It was a philosopher who stated that generations are distinguished every twenty years, and set paradigms about their behaviors and mechanisms of rupture. This was some time ago, at the beginning of the last century.
Much of the validity of this eminent thinker’s words, whom I won’t name, seems to have lost their validity largely due to the brutal acceleration we’ve experienced in recent times.
Let’s take an example. Whether on papyrus or in print, paper has remained a constant, passed from parents to children through books, the great companion during long hours of study (that’s irony). Today, the smartphone or tablet rules all, offering infinitely greater possibilities than old-school print.
Simply put, despite the romantic’s dismay, the book is outdated and will gradually disappear due to technological evolution.
This is the case in many areas, including the labor market, in a world that has moved from the American Dream to these constantly changing global economies which make the future of work ephemeral and fluid, and remote work a common occurrence.
When grandchildren ask their grandpa: “Gramps, what were your phones like when you were little?” We don’t know what face he’ll make, probably the same face you’ll make when your grandchildren ask the same question (if AI doesn’t end humanity before that).
There are massive changes, and the older generations, those in charge, seem unwilling to understand the rules of the game (recently military conscription is being discussed for reinstatement in some countries). Once again, the old folk, sticking to their old routines in a present where the old seem anchored, hell-bent on returning to games that seem to have gone out of style.
We look at them with a bit of pity, but they’re in charge because they’ve spent years seeking and cultivating that power, now, emulating this or that czar, they continue the same historic game of returning to past glories that seem logically forgotten.
I’m not going to predict what will happen or whether these power-hungry elders will manage to extinguish technology and destroy everything. It may happen, or it may not, but this outdated mindset, war, conflict, and brutality, should have no place in this world that seemed to have grown.
Arguing over our favorite football team or who is sexier is one thing, a philosophical debate: something quite different is returning the horror of war to a world where no one wants it and where some seem stubborn about returning to a horrific past.
Let’s hope it doesn’t happen, we hope so, and that circumstances lead us to a hopeful future hand in hand with AI.
In some countries (curiously, one of them the same one where they want to reimpose compulsory military service) there’s already a party that advocates for AIs to make important political decisions.
I’m with them, because if humans are only capable of thinking about killing each other, it will be better for the machine to decide what is best for everyone.
A hopeful future, don’t you think?
