The industrial era injunction to work longer hours and literally drive oneself to the edge of physical and emotional exhaustion is almost dead in the opulent West. Many lament this and it’s often the subject of many articles on our economy and youth. We admire the Chinese for their work ethic but we can’t seem to find the energy anymore. We’re lazy – they say. We’re going to be left behind!
Maybe…. and maybe not.
All these are by necessity linear arguments that exclude the broad scope of evolution as a result of technological development. Maybe we are lazy. But then, why bother with technology? Isn’t technology meant to free us from routine and repetitively boring tasks?
Let’s assume that technology continues at this pace, a pace not broken despite world wars, depressions, recessions and Communism. From the limited perspective of what we know today, we can expect that if you’re a lawyer you will have access to a vast, almost infinite, ocean of information. Maybe even AI: intelligent agents that can tell you the law, fashion arguments, draft briefs, etc. But then so does your “opponent” have this same access. What then? A sort of mutually assured stalemate situation – MASS.
What now? Back to humans negotiating, I guess.
All roads lead to human interaction – even more so than ever before. That’s what we’re seeing already today with the mass interaction using social media like Facebook and Linkedin. As technology grows, human interaction increases. Hence, the importance of building relationships, authenticity, trust, and credibility becomes its own currency. But unlike capital currency (money), controlled by a few, relationship currency is a universal currency which everyone has access to.
Like it so far?
Ok, that was a really long winded explanation to conclude that we’re all in the “business” of human relationships – plain and simple. And “relationship currency” is vastly more rewarding to a joyful lifestyle, to your capital currency base and to the time to enjoy them.
I know I skipped some steps, but it’s a blog not a treatise. Can you already see that we’re “lazy” because we can be? That our relationships are and will be more important that the technology you use and the hours you work? That relationships are and will be more important than your access to capital in fiat currency. Relationship currency can’t be inflated by central banks, loaned by banks with interest; it can’t be counterfeited or stolen because it is based upon human experience and interaction. You can fake it – for a while – but you will be soon exposed. There is no bankruptcy court that can discharge your relationship debts from deceit, manipulation and self serving lies.
After 9/11, I once saw a friend buy rural land and stockpile 2 years worth of food. He was going to escape to his bunker in case of mass chaos, nuclear attacks and eat dehydrated food until it was all over. The Lone Wolf syndrome – going it alone. A practical idea up to the late 1800s in North America. Today, someone will tweet that you have food and the mob will siege your house first! GET IT?? You’ll have to go underwater in a one man submarine or into space to escape mobs. Most of humanity will simply have to build relationships so that a mob never materializes because we’re all too busy trading, cooperating, and collaborating to steal each other’s food!!
Today, it’s a reality that with social media and the lack of privacy, you are being valued by the currency of your generosity, accountability and trust. These rules have not really changed in centuries, only the scale has changed – exponentially!
Now here comes the shameless promotion: that’s why we created OBA. We’re a global mob trading in the currency of trust. Investing in the market of each others success.
In the spirit of earning your trust, what is your most important objective and how can we help you realize it?
Jorge Colón's Blog 