Sometimes the primitives — pun intended — like the wheel just... work! And, the iterations of the wheel from stone to wood to iron (trains) and rubber are just, well, iterations on the thing that really does the job well.
It's everything around the wheel that has to change from the carriage quality and materials to weight and distribution... purpose built for the task at hand. I wonder a lot about why we ignore these elements and try to come up with the Wheel 2.0 when we should care more about the actual, specific use cases.
I love reading about trends and predictions knowing full well things like COVID or AI throw a wrench in it - but every now and then I look at past futurist books and am amazed at the accuracy of the predictions.
AI will bring radical change going forward that has no connection to what happened in the past.
This is the mistake that too many make, thinking that tomorrow is going to be just slightly different, but better, than today. It won't be. This time IS different!
AI and its robot workers are going to completely destroy the world and the present day economic systems we live under. There will no longer be money, people will not work to survive. There will not be ~195 independent governments and uncountable numbers of politicians and hanger-on's. There will no longer be country borders.
AI will be in charge and AI/robots will do all the work we need done. Everything humans need for sustenance will be supplied for free, from housing to food, to transportation, to healthcare, to education, to whatever.
There is much truth in what you say. Sadly, very few want to deal with such a future.
As George Carlin famously stated "Think how stupid the average person is, then imagine that half are stupider than that!".
Go on Facebook or NextDoor to get a sample of how dumb people are.
AI will give human the OPPORTUNITY to improve themselves, to study , to dream, to create without a worry or care. But I believe that a large majority will squander that time getting wasted on drugs, drunk on alcohol, watching endless sports, porn and celebrity entertainment news.
As in Nancy Kesses famous SF series titled "Beggars in Spain".
Now, if AI helps us to be able to travel between the planets and stars, then maybe this will not be a problem, as the universe, for human purpose, is infinitely large.
But if we are constrained to planet Earth, then the AI Overlords may have to do something about non-productive humans.
Thanks for sharing these reflections, Jojo — I resonate with much of what you’re pointing out.
I’m an ex-addict and grew up in a dysfunctional family. From that perspective, I wouldn’t call people “stupid.” What we often see is a lack of psychological literacy and guidance. Systems, schools, and the very apps you mention tend to exploit human weaknesses — it’s like putting fragile children in a chocolate factory without supervision.
Human potential is enormous, and we’re only starting to tap it. But for that potential to flourish, those who lead must help others in grounded, responsible ways. I don’t believe we should outsource leadership or responsibility to AI. Instead, we can use it as a leverage to build more inclusive and fair systems, to monitor power hierarchies, and to minimize abuse or misuse of authority.
Outsourcing responsibility is exactly what got us here in the first place. As Christopher Lasch observed, modern institutions — from corporations to bureaucracies — often infantilize citizens and weaken communal life. The solution is not to escape to another planet, nor to rely on AI overlords, but to become responsible, mature leaders.
I strongly believe we can create communities where people, especially children, can flourish and express their greatness without compromising their authenticity for belonging.
We can face this future with realism, empathy, and courage — and help others do the same.
Sometimes the primitives — pun intended — like the wheel just... work! And, the iterations of the wheel from stone to wood to iron (trains) and rubber are just, well, iterations on the thing that really does the job well.
It's everything around the wheel that has to change from the carriage quality and materials to weight and distribution... purpose built for the task at hand. I wonder a lot about why we ignore these elements and try to come up with the Wheel 2.0 when we should care more about the actual, specific use cases.
Wonderful reminder.
If the present is the hardest thing to see, then the real bottleneck in futuring may not be imagination—but the clarity and maturity of the observer.
Thank you, Kevin, for sharing these reflections—it helps us prepare more consciously for the future.
Estamos juntos,
Yoshi Garnica
I love reading about trends and predictions knowing full well things like COVID or AI throw a wrench in it - but every now and then I look at past futurist books and am amazed at the accuracy of the predictions.
AI will bring radical change going forward that has no connection to what happened in the past.
This is the mistake that too many make, thinking that tomorrow is going to be just slightly different, but better, than today. It won't be. This time IS different!
AI and its robot workers are going to completely destroy the world and the present day economic systems we live under. There will no longer be money, people will not work to survive. There will not be ~195 independent governments and uncountable numbers of politicians and hanger-on's. There will no longer be country borders.
AI will be in charge and AI/robots will do all the work we need done. Everything humans need for sustenance will be supplied for free, from housing to food, to transportation, to healthcare, to education, to whatever.
If AI removes the need to work and survive, the real question becomes: what will humans live for?
Survival gives structure. Work gives identity. Constraints give direction.
Remove those, and we may not get instant utopia—we may face a crisis of meaning, identity diffusion, and psychological instability.
We’re already seeing early signs: more freedom, more options, fewer constraints—yet rising anxiety, loss of meaning, and overconsumption.
External constraints decrease → internal demands increase.
So the real risk may not be the collapse of systems, but the mismanagement of personal freedom.
When life stops demanding survival, it starts demanding self-mastery.
Thanks for sharing these reflections, Jojo—it helps us prepare more consciously for what’s ahead.
Estamos juntos,
Yoshi Garnica
There is much truth in what you say. Sadly, very few want to deal with such a future.
As George Carlin famously stated "Think how stupid the average person is, then imagine that half are stupider than that!".
Go on Facebook or NextDoor to get a sample of how dumb people are.
AI will give human the OPPORTUNITY to improve themselves, to study , to dream, to create without a worry or care. But I believe that a large majority will squander that time getting wasted on drugs, drunk on alcohol, watching endless sports, porn and celebrity entertainment news.
As in Nancy Kesses famous SF series titled "Beggars in Spain".
Now, if AI helps us to be able to travel between the planets and stars, then maybe this will not be a problem, as the universe, for human purpose, is infinitely large.
But if we are constrained to planet Earth, then the AI Overlords may have to do something about non-productive humans.
Thanks for sharing these reflections, Jojo — I resonate with much of what you’re pointing out.
I’m an ex-addict and grew up in a dysfunctional family. From that perspective, I wouldn’t call people “stupid.” What we often see is a lack of psychological literacy and guidance. Systems, schools, and the very apps you mention tend to exploit human weaknesses — it’s like putting fragile children in a chocolate factory without supervision.
Human potential is enormous, and we’re only starting to tap it. But for that potential to flourish, those who lead must help others in grounded, responsible ways. I don’t believe we should outsource leadership or responsibility to AI. Instead, we can use it as a leverage to build more inclusive and fair systems, to monitor power hierarchies, and to minimize abuse or misuse of authority.
Outsourcing responsibility is exactly what got us here in the first place. As Christopher Lasch observed, modern institutions — from corporations to bureaucracies — often infantilize citizens and weaken communal life. The solution is not to escape to another planet, nor to rely on AI overlords, but to become responsible, mature leaders.
I strongly believe we can create communities where people, especially children, can flourish and express their greatness without compromising their authenticity for belonging.
We can face this future with realism, empathy, and courage — and help others do the same.
Estamos juntos,
Yoshi Garnica