This is a fortnightly podcast that explores some of life's biggest questions:
"What do I do now, where do I go next, what do I do with this one precious life?"
Through open and honest conversations with people doing their best work; founders, artists, musicians, and pioneers, we delve into why these people made the choices they did that led them to where they find themselves today.
We all hit moments where the path ahead feels unclear, where doubt creeps in, and every decision feels like a gamble, this is about those moments.
Hosted by Pierre, a strategist and systematic theologian who’s spent years helping people and businesses make their way through the fog. This is for anyone trying to find their way and do their best work. Expect honest conversations, hard-won insights, and real strategies to help you move forward, even when you can’t see the whole map.
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This is a fortnightly podcast that explores some of life's biggest questions:
"What do I do now, where do I go next, what do I do with this one precious life?"
Through open and honest conversations with people doing their best work; founders, artists, musicians, and pioneers, we delve into why these people made the choices they did that led them to where they find themselves today.
We all hit moments where the path ahead feels unclear, where doubt creeps in, and every decision feels like a gamble, this is about those moments.
Hosted by Pierre, a strategist and systematic theologian who’s spent years helping people and businesses make their way through the fog. This is for anyone trying to find their way and do their best work. Expect honest conversations, hard-won insights, and real strategies to help you move forward, even when you can’t see the whole map.
Ep 9/12: Surviving the AI Apocalypse, the future of work and true value with Bronwyn Williams
Through the Fog
1 hour 11 minutes 55 seconds
5 months ago
Ep 9/12: Surviving the AI Apocalypse, the future of work and true value with Bronwyn Williams
In this engaging and thought-provoking episode, Pierre sits down with futurist and economist Bronwyn Williams. Together, they dive deep into what it means to live purposefully in a chaotic world, the future of work in an age of AI, and how to retain agency in a society leaning towards automation and comfort. Bronwyn discusses the value of being a professional outsider, the illusion of goals for the hyper-intelligent, and her unconventional approach to decision-making and success. It’s a conversation that challenges norms and offers rich insights into how we think about work, value, and freedom.
Timestamps:
[00:01:10] – Where are you right now? Bronwyn on the liminal, nomadic millennial state.
00:02:11] – Why goals don’t work for really smart people.
[00:04:34] – A day in Bronwyn’s life: reading, writing, and speaking.
[00:06:30] – How Bronwyn uses AI to aid in the creative process, not replace it.
[00:09:50] – Her mission as a professional observer and outsider.
[00:13:29] – From spy dreams to futurist: Bronwyn’s unconventional career path.
[00:14:52] – Is studying still worthwhile? Bronwyn breaks it down.
[00:18:39] – What gives Bronwyn hope? People who plant trees.
[00:19:34] – What makes her angry? The myth of no agency.
[00:25:49] – Why we can’t have liberty, equality, and fraternity all at once.
[00:32:53] – How Bronwyn makes decisions and navigates life.
[00:37:35] – Embracing unemployability and escaping the “soggy middle”.
[00:41:55] – The delusion of value in middle-class salary jobs.
[00:44:00] – The psychological impact of overpaid roles and perceived entitlement.
[00:46:15] – Technological progress and the risk to the squishy middle.
[00:48:45] – How Bronwyn defines value and agency in a world of automation.
[00:50:20] – Why most people crave direction over freedom.
[00:53:00] – The outsider’s role in leadership, foresight, and change.
[00:56:15] – The myth of the benign dictator and the desire to escape responsibility.
[00:59:00] – What Jesus, Voltaire, and Mary Poppins have in common with futurists.
[01:01:30] – Final thoughts on belief, free will, and the agency to shape the future.
LINKS
More about Pierre: https://thisispierre.co
Find Bronwyn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwynwilliams/
More about Bronwyn's work: https://fluxtrends.co.za
Get her latest book: Survive the AI Apocalypse: https://www.takealot.com/survive-the-ai-apocalypse/PLID98648877
Through the Fog
This is a fortnightly podcast that explores some of life's biggest questions:
"What do I do now, where do I go next, what do I do with this one precious life?"
Through open and honest conversations with people doing their best work; founders, artists, musicians, and pioneers, we delve into why these people made the choices they did that led them to where they find themselves today.
We all hit moments where the path ahead feels unclear, where doubt creeps in, and every decision feels like a gamble, this is about those moments.
Hosted by Pierre, a strategist and systematic theologian who’s spent years helping people and businesses make their way through the fog. This is for anyone trying to find their way and do their best work. Expect honest conversations, hard-won insights, and real strategies to help you move forward, even when you can’t see the whole map.
