The Tech Innovations That Once Terrified Us

͏‌Grab the pitchforks and fire...

1. The history of tech innovation that once scared us and where they're today.

2. Education on generative AI, how it all works and how you can leverage tools as an L&D pro.

Also, not forgetting the usual dose of weird, wonderful and what I hope is helpful content from the rest of planet earth in my curated roundup.

The Big Thought

I've been doing a lot of pondering recently, musing about how we, as humans, often fear what we don't understand. So, I thought it'd be fun, and maybe a little comforting, to look at some examples of tech we were once terrified of but are now as commonplace as that cup of tea (sorry coffee fans) in your hand right now ☕️.

The Calculator: From Brain-Melting Device to Everyday Helper

First up, the calculator.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "A calculator? Seriously?" Yep, seriously.

Way back when, this seemingly innocent device was considered a monster. Early 20th-century educators believed that calculators would render our brains useless, unable to perform simple mental calculations.

University professors were forming protests prophesying the fall of society as we knew it.Fast forward to today, and not only have our brains not turned to mush, but calculators have become an indispensable tool for everything from solving complex math problems to splitting the bill at dinner.

No doom here, just convenience. I personally wouldn't have survived the mathematical world without one.

The Iron Beast: Trains, the Once Dreaded Speed Demons of the Countryside

Now, let's rewind a bit further, back to the 19th century when trains first started to rumble across the countryside.

People thought these iron beasts were surely harbingers of the apocalypse. The noise, the smoke, the speed – it was thought that the human body couldn't handle it. Spoiler alert: we could, and we did.

Today, trains are a staple of transportation around the world, helping us get from A to B, and they’re even eco-friendly. Not so apocalyptic after all, huh?

The Printing Press: Corruptor of Minds or Harbinger of Knowledge?

Our final step back in time brings us face-to-face with books.

Yes, you heard me right, books.

When the printing press was invented, there was a genuine fear that easy access to books would make us lazy, undermine the church, and corrupt the young. We see how that turned out, right? The printing press led to an explosion of knowledge and education, and books became a beloved source of wisdom and entertainment.

Looking Forward: How We Can Better Embrace Future Technologies

So, what's the lesson here, friends?

The fear of the new, the unknown, it's as old as time itself. But, time and time again, we've seen that these scary technologies often morph into tools of empowerment, progress, and even comfort.

This is the exact moment we sit in right now with generative AI tools like ChatGPT. You’re either in the camp of “Judgement day is coming and we’ll be enslaved by the machines” or “There’s so much opportunity and I can’t wait to join the Matrix”.

I believe the truth of the matter lies somewhere in the middle.

I'm sure there was a point in time when facilitators feared eLearning and eLearning developers feared digital learning platforms and now they fear AI-powered authoring tools.

Personally, I fear clowns. I mean, WTF is with clowns at kid's birthday parties, who thought that was fun? I digress.

The next time a groundbreaking invention comes along that sends us all into a collective panic, let's take a deep breath, remember our history, and be curious, not doomful.

Content that has caught my attention and might interest you too.

🤔 How to say no to being a manager

Not everyone wants to be a manager. Not everyone should be a manager either.

But, in a system designed around promotions = success, how can you navigate the choppy field of saying "I'm good as a solo act, thanks". I've been on both sides of this fence as an independent contributor, head of department and now as an independent consultant.

This article from HBR is a useful addition to the reshaping of the modern career model.

💡 Which skills matter most? Employees and L&D leaders disagree

The core findings in this research from Section School didn't surprise me at all.

I've experienced this so many times in many organisations. The gulf between what skills employees believe they need and what L&D teams think they need are often miles apart. I feel this piece opens up a good conversation of topic around what actually matters for performance and how can we as L&D pros bridge that gap.

👏 Generative AI Explained: A simple guide for Humans

Hitting two things with one stone with some education on the basics of generative AI and a little preview of what to expect in my ChatGPT for L&D Pros Crash Course.

With so much content out there on this topic right now, it's hard to cut through the noise and get the basics right. I wrote this with the goal of filling that void. Let me know if you get it.

If you're curious, here's three ways I can help you 👇

1/ My L&D toolkit stack with 20 free tools.

2/ Grab a copy of my book with strategies and tools to thrive in a 9-5 career.

3/ Work with me on your projects and L&D challenges.

Please do share your thoughts with me on these pieces or anything I share on LinkedIn or hit 'reply'. Chat to you soon.

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