For generations, we have witnessed how technology has freed us from the drudgery of manual labor while preserving the dignity of intellectual work – factory workers faced the robotic machines while college graduates felt privileged behind their desks, secure in their confidence that their unique minds would protect them from automation. But artificial intelligence has shattered this unspoken contract, and “fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.” For it is now the educated professionals, the ones who followed every rule and earned every credential, who now find themselves most vulnerable to displacement, while the farmers and construction workers discover unexpected job security in work that still requires human hands and hearts. Yet amid this upheaval lies a strange hope: those who can learn to bend with artificial intelligence rather than trying to compete against it may find themselves more capable and fulfilled than ever before, but only if we acknowledge the human cost of this transition and support each other through the most profound workplace transformation in human history. The future isn't just about technology – it's about whether we'll show compassion for those losing their footing as the ground shifts beneath us all.

There has never been a time in history when we have seen such a proliferation of false information in the form of misinformation or worse, disinformation and conspiracy theories. But why? And why now? And why so many? And why are some either coming from or being endorsed by US Presidents as well as other world leaders? Unlike any other time in history, we are inundated with information from many sources of media. And we are racing to catch up to what is reliable, dependable, and true – all the while, feeling deep, emotional, attachments to our personal understanding of important issues. The skill set of Critical Thinking allows us to be empowered and inoculated against such bogus claims while at the same time, providing us with the cognitive compassion to communicate effectively with those who have fallen prey to such ideas. Over time, it is possible to have more meaningful dialogue about any issue with anyone – yes, even conspiracy theorists. And ultimately, this is what we want to be able to do with greater success – because the people with whom we disagree could be our brothers and sisters, or parents, or kids, or neighbours, or anybody.