Curious by default

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Curious by default

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Jul 23, 2024

The illusion of choice

I've been thinking a lot about how we're all born into this world with pre-existing structures and systems. It's like we're handed a rulebook and told, "Here you go, this is how things work." But who wrote this rulebook, and why should we accept it?

How much of what we believe, do, and how we live is really our choice? Sometimes I feel like we're all just following a script without realising it.

The other day, I was looking at how governments and big companies operate. They seem so permanent, don't they? But then I remember reading about revolutions and social movements, and it hits me - change is possible. It's just really, really hard.

Why does it take something massive, like a war or a global crisis, to shake things up? The inertia of established systems is overwhelming. Individuals can effect small changes, fundamentally altering core structures seems to require cataclysmic events. It's a sobering realisation.

Then there's the advent of AI. I’m incredibly excited about the possibilities in this space, I wouldn’t have dedicated the last decade of my life to it if I wasn’t. But a part of me is worried. When thinking of governments, are these tools going to free us or just trap us in even more complex systems?

The craziest part? Even the people in charge don't seem to know what they're doing half the time. Just look at how countries handle money. The US is borrowing like there's no tomorrow. It makes you wonder if anyone really has it all figured out.

So what do we do? I guess we start by asking questions. Why do we do things this way? Who benefits from keeping things as they are? What small changes can we make in our own lives to push back a bit?

I keep reminding myself that every big change started with someone just like us, thinking, "Hey, maybe there's a better way." It's not easy, but it's worth trying. Because if we don't shape the world we want to live in, who will?

Just some thoughts I've been mulling over. What do you think?