Each major change in technology brings about claims that it is a new day for civilization and mankind. “It is different this time.” Both you and I have seen those claims about smartphones and the internet today. The same things were said about the industrial revolution and about the rise in literacy after printing press became more common in Europe. I can probably find similar statements written about every single technological advancement in every single field and industry that exists.
All of those statements were wrong. Human nature did not change. Technology changed, and it changed some parts of the world. Technology did not change human nature.
Things which haven’t changed.
We all have limited amounts of time, energy, and attention. We are all unable to trade those things with each other.
- I cannot buy an hour of your day so you have 23 hours and I have 25 hours in my day.
- I cannot sell you my ability focus so today you can focus for 12 hours instead of 3 and I can’t focus at all for the rest of this week.
- There is no millionaire or billionaire who can say “I really ran myself down last week, can someone sell me some of their energy so I keep working on my product launch this week?”
Technology is still created by humans who are very human.
- Some inventors and creators will create something because they love it and they are creating it for other people who love it.
- Then there will be inventors and creators who love getting paid above all.
- And there will be inventors and creators in between those extremes.