Reflections on 2023

This is my annual reflection on 2023 and my thoughts on what 2024 has in store for us. I'll take a controversial dive into the places that upset the status quo and those opposed to change and critical thought.

One of the highlights of my year was creating content that matters. I stepped out of my comfort zone to tackle important topics. Staying true to your beliefs is worth the risk of criticism. In 2023, I focused on the concept of moral courage. The professional world is full of humble bragging and virtue signalling. I am sure that we need more people to speak up and say what they say openly behind closed doors. 

Financially, 2023 was a challenging year. Success can sometimes lead to overspending and trusting the wrong people. I took my eyes off the details. I paid too much attention to the apple polishers who wanted to use me. Betrayals taught me to value those who do the work, not those who take credit. Ultimately, one needs the capacity to absorb setbacks and calmly reset. Only then can we level up. 

Our society has commoditized victimhood: Industries are built upon claiming oppression, and we have forgotten the importance of struggle as a necessary ingredient to growth. One of my favourite quotes is:

Our society lacks character because it is obsessed with comfort and convenience.

The lesson for me is that we must rebuild what is destroyed so that the foundations are stronger.

Part of my personal journey in 2023 was realizing I can't help everyone.

What I truly enjoy in life is helping people solve problems and win. I've realized the importance of valuing what I can provide to those who genuinely appreciate it. It's about embracing one's purpose and passion and not wasting resources and time with vampires and manipulators.

2023 has inspired me to write and think more and care less about the noise and egos that seek to distract me away from my true purpose

2023 Loser - The Diversity Equity and Inclusion Movement

2023 [all but] stripped away the fantasy that DEI is the answer. Well-intentioned for sure, DEI policies and appointments produced an ephemeral fantasy that we can wish ourselves into perfectly aligned diversity in a visual utopia of colours and genders that symbiotically work together to solve world hunger, end racism and create economic prosperity.

Uhhh, no, sadly…like most complex problems, there is more to it. The problem is this: those who have committed their careers and financial success to DEI will cling to their positions of power and try to cancel anyone who questions its efficacy.

This is happening as we speak. In 2023, DEI consultants would troll a public corporation on Twitter or social media, offer a solution for huge dollars, and then use the same trolls to congratulate the corporation for doing the right thing.

The University of Michigan spends 30 million on DEI salaries, and our government departments have hired and created positions that demand constant criticism of our institutions to justify their continued existence. Firing these non-value-adding parasitic forces will be a challenge. It will take a lot of moral courage to do so.

We have watched woke make businesses broke and diversity, equity, and inclusion appointments explode in embarrassing scandals because we sacrificed competence for optics. 

DEI mandates are Pollyannaish at best, and at their worst, they undermine our society. Our society is built imperfectly on meritocracy, and because of this, it can withstand far more evil forces that lead to totalitarianism. Mediocre people have focused on tearing our society down because it increases their influence, not because it helps the greater good.

Nowhere was the DEI disaster more powerfully illustrated than in the congressional hearings, where America's top university presidents were sat under a microscope. Sunlight exposed their dysfunctional thinking, which was based on nonsense rather than good sense. The nation saw firsthand the degradation of its cherished institutions, which now care more about diversity indicators than performance indicators. 

Institutions like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Stanford were once famous for their intellectual strength. Now, they are led by non-thinking virtue-signalling appointees who get preferential treatment. This was to make the organization look more inclusive but harmed the institution's reputation for excellence.

By the end of 2024, I think many citizens from all walks of life will wake up knowing that you don't talk or appoint your way into greatness; you earn it. Those organizations that fell victim to childish storytelling are crashing with their kings and queens, blaming institutional prejudice as their ships sink from poor construction.  

A return to performance-based meritocracy is critical to preserving our society. This is especially true in a violent and unpredictable world. 2023 has taught us these lessons. Shareholders, customers and our enemies are paying attention. Hopefully, they see that we have moved past a period of idiotic rationalizing and blindness to logic and a return to empire-building. It is better to be feared than loved in a world of opportunists trying to tear you down.

2023 Winner - AI and Our Future

AI burst upon us in 2023 with a pace and capability that surprised all observers. AI will continue to challenge the way we organize society and our lives. I consider it a winner because of its rapid adoption and expansion into our lives.

This technology has the power to create and destroy. Our survival will be rooted in how we respond to such a powerful tool. AI's impact will boost human productivity far more than the Internet did. How we deal with this tech will define us as humans, families, companies, and countries. I suggest we stay ahead of the curve and resist the desire to stay in our comfort zones. 

Predictions on AI's impact on the labour market in 2024

AI is set to disrupt the labor market in 2024. Those who embrace AI and adapt will thrive, while others risk losing their jobs.

I believe skilled laborers will gain higher status and wealth. Office workers will become obsolete. All these kids going to expensive universities will find themselves in a world of hurt. Soon, their fallback positions as Baristas will be taken from them, as AI makes it easier for companies to dispense with inefficient humans at countertops. The future of wealth is in the hands of those with skills that are irreplaceable by AI.

Realtors

I predict Buyer agent commissions' demise by the year's end. Multiple class action lawsuits in the US claim anti-trust infractions by the national real estate boards. These lawsuits will shatter the profession's ability to mandate commissions where none are earned or deserved.  

AI search engines will democratize the system. They will open up the marketplace, which resides in the MLS system. New tech will make buying a home much easier.

These firms sell lifestyles and riches to their salespeople and have lost the plot. Their job is to sell houses for as much as possible. Instead, they are focused on recruiting agents to make money. And the lack of focus on the core deliverable is a path to collapse.  

Realtors who want to survive should become the best sellers in their markets. They should use every tool, such as AI, to show homeowners that hiring them will make their money. The authentic, competent realtor will replace the celebrity realtor by abandoning the egos, myths, and distractions.

Only those selling a house for more than the commission will survive as AI transforms the market.

Doctors

Medicine is about to make a substantial right turn regarding how the average citizen will see a family doctor. Gone are the days when your family doctor knew you by name and had a personal touch. In today's age, technology can provide far better medical service when we use it properly. An AI avatar is much better at differential diagnosis and asking follow-up questions without bias or human error.  

So why are we still going to a family doctor, sitting in waiting rooms to meet someone who seldom shows empathy, is focused on OHIP Billing and solves most problems through prescription? Replace the waiting room with a diagnostic Zoom room. When needed, we can speak to a human with a specialty.

Companies like Maple will make brick-and-mortar family doctors obsolete in a short time. Citizens can log on and speak to an avatar with access to their medical records and get an accurate diagnosis on the spot after a brief question and answer. The challenge will be authorizing prescriptions, but again, AI is proven to be better at not missing details, so our governments should approve this in short order. Why would we need traditional pharmacists when an AI avatar can ensure control over medication contraindications and side effects? 

It's clear that the bureaucratic system is actually hindering healthcare by doubling down on outdated systems. The establishment is inhibiting progress, but I can guarantee customers will find a way around it.

Teachers

The education system is the most broken institution in our society today. Rooted in centuries-old systems that promote obedience, rote learning, and slow-moving progression, the profession is held captive by unions that impede progress… 

The education system is out of step with the direction of our digital world. If you can afford an alternative, I think sending your kids to public school in 2024 is a mistake.  

Tragically, and to our children’s detriment, the education system is infected with a woke mindset that has abandoned critical thought and is not embracing progressive technology. That’s not to say there are not fabulous teachers out there; two critical elements simply handcuff them:

1. Top-heavy school boards are led by administrators with too much power. This managerial class of bureaucrats has elevated themselves to God status, taking parents out of the picture and wasting resources with social signalling rather than performance metrics. We have no idea how many millions are wasted on these initiatives in our public schools, which desperately need resources and tech to teach kids at a pace equal to the rest of the world. They have corrupted the curriculums and hijacked the narratives, leaving parents and kids in the dark.

2. Union mentality and a lack of vision. Teacher unions are the problem because they are concerned with self-preservation, not progress. Tech affects their numbers. Better tech that uses AI effectively will reduce the need for teachers. That is a good thing, but not if you control a powerful union. Our kids and systems would benefit from AI-powered teaching tools supplemented by outstanding human teachers, but the system will never allow it without a drastic change.

The alternative is out there. Education companies are now entering underdeveloped countries with tablets that teach children at such speeds that they will outpace our kids in no time. These countries are not permanently invested in outdated educational models, and they will leapfrog our systems, catapulting their children miles ahead of ours if we do not adapt fast. By way of example, telephones. Many countries have never had a landline phone; they went from no phone system to cell systems. 

Teachers conflict with interest if they care more about the union than our children's minds and development.

Countries around the world, hungry and willing to hustle, will be able to outperform our children at all levels with this AI learning tech if we do not adjust fast. I see this as a critical issue in our society’s survival. We must cast off educational anchors holding our kids back and move toward traditional educational models.

Lawyers

Lawyers will not gently release their grip on doing things as they are accustomed to. This puts the profession at risk, and we will see a massive reduction in the need for lawyers who do not adapt. Junior lawyers have been in demand over the last couple of years, leading to overconfidence in their value. I predict this will change in the next year or two.  AI will reduce the need for humans in the industry by 2 to 3. Consumers can access some legal advice online that makes a lawyer unnecessary. When the industry contracts, the junior people will be cast off if they are not AI adept and do not have strong relationships with clients and the public.

Any lawyer who does not use AI to augment their performance will soon be left in the dust. Lawyers and law firms need to understand how AI can augment and improve their practice and increase their value to clients by making themselves a hundred times more efficient. 

Customers will demand efficiency, strategic thinking, and, most of all, value.  AI will replace 40 percent of billable work, and the industry will be hit hard if it doesn't adapt.

AI and Culture in 2024

Religion

I think AI will unexpectedly impact religion in the coming years. It's one of the least talked-about potential effects on society. We should remember that every past religion was once the main religion. There is no reason to suggest ours will be any different. I believe new religions will be AI-powered.  

The interpretation of ancient texts will reveal a huge opportunity for AI to fill gaps with seemingly authentic content. I predict the branching off of sects within religions powered by:

• Humans using AI algorithms that convert humans digitally through advanced bit-and-switch maneuvers or 

• AI avatars created by humans who are seductively real in their god-like presentations and ability to use the information to appear to predict the future and answer parishioners' questions with impressive details

I predict the emergence of new cults that redefine traditional religions and ceremonies. Like online spiritual gangs, they will form and coalesce around divine digital figures that promise community and influence through the power of connections.  

Imagine what the first AI Deity would look like and what it would be called. These new digital diets will ultimately replace today's ancient religions.

Romance

In romance, AI avatars will become objects of many people’s affection. They will be indistinguishable from humans, leading to a new era of love and obsession with the promise of never being broken up. 

There is a good chance that your younger family members will fall in love, have their first crush on an AI avatar, and not likely even know it. AI avatars will seduce humans with alarming love and empathy. The victim’s primitive brains will be overwhelmed… even when they discover the digital ancestry of their digital lover.  

Much of our youth already prefers to stay inside and play video games. They watch porn and use potent cannabis instead of going out and interacting with humans. This will be magnified 100x with AI. People will stay inside and live in a digital world, a world that appears to care about them and can quickly satisfy their desires without the risk of flesh-and-blood interaction.  

I recommend adults do everything they can to track and control their children’s digital access. Kids are experts at pretending to do what we tell them, and behind the backs of busy parents, they go down dark digital rabbit holes once the parent's attention is distracted. I am not sure where this is going. However, we need to be aware of how vulnerable we are to digital suitors who tap into our vulnerable nervous systems.

Elon Musk is a cultural change agent.

Reports of Elon Musk’s demise are truly exaggerated. He is a force of nature powered by genius, unconventional thinking, and an ability to navigate institutional power brokers who fight to keep the status quo. The balance of power is shifting, and traditional media power players who forecast Musk’s downfall are really pushing back against their own doomsday scenarios.

Elon took hits this year, and his Twitter casualties proclaim his demise as their relevance fades away. A better understanding of the future requires us to peer inside minds who see the world differently and have a proven track record. Elon has done more in a quarter century than any previous human historically.

Experts predicted his failure every step of the way. When faced with the choice of putting your faith in the man who put humans into space on his own dime or Twitter trolls trying to preserve their place in the status quo, bet on the outlier.

The balance of power is shifting from the managerial class to those brave enough to embrace a New World.  Elon telling Bob Igar and other advertisers to go fuck themselves for trying to blackmail him with money has a deeper meaning than most observed.  Disney was once a powerful brand but has since lost its hold on the throne by forgetting who its customers are. Bob Igar, once a hero with an amazing biography, will be remembered as a fallen king who ruined a legacy brand. 

Elon is cryptically pointing out that past media empires are losing their power. Media executives accustomed to controlling the airwaves are scrambling. Tucker was fired for insolence. Now, he has a more powerful platform. Elon knows that the Tuckers, the Rogans, the Mr. Beasts, the Daily Wires, and the Taylor Swifts are the influencers and advertisers of the future. It drives old media institutions crazy.

Ask yourself where the power will reside in advertising and media in the next few years. Pharmaceutical and military corporations fund CNN, Fox, and MSNBC.

Pause and consider how this affects their decisions on covering wars and vaccines. Too few of us take the time to consider how people with power can control a narrative fed to the masses, make billions, and buy off politicians to expand their markets. All the while, they keep the masses occupied with fear and nonsense. The rest of the world is moving towards independent media for its inspiration. Elon knows this, and we will see X emerge as a much more powerful centre of influence in 2024.

As soon as the networks lose sports (Peacock recently buying the rights to stream the Chiefs-Dolphins game was a huge hit), they are done like dinner. POWER HAS SHIFTED, and that is why Elon can tell traditional advertisers to go fuck themselves.

In summary

Buckle up for an intense 2024. The pace of change will be swift. The world is in turmoil. Humans are distracted, disoriented, and disagreeable.

I suggest you Focus on what you can control. Don’t get sidetracked. Embrace your core values and be proud of where you came from. Especially if you are a white man, it is not a sin; it is something to be proud of as much as is any other type of human and, in some cases, more so because of what we have created in our Western civilization.   

I will remain committed to standing up to those who want to tear down the best civilization ever to exist while admitting that we can be better and more inclusive. We must grow and never lose sight of the importance of meritocracy, character, integrity, and hard work. 

I have committed to a challenge that will push my limits in a busy world. I am deep into the crazy 75Hard challenge. I understand that only 5% of starters successfully complete the challenge. There are no participation trophies in this one, and I’ll keep you posted on this intense New Year's challenge. Until then, lean into your fears.