#52: Inflation, Labor Shortage, Google & American Express Embrace Hybrid Work (in their own way...)
Spike in US (and global) inflation, the ongoing labor shortage and people opting out of crummy jobs, abundance vs scarcity mindset, and whether we should be worried about the AI apocalypse.
😢 - The reality of today’s rising inflation.
Important Updates:
🖕 We hear a lot about this US labor shortage, but is it really more of a middle finger to low-wage, crappy jobs? And if so, can people hold out indefinitely for a more dignified work life, or will big corporations regain their power grip?
🙌 Google CEO Sundar Pichai told The Wall Street Journal he sees a future where Googlers work in the office three days a week, with the flexibility to work remotely four weeks a year.
🚩 American Express gives employees the freedom to work from wherever they want for up to four weeks per year through the "Amex Flex" plan. Ever throw a party with not enough alcohol?…
💩 Retailers know they'll disappoint you. Well that’s sad.
🤖 Former Google Exec Mo Gawdat warns that AI Researchers are ‘creating god’. Real question…will AI make us leave 6 inches for Jesus at the next middle school social?
🚀 Chatbots break into education as tutors, college advisers and school administration assistants. Maybe this will start to lower our outrageous 💰tuition 💰 problem?
🇰🇷 Look who’s GLOBAL 😍
🤔 Take A Think…
I’ve been feeling like the old man on the porch a lot when observing the impact of the Influencer Economy (disguised by names like creator economy and passion economy).
Somehow it’s not just me, take Dean Kissick’s quote in The Downward Spiral:
“If ’80s and ’90s culture was driven by materialism, by people just wanting so much money and lifestyle, it’s now driven by narcissism. We live in an attention economy, and the self is the key unit of exchange.
Today’s most vital cultural forms are your identity, personality, and image. And in this new cultural paradigm, the artist’s performance of themself is often more important than the art they make. The persona is the message.
It’s a terminally Millennial habit to constantly post one’s life and thoughts and turn oneself into a brand; a habit that will surely feel quite dated, desperate, and shameless quite soon.”
Want to be featured on The Human Cloud Podcast?
We’re booking for November. If you’re freelancing, hiring freelancers, or tapping into technology to ethically shape the Future of Work we want to talk with you!
Don’t worry if you don’t have a personal brand or following. We actually prefer that since you’re probably busy driving change :)