Adapt-Bro vs. the Dinosaurs
Cultural anxieties have been running high lately – if by lately we mean roughly the last 25 years or so. It probably doesn’t help that we’ve been in a state of permacrisis for the past few years, careening from one social, environmental, biological, or economic crisis to another.
Fortunately, in times like these, the universe gifts us with a hero to guide us through the darkness. In this case, it’s Adapt-Bro.
It’s unclear what industry Adapt-Bro comes from, it feels like technology or maybe marketing, but it doesn’t matter because Adapt-Bro definitely has thoughts and feelings about whatever your job is. Without any real superpowers, Adapt-Bro emerges to lead us headlong into the future assuring us of our own security and success if we somehow find a way to just adjust to the new conditions in which we find ourselves.
Lately, Adapt-Bro has sensed a deep uneasiness around the nature of work, perhaps AI, and our continued existential relevance. “Nothing to worry about,” Adapt-Bro says, “change happens all the time, you just need to embrace it.” Adapt-Bro is, however, very concerned about the dinosaurs. The dinosaurs refuse to change, they worry too much about their jobs, and they did not plan for the future. “Why can’t they just embrace change? Upskill? Pivot!”
Here’s where things fall apart. The dinosaurs – the extinct reptile ones – didn’t all die because they refused to change and adapt. Their environment changed rapidly, became inhospitable, and killed them.
Which leads to our current moment of anxiety. People aren’t worried about technology, they love technology. One survey found that 39% of respondents would choose to give up all future vacations rather than sacrifice their smart phone. People are worried about the environment becoming so inhospitable that there will be no place for them. They might be right, too.
In 1930, John Maynard Keynes predicted that by the year 2030, due to technological advances there would be a 15-hour workweek. The remainder of our time would be devoted to leisure and creative endeavors. Mid-20th century science fiction was often more optimistic, imagining technological utopias where everyone’s needs were met and technology existed in the service of humans.
What we have instead is an environment where between 1979 and 2022, annual earnings for the top 1% grew by 171.7% while earnings for the bottom 90% grew just 32.9% and the Federal minimum wage has been $7.25 for the last 15 years. Additionally, 39% of Americans report having a side hustle. Maybe we haven’t been patient enough; if we sit tight, techno-liberation is probably just around the corner.
People don’t worry about losing their jobs because they are afraid they won’t have anything to do all day. They worry because their jobs are how they sustain themselves; they are their own safety nets. Adapt-Bro likes to talk about creative destruction and there’s probably a place for that. But sometimes there’s just destructive destruction and we can’t afford to ignore that – it’s exactly what the dinosaurs are worried about.
Why is this discussion on a research blog? Because all of these things matter. It isn’t sufficient to ask someone if they think AI might take their job or whether they are worried about the future. It is certainly not good enough to just ask what they think of your brand or product. Everything exists together and understanding how these broad social changes, overarching anxieties, and structural pressures are shaping people’s lives is integral to understanding who they are, their wants, and their needs.