Religion

  • The Most Terrifying Infographic of 2022

    As we enter the new year, it feels appropriate to focus a little on our mortality. What better time for an existential crisis? 

    Below is an infographic that shows events in the life of a typical American. However, you can personalize it to display how long you likely have to live by filling in your education level, sex, country of birth, and when you were born. Seeing where you are … versus how many dots are left can be jarring.

     

    220103 Life of a Typical American

    via Coruscant Consulting

    Looking at the chart done with my information reminded me how important it is to make the most of the time I have left. 

    Time is funny. Sometimes it seems to fly by … and other times, it almost seems to stand still.

    Everyone has the same 24 hours each day. Some use it better than others. 

    Sometimes we are conscious of how we use this precious resource. Sometimes it gets away from us.

    Here is a video that illustrates how most of us spend our time. It is called The Time You Have (In JellyBeans).

     

    zefrank via YouTube

    The average life expectancy for men in the U.S. is 76.

    How many amazing vacations do you have left? How many jaw-dropping moments? How many fantastic meals? How many Super Bowls?

    What about time with your parents or older relatives? It's easy to forget to call or to miss an important event because "life happens". But, if you realize you may have already used 95% of your in-person time with that person … doesn't it become more special?

    In my TEDx talk, I mentioned "living like you only have a year left" – and how much more "life" we got out of the last part of my dad's life. 

    That is an example, but I want to take it one step further. 

    To start, think of some of the activities you do, places you go, experiences you have that are special and make you feel like your best self. 

    • Hitting flow-state and creating something new and exciting;
    • Taking an amazing vacation and experiencing something completely new;
    • Having a moment with someone you love that makes you stop and say – Wow!
    • Making a difference in someone's day or giving back to your community;
    • Experiencing peace and relaxation;
    • Feeling pure joy.

    It's easy to get lost and take for granted these moments when they happen, but when you think about how much time you have left, they take a whole new meaning. 

    How can you maximize the time you have left? Fill it with the best experiences, activities, and people you can.

    To start, think about different time frames:

    • What activities could you commit to doing at least once a year?
    • What activities could you commit to doing at least once a month?
    • What activities could you commit to doing at least once a week?
    • What activities could you commit to doing at least once a day?

    Make those lists … it is a simple way to get a better return on the time value of your life.

    Seriously, try it.  

    Let me know how it worked for you – and what you chose.

    Onwards!

  • How’d These 2021 Predictions Fair?

    I write about the future of technology often. 

    But, sometimes, it's fun to see what others have to say as well.

    Every year Visual Capitalist puts together a list of their predictions for the coming year. As we reach the final two weeks of 2021, I figure it's worth taking a look!

    Here was their "bingo card" for 2021.

    Prediction-consensus-2021via visualcapitalist

    Honestly, that was a pretty good set of predictions.  While some of this list didn't pan out, much of it did. We're seeing a growing exodus from major cities (where people lived to pursue opportunities previously available only in such places), movies are recovering, and hybrid work models are all the rage. 

    Could they have predicted how much of an issue COVID would pose throughout the year? Probably not. 

    As we near the end of 2021, there's a lot of uncertainty in the air.

    Global markets have the jitters – and we don't see the increased volatility changing anytime soon. 

    What's going to happen as a result of the continuing pandemic, inflation, interest rates, the ongoing supply chain issues, and the growing anxiety and unrest brewing underneath the surface of the new normal? In January, we'll get to see VC's predictions. Before that, what do you expect to happen in 2022?

  • A-To-Z of The Internet Minute in 2021

    As I get older, time seems to move faster … but it's also true that as I get older, more is accomplished every minute. 

    Technology is a powerful force function. In fact, the amount of data in the digital universe effectively doubles every two years. 

    Every couple of years, I revisit a chart about how much data is generated every minute on the internet.  

    In reverse chronological order, here's 2018, 2015, and 2011. 

    Here's an excerpt from 2015 for some perspective: 

    Compared to 2008 here is what's happened with social networks:

    • The number of people online has more than doubled from 1.4 billion to over 3 billion (2021 #: 5.2 billion) 
    • Facebook has gone from 80 million users to more than 1.4 billion (2021 #: 2.89 billion
    • Twitter had 2 million accounts and now it is 300 million and counting. (2021 #: 206 million ACTIVE users after a big bot deletion)
    • The number of smartphones was 250 million in 2008 and today there are more than 2 billion. That is an 800% increase! (2021 #: 6.37 billion)

    Today this is what happens every minute on the web.

    • 4 million search queries on Google
    • Facebook users share 2.46 million pieces of content
    • Email users send 204 million messages

    Throughout its (pretty short) history, the internet has been arguably the most important battlefield for relevancy and innovation. 

    So, what does the internet look like in 2021?

    Data-never-sleeps-9-1.0-1200px-1

    DOMO via visualcapitalist 

    Looking at the list, we see new editions like Clubhouse and Strava. Partially due to the quarantine, you're still seeing an increase in digital cash transfers with tools like Venmo, an increase in e-commerce shops like Shopify, and an increase in (you guessed it) collaboration tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. 

    Just to pick out some of the key figures in the chart this year. 

    • Amazon users spend $283,000
    • 6M people shop online
    • TikTok users watch 167M videos
    • and, Zoom hosts 856 minutes of webinars. 

    Before 2020, I already thought that big tech had a massive influence on our lives. Yet, somehow this past year has pushed their impact even higher. 

    One other thing this chart also helps put into perspective is the rapid rate of adoption. As you look at different year's charts, you can see how quickly apps have become part of the cultural zeitgeist. 

    How do you think these numbers will grow or change in 2022? 

  • Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading – December 5th, 2021

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    Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

    Lighter Links:

     

    Trading Links:

  • Happy Hanukkah 2021

    It's that Holiday time of year again. 

    Wow, how time flies. We're past Thanksgiving, and Christmas and the New Year will be here quickly.

    It turns out that tonight was and the last night of Chanukah – which is the Jewish festival of lights. This is the holiday that involves lighting the Menorah (Chanukah candles), eating latkes (potato pancakes), exchanging gifts, playing spin the Dreidel (a gambling game), and enjoying a sense of family togetherness for eight days and nights.

    That's a long time, right?! Well, sometimes it seems even longer with my family. 

    As a gift to all of you, here is "The Chanukah Song," performed by comedian Adam Sandler on Saturday Night Live.  It became an instant classic (and he since released a second, third, and fourth version.)

    Here is the video. And, if you're feeling left out – here's Adam Sandler's Christmas Song.

     

    via SNL

    It's not too different from Christmas. 

    The cynic in me believes the gift part of the holiday was invented by merchants.

    Regardless, the Capitalogix team has been in a festive mood, and the office has been filled with holiday cheer. We recently celebrated a Thanksgiving Potluck as well. 

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    From my family to yours, Happy Holidays!

  • Thriving Through The AI Revolution

    The world is poised on the cusp of an economic and cultural shift as dramatic as that of the Industrial Revolution. - Steven Levy

    Artificial Intelligence is one of my favorite things to talk about … It makes so much possible! 

    In a previous article, I mentioned that forecasts expect AI to impact or eliminate up to 50% of current jobs. Nevertheless, I think that is the start of the story. The ultimate impact will be more significant and more positive than most people expect.

    Freeing humans to do more has always been a boon to society. Electricity put a lot of people out of work … but, look what it made possible.

    We'd be naive to think AI isn't going to influence the job market, but that doesn't mean you can't navigate that shift. 

    A Look At Industrial Revolutions

    The Industrial Revolution has two phases: one material, the other social; one concerning the making of things, the other concerning the making of men. - Charles A. Beard

    There are several turning points in our history where the world changed forever. Former paradigms and realities became relics of a bygone era. 

    Today, we're at another turning point.

    Tomorrow's workforce will require different skills and face different challenges than we do today. You can consider this a Fourth Industrial Revolution. Compare today's changes to our previous industrial revolutions. 

    Each revolution shared multiple similarities. They were disruptive. They were centered on technological innovation. They created concatenating socio-cultural impact.

    The fourth shares all the same hallmarks.

    We're harnessing new technologies like AI, the IoT, renewable energy, and the blockchain. Automation will reach new levels in this revolution. But there also will be an explosion of new fields, new markets, and new necessary skillsets – it's going to impact the world as holistically as electricity did. 

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    How will humans create value in an increasingly automated world?

    I believe that, if managed well, the Fourth Industrial Revolution can bring a new cultural renaissance, which will make us feel part of something much larger than ourselves: a true global civilization. I believe the changes that will sweep through society can provide a more inclusive, sustainable and harmonious society. But it will not come easily. - Klaus Schwab

    One of the distinctions I've recently made about the industrial revolutions is that for a long time, technology helped humans act like robots. Think about a plow and a farmer, or a seamstress and a sewing machine. After that, it helped robots try to act like humans, which you've seen more recently. 

    I believe we're at another inflection point, where new capabilities will free up humans to be more human and to pursue more of what they really want. 

    Robots can do many things, but they've yet to match the creativity and emotional insight of humanity. As automation spreads to more jobs, the need for management, creativity, and decision-making won't go anywhere … they may be bolstered by data analytics, but they won't disappear. 

    Our uniqueness and flexibility rightly protect our usefulness. AI and automation free us up to be our best selves and to explore new possibilities. 

    These are exciting times!

  • Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading – October 24th, 2021

    MicrosoftTeams-image

    Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

    Lighter Links:

     

    Trading Links:

  • A Day of Atonement and Kintsugi

    Thursday was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and one of the High Holy Days in the Jewish religion.

    As part of the holiday, participants read a list of sins (available here), apologize for those committed, and ask for forgiveness.  Read the list … much has changed, apparently, human nature hasn't.  

    Even if you have managed to stay on the right side of the Ten Commandments and haven’t killed or stolen … you have most likely been frivolous, stubborn, hurtful, dismissive, or judgmental (I know I have …).  

    To help mark the importance of the day, participants read a poem called the Unetaneh Tokef. Below is a brief excerpt that captures the spirit. 

    Who will rest and who will wander, who will live in harmony and who will be harried, who will enjoy tranquillity and who will suffer, who will be impoverished and who will be enriched, who will be degraded and who will be exalted.

    On one hand, you can read that and pray for Divine intervention (or perhaps favor) or you can recognize that we each have a choice about who we want to be, how we show up, and what we make things mean.  Your choices about these things have very real power to create the experience and environment you will live in during the next year.

    This year, the sermon at my local synagogue added an interesting idea. It discussed the Japanese art of Kintsugi. In Kintsugi, the Japanese mend broken pottery by gilding the fractures with gold, silver, or platinum.  This treats the breaks and damage as an element that adds value and enhances the beauty of an object (preserving a part of its history) – rather than something that simply diminishes the object. 

    Diapositive5

    This concept is a great reminder as we unpack the "trauma" of COVID-19 and 2020 and move on both as individuals and as a society. Our steps backward are just as much a part of our journey as our steps forward. As you heal, it is also important to remember to heal the world around you as well. In the Jewish faith, that concept is called Tikkun Olam. 

    One of the themes of Yom Kippur is that you're only ever one good deed from tipping the scale towards good for yourself and others.  As you recognize and repent for your sins, it's important to appreciate the good you did (and do) as well. 

    100 Days Left

    There are just over 100 days before the start of 2022. Many will spend those 100 days stressing about the upcoming elections, grumbling about how 2020 sucked, and pretending it's the universe's fault they didn't accomplish what they set their mind to … yet, 100 days is enough time to sprint, to make a change, and to end the year on a high note. 

    There is plenty of time to make this your best year yet. What can you do? What will you do?

    I hope you all experience growth in your mental state, your relationships, and your businesses.  

    Best wishes for a great day, and an even better year!

  • Remembering 9/11 – 20 Years Later

    On September 11, 2001, 19 extremist Al Qaeda militants hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Nearly 3000 people were killed during the attacks.

    Do you remember where you were when it happened?

    For most Americans, it’s easy. That moment – and its ripples – are imprinted on our minds. For my son, Zach, it was in his 3rd-grade class. They wheeled in a TV on a cart for the students to watch. One of his classmate’s uncles was killed in the attack.

    A colleague of mine was supposed to be in the tower that day but rescheduled a meeting for the following day – narrowly missing it.

    And now 20 years have passed. So much has changed. So much has stayed the same. We’ve analyzed the events of that morning a thousand ways from different vantage points … and it’s still impossible to fully grasp the weight of the event.

    It’s crazy to imagine that there are now full-fledged adults who have no memory of it.

    And with that, Visual Capitalist put together a great chronology of the event.

    As we honor those that gave their lives – or had them taken from them – it’s a powerful reminder.

    Click the image to enlarge.

    911-terrorist-attack-timeline-preview-1

    via visualcapitalist

    The Pentagon has been repaired and we have a new World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan – but the wounds of that day still remain.

    Even more so for the actual first responders. With that, I’ll leave you with a powerful video from Jon Stewart, fighting for those first responders.

     

     

  • Confirmation Bias 101

    Echo chambers and confirmation bias aren't new.

    Recently, however, it seems that we are increasingly presented with issues divided into polar opposite points of view, with little to no tolerance for disagreement. 

    Nonetheless, not all topics need to be debated or negotiated. 

    Sometimes, a fact is a fact.

    Hopefully, this video won't step on any toes – but if you're a "flat earther," I wouldn't watch. 

    Here's a clip from Behind The Curve (a documentary on the flat earth society) that I think perfectly shows confirmation bias. 

     

    via Behind The Curve

    Start with the evidence and then form a conclusion. Doing that in reverse doesn't tend to work out as well.

    As a polite reminder, if a conspiracy relies on millions of people (as well as different countries and organizations) to all commit to the disinformation campaign … it's not likely true.

    As Occam's razor states, the simplest explanation is often the correct one.