In the world of education, the freedom of individuals to learn about the topics that are most interesting to them is extremely limited. Children are expected to attend publicly funded schools for the first 18 years of their life, many of which use the same curriculums and teach the same topics in the same ways. After they have finished with primary and secondary school, young adults are expected to attend college where they can only choose from a limited number of academically driven majors, often taking the same courses and reading the same textbooks as tens of thousands of other students.
In the world of work, there are a huge number of jobs where individuals can apply their unique skills. The number of jobs available provides a huge amount of freedom for individuals to find their unique niche in society. However, many companies still select individuals using evaluation criteria that lump them into larger, less distinct groups.
One of the most common selection mechanisms used by companies in the United States, is whether or not an individual has a college degree, which is an extremely coarse way of measuring the unique abilities of an individual. In other words, while the diversity of jobs promotes individual freedom, the way these jobs are allocated in our society, often limits the freedom of individuals without college degrees.
The good news is that the worlds of work and education are not fixed in time. This is just where we happen to find things today. And in fact, the technology and tools that humans have at their disposal are creating a huge force pushing towards more personalization and customization. Technology is enabling the worlds of work and education to cater to individuals in ways that were not possible just a few years ago.
For example, companies can now use tools to create precise, real-world tests and experiences, to assess job applicants for their unique abilities. These tests and tools are often so compelling, that using clumsy selection mechanisms such as whether or not a job applicant has a college degree, is irrelevant.
Similarly, schools can now precisely match the interests of each student with courses, projects, and real-world experiences, that can help each individual student learn and grow. Children can now learn from a suite of resources, mimicking the experience of having their own private tutor. Adults can now find targeted courses and credentials that provide them with the knowledge, skills, and tools to achieve their own personal goals, such as finding a new job, or learning a new skill.
Ultimately, the same technology and tools that are enabling companies to provide individuals with highly personalized products, are also available for employers and schools. Today, the most innovative employers and schools are using these new technologies to enable people to work and learn what, when, and how they want.
This is why I believe work and education are entering a new Age of Individuality.
