First, there was the agricultural age, then came the industrial revolution and now finally, we are living through the technological revolution. Automation has infiltrated every industry. Almost any job that requires a manual or repetitive task has or will be replaced by robots in the next 15 years. In a recent interview with billionaire investor Ray Dalio, he predicted that 40% of jobs in the world economy will be taken over by technology.
These jobs do not just include burger flippers or Starbucks baristas, but high-paying industries are set to be turned upside down too. Bankers are in less demand as computers can crunch data faster, cheaper, and with more accuracy. Even driving is on its way to complete automation.
What Makes Us Different?
Technology cannot think for itself. What separates humans from technology is our consciousness. We are aware of our own mental processes which give us the freedom to make decisions. Aristotle once said that “man is by nature a social animal.” He meant that as social creatures, we thrive on the ability to connect and live amongst one another. As technology tightens its hold on society, humans will continue to look for ways to connect with one another.
“Man is by nature a social animal” – Aristotle
The Demand For Creatives Will Only Grow
Today we still admire the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle, and William Shakespeare. While their physical existence is long gone from this earth, the work they produced is still relevant today. Society looks to creatives to take us out of ignorance and uncertainty and bring us to enlightenment and higher consciousness.
Creatives such as artists, writers, filmmakers have an uncanny ability to switch us out of reality and bring the masses into a new world. When you read a book, a writer has put his own unique thoughts on paper for you to connect with, learn from and use for the betterment of your life. When you listen to music, that artist put his/her own thoughts, feelings, and melody out for you feel a direct connection with.
A robot cannot replace a writer. Automation cannot destroy a designer. Technology may have its hold on many things but creatives will never be one of them. If you want to stay relevant in this rapidly changing world, you need to create. People are going to spend more money on things that make them feel human. Creation evokes emotions of compassion, happiness, sadness, anger, and so much more. If you can use your ability as a creative to take an individual away from the redundancy of technology and bring them to a place where they feel more human, you will be successful financially, emotionally and mentally.