Passion and Purpose, Bitcoin, Democratisation, Universal Basic Wage, Artificial Intelligence and Leading from Behind are concepts that were once considered fluffy. Until recently. Today, many experts are making predictions and assumptions about the roles they do and will play in our lives.
Fifty years ago we didn’t have mobile phones, computers, ATMs, mapping of the human genome, non-military use of the GPS or DNA fingerprinting. Now we use these technologies every day.
Notice the former are primarily concepts and the latter tangible products.
There is a movement happening, amidst the redundancies and job losses, where people are using the problem of unemployment to create a grab for opportunity to pursue new directions. The words ‘passion and purpose’ and ‘do what you love’ are the inspiration and motivation for many to start their own businesses or work for organisations who do more than just turn a dollar. Conscious Capitalism, Impact Hub and other organisations are solidifying the movement for a social bottom line.
Growing up I wondered when the increasing value of ‘things’ would outstrip the dollars available. As an adult, I am still wondering. Enter Bitcoin and Blockchain and the precipice we are dangling on with new financial structures and systems. Bartering came and went but cryptocurrency is growing. Heard of Ethereum and Litecoin? They are Bitcoins competitors. And on August 14 Bitcoin hit $4,400 on the stock exchange.
Democratisation, which is affecting every sphere of business and industry, is revolutionising small and medium enterprises. Information that was once only available to the few can now be openly sourced. Accommodation (hotel chains versus Airbnb) and transport (taxis versus Uber) are the traditional examples used to exemplify the disruption to existing industries.
Artificial Intelligence is embedded into our futures. From industry to health, to service and transport, we can no longer imagine the boundaries of its use. Rumour has it soon our smart phones will be replaced by our own personal robots. Not quite C-3PO but close.
So how do we lead ourselves and others through the exponential changes that are occurring? Do we succumb to the fear of the unknown or do we embrace what is happening and create a better future?
A Utopia, where we all contribute to our communities doing something that we love, where money is no longer the currency, where everything is in everyone’s reach, and where AI support us, is one vision for the future. It is ours to create. It always has been.
