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I remember years ago when I was a junior designer, absorbing as much design content and productivity advice possible, I heard an interview with Krissy Tillman. She spoke about the intense imposter syndrome she experienced at the beginning of her time at Slack as Head of Global Experience. As a black woman in design, Tillman was most definitely not a part of the dominant culture at Slack, or any tech company really. She was constantly wondering why she felt like she had to work so much harder than the men she worked with, why she couldn't keep it all running smoothly while still having time for friends and family - or herself - but they could. Then she learned that they all hired helpers - assistants, nannies, cooks, cleaners, etc - and that they were literally buying more time. She had 24 hours in a day, they effectively had 36+.

Attention is our most prized commodity, and time is our great equalizer. Members of higher socioeconomic classes are afforded more freedom and flexibility with where they can direct their attention and how they spend their time. Throughout history, this freedom of flexibility has been the great differentiator between societal classes.

My hypothesis?

AI personal assistants can help bridge the wealth gap. How? Through putting the power of time creation in the hands of anyone with a smart phone and internet access.

Technology should be improving our lives, not burdening us with the responsibility to continuously prove and improve our value to a cabal who compare us against an ever-moving goal post.

My vision of the future is not one where 99.9% of the world's population most closely experiences a life akin to Sisyphus and his boulder.

The dream

Imagine how rich, innovative, colourful, diverse, and creative the world could be if everyone had similar amounts of time for exploration, play and discovery. Some of the greatest minds in our history were allowed to evolve because of the support of generous patrons.

Right now, the majority of the world's population still spends most of their free time doing life admin work, scrambling to make ends meet, and trying to set up systems to remind them of the myriad of things we now have to take into consideration compared to even 10 years ago. Just search for "poverty memes" and you'll understand how pervasive it is, and how nihilistic or full of existential despair we've all become thanks to the absence of hope for an easier, less grind-oriented future.

AI has the potential to unlock a huge reservoir of untapped knowledge that's just sitting in over-worked and over-stressed people's minds - if used to ethically and intentionally do so. This could be an equalizing revolution, one of sorts and on a scale we've never seen before.

Ways AI can save time and create more time

• Tailored educational content and programs
  Education is a hugely impacted area when it comes to the wealth gap and the potential of AI - our current educational system only further reinforces and cements the differences between socioeconomic populations, instead of levelling the playing field as we'd hope it would.
  
  Imagine every child or person having a personal tutor in the palm of their hands, especially the benefit afforded to those minds who don't fit the most popular or on-trend learning style du jour (cough cough, standardized testing is evil).

• Management of physical health
  A close family member of mine lost an organ because of the neglect of his paediatrician not following up on abnormal test results from when he was a child. Human error in healthcare and medical contexts have caused unmeasurable trauma and drain on society through loss of life and loss of financial freedom
  
  Costa Rica's healthcare system has been lauded around the world for focusing on preventative, community-oriented care - think about how burdened the current medical systems are in North America and the UK due to the lack of importance put on physical activity and nutrition. AI personal trainers, custom-generated nutrition plans linked to blood test results and other fitness measures, indirect benefits exposed thanks to deeper data analysis by AI are all ways this technology could help us manage our physical health more easily.

• Management of mental health
  Not just through saving time, but also through the development of AI therapists (as a huge mental health proponent, I am very much so on the fence/slightly critical side of AI therapists but also recognize the value they could potentially provide) or coaches. I've personally used the ChatGPT voice feature to test out how it could help me anchor myself during an anxiety attack - and it wasn't half bad actually.

• Decision-making assistance
  Our best ideas never come from a vacuum. Research shows the more modalities you process information with, the more deeply you consolidate it within your memory, which affords us the ability to think more divergently on that topic. Speak your ideas out loud to an AI agent tailored to encourage divergent thinking and who has persistent memory of other areas you're interested in and previous conversations and you'll see just how quickly you're able to start coming up with way more unique and interesting connections and ideas.
  
  I'm currently beta testing New Computer's Dot, and I've directly experienced the difference an AI assistant with persistent memory and the ability to initiate a conversation with you can make in your thinking process.

The Big "But"

These kinds of dreams and utopias always come with a huge caveat, a massive "if". AI will only aid in closing the wealth gap if it is made affordable and accessible.

We're not faced with just the wealth gap, but also the digital divide - those with access to new technology and those without - in this situation.

This time-filled future will never come about if AI, like a lot of new technology throughout history, ends up only being accessible to the rich elite for a large part of its initial development. In that case, it would only work to further strengthen the divide.

Right now, these AI applications need substantial processing power to run the advanced models we'd need in order to implement these capabilities and services at a truly affordable price.

AI Pricing

I would like to see an income-based, sliding scale approach to AI service pricing. This concept is already seen in service offerings that have high potential impact on impoverished populations, such as therapy and other mental health services.

The technical feasibility of this is drastically improved with the development and adoption of comprehensive onchain identity.

True, ChatGPT is only $20USD/month but a lot of people in the world are existing in a scarcity mindset, which has been scientifically proven to negatively impact our ability to make goal-oriented decisions. When you're in a scarcity mindset, you can't think about the longterm benefit of that $20/mo - all you can think about is the opportunity cost of spending that $20 those first couple of months. This persists even if there's proof of the longterm benefits of those decisions as "the effects of scarcity are largest when they are compared with previous situations when resources were abundant" (Huijsmans et al).

Another decently large caveat

This whole argument and hope for a time utopia really only applies to countries that already have the bottom level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs covered. Developing nations where these basic needs of clean water, food, and shelter are not yet satisfied, let alone reliable access to electricity and internet, wouldn't be able to reap the benefits of this new technology as they exist today. The wealth gap I am speaking of here is primarily referring to developed nations, as that is the wealth gap I have personally experienced.

However, there is hope for leapfrogging, where these developing natures will bypass older tech infrastructure and jump straight to more advanced solutions. Similar to how mobile technology was adopted in Africa without ever implementing landlines, it is possible that the first version of the internet these areas can access is one filled with AI services and agents.

How we can make this a reality

It's great to dream and all, but I am of the camp that dreams like this are best presented alongside ways we can bring them closer to reality.

The TLDR;? Early, core drivers of and contributors to this technology need to make a concerted effort to shape the foundation and initial development of these models and services, and prioritize exploration and value add over raw profit.

1. Advocating for policies and the development of infrastructure which prioritize equitable and fair access to AI and other technologies
   Blockchain and fractionalized ownership, "users as owners" instead of "users as products" and the concept of "read, write, own" are great concepts behind infrastructure that supports democratized access
   
   Bermuda's sandbox approach to digital asset regulatory policy has fostered a symbiotic and mutually beneficial environment between regulators, government, and builders

2. Innovative solutions tailored to the needs of developing nations oriented at minimal data and power usage
   We must be careful to be transparent about the value exchange for these nations, I do not condone the approach World Coin has taken to biometric scanning of impoverished nations in exchange for an insultingly low value of assets in comparison to what these people are giving away.

3. A healthy blend of intentional collaboration and competition
   Closing off training data sets/models or the ability for users to customize their LLMs will drastically limit the potential of AI to fit the needs of every person that uses it, not only by forcing users to learn how to interact with AI but by potentially creating more echo chambers and polarized populations. AI training sets need to ensure diversity of information and sources to remove the risk of biased thought or feedback and be customizable enough that every user can benefit.

Ending with more dreams

I've been having so many conversations lately about time, how to create more time, and how to feel as if you're experiencing more time. And it's because the future I see for myself, and hope we all can achieve, is one where we're free to pursue our passions and curiosities without fear of financial instability or inability to contribute value to society. I see a future where art and creativity and music are abound and technology is at harmony with nature. I want a resurgence of the renaissance, but one of which the proletariat is able to fully partake in and where we all are patrons of each other.

Call me a disgusting optimist, but I do believe there is a path to a not-so-different version of this dream future. It just depends on what decisions we make as the creators and first adopters of this technology.

The future of AI is not predetermined - but shaped by the choices and actions of the individuals, companies, and governments that exist today. We should all feel a sense of shared responsibility to ensure that AI and other innovative technologies serve as forces for good, and promote the positive aspects to humanity, leading us towards an equal and empowered society.

One can dream :)

Astrology, shadow, and self-acceptance

Have you ever dismissed something outright, only to find it holds the exact answers you've been seeking? I did, and my skepticism led me on an unexpected journey of self-acceptance through way of the stars.

I come from a research and science-focused family made up of nurses, paralegals, journalists, and professors. Suffice to say, I've always been an evidence-based facts kind of gal. And despite doing yoga and practicing meditation for almost 15 years now, I've been resistant to exploring different forms of belief systems. My childhood wasn't very religious and I naturally have a strong inclination towards control, so I felt most comfortable flitting between atheism and agnosticism. I believed I was the controller of my own fate. It took the pandemic and some rough times to push me through that barrier of control and decide to try different belief systems and spiritual practices. After practicing kundalini and other transcendent forms of meditation, learning more about my Jewish heritage, and a brief stint in Stoicism, I'm now turning to astrology.

In parallel, I've started to deepen my commitment to self-growth and acceptance, particularly in response to those aforementioned rough times. Since 2020, I've done a considerable amount of shadow work and parts integration which, honestly, has been one of the more difficult things I've attempted in life. If you aren't familiar with shadow work or parts integration, here's a brief overview: both concepts are built upon the hypothesis that there exist multiple parts of ourselves, and mental health issues arise if any of those parts are ever in conflict with each other or ignored. Resolving those conflicts and accepting all parts will heal those issues.

While I didn't set out to explore astrology with any specific motivation in mind other than curiosity, I was pleasantly surprised to gain immense self insight upon simply listening to an in-depth podcast on Scorpios and reading an online analysis of my birth chart. Key aspects of my shadow self which I have struggled to integrate and accept turn out to be core characteristics of people with Scorpio- or Aries-heavy birth charts. AKA me.

For those into astrology, I have 3 Scorpio and 2 Aries placements in my Big 6: Sun, Mercury, Venus in Scorpio; Ascendant and Moon in Aries. Both signs being ruled by Mars...even with my limited knowledge I know that's probably a lot of Mars in one person.

And that's how I usually feel - "a lot". Hearing and reading these descriptions helped me feel so seen, particularly after having difficulty showing up as my full self since the troubles of the pandemic. It was a bit surreal. Especially when this clarity was stemming from a belief system I had tended to criticize in the past. I wasn't confident in my own internal debate between fate and agency. I was unwilling to admit I may lack complete control over my fate. But when I noticed myself thinking "well I guess these things are just part of my nature", a weight lifted off my shoulders.

I do have an inkling that I was primed to have this moment of self-acceptance due to the work I've been doing in therapy, but for some reason it took hearing some random podcaster describe me to a T that made it click: this is just who I am. There is nothing inherently good or bad in these qualities - it's what I make of them.

• Intensity can lead to obsession, or it can lead to unwavering dedication and passion.

• Emotional sensitivity can lead to isolation and social anxiety, or it can create a person with limitless empathy and capacity for understanding.

What's most wonderful about this whole process is that I don't have to step any further into astrology to reap the benefits of this realization if I don't want to. Astrology played its part - the click has clicked.

While this originally started as a reflection on how astrology could act as a catalyst to shadow integration and ultimately, self-acceptance, it also helped me understand why some others get so involved with this belief system. It provides two key comforts:

1. You are not alone, there are others like you

2. Certain traits are inherent to your nature, sometimes they can't be helped
   This one is especially important for anyone who struggles with a lot of internal guilt, heightened feelings of personal responsibility, or a very harsh self critic.

Exploring this idea further also led me to thinking about the concept of "ignorance is bliss" and how being curious about yourself and the world can sometimes play a part in declining mental health - but can it also be a cure? In this instance, my curiosity led me to hearing information I'd already been told hundreds of times in a context where I happened to be open to actually receiving and integrating it.

If you feel blocked by something in your own personal development path or journey towards acceptance, I invite you to think out of the box. Explore something you flinch at a little bit, as this may turn into more of a mirror than you realize. Those who experience the most diversity in life have the most potential for innovation, creativity, and stepping into their full authentic selves.

Stay curious,
Erica

P.S. I strongly believe the world would be a better place if people were more comfortable being vulnerable and authentically themselves. For this reason, I ask that all readers be kind and thoughtful when engaging in discourse. Negative comments will not be tolerated - although respectful debates, constructive criticism, and helpful suggestions are always welcome :)

Future topics to explore

Here are some other ideas floating around in my mind. Feel free to let me know which one I should look into next!

• Failure as a tool for success

• Reputation, attestation, and permissionless identity as core themes in the upcoming cycle

• A look at how intimidating and unintuitive Web3 UX still is through documenting the creation of my first NFT collection

• AI therapists and the dangerous potential of corporate/big pharma influence

• How Farcaster, a new Web3 social network, fosters authenticity and community

In honour of exploring new things and staying curious, I'm using AI to help generate unique pieces of art based on the central themes of each article. I will be cross-posting all articles on both Substack and Paragraph, the latter of which you can mint an NFT version of this article with the associated cover art :)

I quickly noticed a pattern. I loved that initial new learning phase – the chase of new knowledge – but found myself rapidly reaching my threshold for boredom. I then moved on to the next new and shiny thing before ever truly mastering any one skill or topic. This realization made me question myself and how I fit into the world, especially one where specialists seemed to be so highly valued.

Eventually, I took a personality psychology class in my second year of university, where I stumbled upon the term "multipotentialite". Now I wear the badge of "Jack of All Trades, Master of None" with pride. Why, you ask?

Understanding multipotentiality, polymaths, and generalists

First, let's talk about the term "multipotentialite." Although the concept existed as far back as 1972, it wasn't officially coined until Emilie Wapnick featured it in her Ted Talk in 2015:

A multipotentialite is a person who has many different interests and creative pursuits in life....when it comes to new interests that emerge, our insatiable curiosity leads us to absorb everything we can get our hands on.

Sound familiar?

Multipotentialites can excel in multiple areas, but they aren't to be confused with polymaths, says Isis Jade. It's in the name – multipotentiality concerns itself with the talent potential someone naturally has across a wide spread of topics and skills, not necessarily achieving mastery in any of them. However, a "true polymath identifies themselves with their levels of mastery and expertise in a variety of subjects”.

In a similar fashion, multipotentialites deviate from generalists in that the latter possess a broad knowledge base and skill set across multiple areas, while the former have the potential to amass that knowledge and skill set.

The value of multipotentialites in an unstable economy

While multipotentialites may not pursue mastery in a single domain like polymaths, their natural talent potential across a wide range of topics and skills is what sets them apart. This versatility becomes especially valuable in our ever-changing and unpredictable economy. As we try to navigate these turbulent times, where job security seems uncertain and traditional career paths leading to financial security are no longer guaranteed, the benefit of having and fulfilling that potential shines through. This serves as a valuable safety net – and provides a competitive edge – in this particular unstable economy.

Even though the job market itself may not seem as grim by the numbers as it was a couple years back, its nature has dramatically changed. This is, in part, thanks to a harmful trend seen in employers: chasing profit and prioritizing short-term gains instead of long-term investments into employee growth and satisfaction. In short, companies have become less loyal to their employees. This contributes to the increasing frequency at which employees leave their jobs, leading companies to notice a downward trend in employment length and ultimately, investing less into employee growth and retention initiatives. It's a self-perpetuating cycle, and if we can't get out of it, can we at least find a way to ride out the storm? Or call upon our inner dandelion and thrive amidst the harsh conditions?

Adaptability and resilience in multipotentialites

In my mind, there are three groups of multipotentialites:

1. A skill-oriented multipotentialite

2. A knowledge-oriented multipotentialite

3. A blended multipotentialite

As the names are self explanatory, let's look at how these different forms can all thrive in a world which still values specialization over generalization (to a degree):

• A skill-oriented multipotentialite is able to quickly develop and apply their skills across a wide variety of job roles, while likely staying within a small set of related sectors. They would have slightly more resilience than adaptability, as they could avoid layoffs by moving horizontally across the organization.

• A knowledge-oriented multipotentialite can rapidly and efficiently absorb the information needed, allowing them to move across a wide variety of sectors while applying a well-honed, smaller set of skills and remaining within a related set of job titles. They, compared to the skill-oriented group, would have slightly more adaptability than resilience.

• And of course, a blended multipotentialite would have the most adaptability and resilience, as outperforming in both areas has a compounding effect on the transferability of their knowledge and skill set. These folks would be able to hop and skip jobs to their hearts' contents (as long as their resumes aren't full of 6 month long stints).

Even by itself, adaptability is a characteristic which companies are beginning to value from a financial perspective as coffers empty and budgets tighten. This downsizing has shifted desire away from specialists to generalists, as smaller head counts mean a greater need for those employees who are capable of contributing to multiple areas within a company – aka multipotentialites.

All in all, it seems the tides are changing for generalists. Specializing will never go out of style, but at least we are reaching a balance between the value assigned to both. Maybe even a larger swing toward generalization (especially with the emergence of AI – but that's a topic for another day) is coming in the near future.

The process of embracing multipotentiality & building a thriving career

While still a work in progress, embracing my multipotentiality has been liberating. By accepting my multipotential nature and no longer pushing myself to specialize in one thing, I've been able to evolve into something I see as special: a generalist. My natural curiosity, subsequent wide range of mid-level knowledge and similarly-rated skills allow me to draw connections between seemingly unrelated ideas, bringing a unique perspective to every problem I approach and solution I design.

Accepting this unchangeable part of myself has gotten me to the point where I can work 16 hours a week and enjoy what I experience as a comfortable, nay, enjoyable, life. The freedom that comes with this extra free time enables me to volunteer, pursue passion projects, and have knowledge soaking sessions where I just browse and let my mind take me where it takes me.

But being a multipotentialite is a double-edged sword. Despite my minimum work hours, I constantly find myself in over my head, with all of my ongoing and half-baked projects, the intimidatingly long list of the topics I want to research, the thoughts in my head flitting from topic to topic...but I finally recognize – and maybe you do now, too – the power of generalizing.

"Jack of all trades, master of none" is not a bad thing to say of someone. In fact, it's probably one of the nicer things you can say to someone:

A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often times better than a master of one.

Hacking your way into multipotentiality

If you're struggling to find a job, or nervous about starting the journey of leaving your current position, you can "hack your way into multipotentiality" by implementing a growth mindset. If you're not concerned about your job, there's still loads of fun (and internal peace!) in developing this type of mindset.

A few resources I can recommend for this, and to explore the topic of generalists further, are:

1. 📚 "Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World" by David Epstein

2. 🎬 Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dwek

   1. Or, if you prefer reading, read Dwek's article "What Having a 'Growth Mindset' Actually Means"

3. 📝 The Neuroscience of Growth Mindset and Intrinsic Motivation

4. 🎬 How to Build Self-Discipline: The Mindset Method

Wrapping up

So, what can you expect from me in the future? Definitely not any relative consistency in the topics I write about. But what you can expect is a lot of curiosity, an open mind, maybe some tips, and a jovial attitude. From user experience design and psychology to blockchain and software engineering to work-life balance and productivity, you'll get a fresh perspective and hopefully – be able to spark a meaningful conversation.

So join me in further exploring and embracing my multipotentiality because I am still 110% that curious kid at heart. I still love that initial learning phase, and this newsletter will be an expression of that love.

Thanks for reading! If this ignited any insights or you have any comments/feedback/topic suggestions to offer, drop me a line on Farcaster or leave a comment. If you really vibed, share it with a friend 💌

See you for the next article, who knows what it'll be about!

Down the rabbit hole we go

Here are some cool things to click on that led me down some deep internet holes recently:

• Check out raindrop.io, an all-in-one bookmark manager for your digital life

• Play around with feather.art, a 3D sketchbook for iPad and touch screens

• Read about how the design of physical spaces can encourage or discourage forming relationships

• Experience first-hand why good UX/UI design is actually really important and mostly invisible

• Listen to a discussion on slow productivity and maybe practice some in your own life

I am not affiliated with any of links, they are just cool things I've come across in my own browsing :)