Saturday, December 7, 2024

The pain and/or pleasure of change




"During the next four-year administration, just about everything will change. By the time Donald Trump's term is up, besides the massive changes made to how government works, humanoid robots loaded with AI will be common. That will take some getting used to!" 


One company I worked at many years ago was going through a culture change. The department I worked in was ground zero for many of the changes to be made. Was the company in trouble? Was it going out of business? No and no. But - change was in the air, and we all needed to take part in it.

The lady I worked for, called all her managers together in a conference room. "From now on, we will all of us be agents of change. Look at everything we do and come up with a better way to do it." I knew somethings needed to change, but maybe not everything. Like a fool, I spoke up - "Maybe some things we are doing right now are already optimal, and don't need to change." Silence hit the room, and my boss looked at me like I had just spoken blasphemy. With an icy tone she replied, "Everything will change."

Why bring this story up from decades ago? I learned much about change that year. The pain and agony of change, as well as the pleasure gained from some changes. In this country, we are on the verge of some great and powerful changes. Not just from our runaway technology, but also a new administration, who has vowed to turn things upside down and shake them a bit. 

Many of the changes on the horizon (starting in January) will be wanted and needed. Others, who like stoic and static, big changes will be mind blowing and maybe even painful. Immediate changes will be like picking the low fruit off the tree easy. Like, having tens of thousands of government workers dedicated to DEI implantation. They will soon be gone. Having over 50% of the government workforce working from home, leaving many vacant buildings. People will be canned, and buildings will be sold. Billions of tax dollars will be saved. 

During the next four-year administration, just about everything will change. By the time Donald Trump's term is up, besides the massive changes made to how government works, humanoid robots loaded with AI will be common. That will take some getting used to! Self-driving cars will not be looked at as an oddity anymore. Riding in one will no longer be news - it will be almost normal. Our failing schools will change how they teach, and colleges and universities will look much, much different. 

By the end of this decade (a mere five years from now), SpaceX will have put a base on the Moon, and sent supplies up to Mars, to get ready for the next step in colonizing the Red Planet. Many jobs will be gone and done with automation, and new jobs will be popping up all over. Most houses will be loaded with technology and information will be at everyone's fingertips, 24 x 7. 

The question which begs to be asked is this - starting next month, and going out through December of 2029, will these changes give us pain or pleasure? In other words, if you hate and resist change, what will life be like for you? And by the same token, if you love change, what will life be life for you? The reason I ask that, is change is coming, and will be here before we know it. It will be fast and furious.

In the words of my former boss at my former company from many years ago - "Everything will change". Government, education, society - everything. Are we ready for it? Am I ready for it? I sure hope so!  

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