Create or die
The world is ruled by people, institutions and companies that create things. It’s always been like that and it will always be like that. No matter whether you think it’s a good thing or a bad thing.
And for decades it wasn’t really a big problem. Because everybody was benefiting from it. Institutions, governments, people and companies. Everybody’s lives were getting better and better.
The people, institutions and companies that created things had to employ people to help them to create things. To manage things. And to make sure things were going smoothly.
But the problem is that today and just like not too far away in the future most of these people who help to create things, to manage things and to make sure that things go smoothly won’t be needed anymore.
They will be replaced by all sorts of things we don’t have any clue about yet. And when I say we, I mean me. They’ll be replaced by algorithms, by artificial intelligence and maybe even by flying pigs.
Who knows?
No one really knows.
And everybody who says they know, doesn’t really know.
So here’s the truth…
I have no clue about all of these things. And I don’t really care about all of these things. Well, I actually do care about them. But only in a way that I want to know what might or might not happen. So that I’m ready for it. So that I’m prepared for it. And maybe even leverage all of these things. Whatever that might be.
So here’s what could happen…
In just a few short years or a decade or so most of us won’t be doing what we’re doing right now. It will probably be very, very different. Simply because most of the things we’re doing right now will be done by algorithms and all sorts of things with a huge database. And intelligence.
A database filled with gazillions of projects. With gazillions of designs. With gazillions of data points. Just like self driving cars that will store all the decisions and all of the things a driver ever did. Or maybe they don’t even store it. Maybe they just learn from it right away. Either way, they’ll have access to this kind of stuff. So it’s like that self driving car has the experience of trillions of hours on the road.
And it will always come up with the best possible reaction and solution. No matter what. Sure, I’m totally making this up. I have no clue about the technology behind it. If that’s already feasible or not. And it doesn’t really matter. What matters is the concept.
The same holds true for project management. Or design. Or any other job that you think is irreplaceable. An artificial intelligence that has access to trillions of data points from past projects will be able to take over most of the work.
So instead of having hundreds of designers, project managers, account managers, accountants or whatever you’ll maybe just need one or two people to manage that artificial intelligence per company.
So what will the rest of us do?
Some people think that there will be new jobs.
And it’s probably true.
But at the end of the day no one really knows.
I think that for a decade or so people will suffer if they’re not willing to adapt.
Like a lost generation or something.
They will suffer until the technology, regulations and all of these things are put in place so that there will be universal basic income for everyone.
Now how is that universal basic income thing even going to work?
I don’t know. No one knows. But it will work. Somehow…
Maybe governments will tax big companies heavily because they only have to employ something like 10% of the people they employed before. And then they’ll distribute all that cash.
So why would politicians and CEOs even do that?
Because if they don’t, there will be wars.
And riots. Or whatnot.
And then politicians will lose their power.
Just like those corporations and their CEOs
And because politicians just like CEOs and pretty much every human being on this planet wants to protect what they already have, they will find a solution.
Because if they don’t, they will lose what they already have.
You can always count on people to do stuff when they’re afraid of losing things.
Fear of loss is the number one thing that drives people.
It’s an even bigger driver than the anticipation of getting more.
I deeply believe in the fear of loss to solve our biggest problems.
But then again, I’m totally making this stuff up just to make my point.
So what can we do until there will be universal basic income for everyone if it takes another 5, 10 or 20 years until the technology, governments and regulations are in place?
Well, the only thing we can do is to start creating things.
To learn how to create something out of nothing.
To go from consuming to producing.
To be innovative. To be creative. And to produce stuff. Whatever stuff that might be. Maybe content. Maybe physical products. Maybe digital products. Who knows? No one really knows…
Sure, not everybody has to become a producer.
A very small group of people will still be needed to manage things. To make sure everything runs smoothly. To manage all the algorithms, artificial intelligence or whatnot.
But that’s going to be a very small group of people. And this group of people will consist of the best of the best in their respective fields.
Most of us, we will have to find other ways to make a living until there will be universal basic income. And even once we have it, the only way to thrive will be the skill of creating something out of nothing.
Because if everybody gets $1000 a month or the equivalent adjusted to the cost of living in countries around the world, then we’ll all have the same. And some people will always want to have more than others. And then those people will try to find new ways of having and making more than everybody else.
So and what can those people do?
Again, the only thing they can do is to create things. To be creative and innovative.
Some people will do things and create things to be able to have more than others. While others will create things just because they love creating things.
Things like art. Or music. Or poetry. Or technology. Or research. Or whatever.
You know, all of these great things humans do when they don’t have to work a job they don’t really like to be able to buy things they don’t really want, to then be able to keep up with people they hate.
So long story short…
No matter what the future is going to look like, it looks being able to create something out of nothing will be the only way to thrive in the 21stcentury. No matter what’s to come next.
So you you might as well start today…
This was a part of my new book The Underdogs Guide To Winning When You’ve Failed At Almost Everything. I’ll release the next part tomorrow. It’s also available for pre-order for pay-as-much-as-you-want. You can grab your copy here: https://gum.co/XHyRD
Originally published at yanngirard.typepad.com.

