Issue 150: How to Overcome the Stress of Technology
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about technology at work. – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
How to Overcome the Stress of Technology
Welcome to the 150th issue of Backstory! Thinking back over the last 150 issues, clear themes jump out. The technological change occurring around us is unparalleled in human history. We are in awe of the power of technology to change society for the better while remaining aware of the ethical challenges that tech innovation presents for everyday life. One of the strongest themes over the past 150 issues of this newsletter is the notion that technology should work for the individual, and that’s the topic we are diving into this week.
Technology in the workplace. Anxiety about technology at the office is as old as time. The rapid pace of change brought on by artificial intelligence has led to record-high levels of anxiety among workers worldwide. According to the Wall Street Journal, there is some hope. Researchers have studied this phenomenon for decades, gleaning insights into the deep psychological roots of these fears, how they affect people’s response to technology—and how both workers and companies can mitigate the stress. If technology is a source of stress at the office, it will not be an inspiration at home or in other parts of life.
Take a deep breath. The best defense for anxiety over technology is to fall back on tried and true methods in psychology. The most important thing is to resist the urge to catastrophize the role of tech. Workers can reframe a technology challenge to realize the situation isn’t so bad (for instance, you won’t get fired if you don’t master this new tech). As we reflect on the past 150 Backstory issues, we see our free-flowing conversation about technology and its role in our lives as vital to keeping anxiety at bay. The best thing during this moment of change is to keep thinking, reading, and talking. Let’s not lose sight of that.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”
– Dale Carnegie, writer
CHART OF THE WEEK
This week, we are thinking about robotaxis. The debate about safety in self-driving taxis in San Francisco continues to heat up. According to fresh data, robotaxis remains safe compared to human-driven taxis.
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
Brand Storytelling for Women in Tech. Earlier this week, Our Director of Strategy, Mary Ames, took center stage at the Women-In-Tech Startup Program in collaboration with DIFC Fintech Hive. A video of the live-stream of the session is now live on our website. Mary shared her insights on the art of brand storytelling, turning passion into purpose, and the tools for creative impact for tech-savvy women entrepreneurs.
Women in 4IR:The Fourth Industrial Revolution. It’s here and it’s transforming the future of work. The coming transformation of labor could improve the position of women in the workplace. If we start a conversation about the role of gender in 4IR today, we can lay the groundwork for a more equitable future tomorrow. In this piece published by Xische, Mary Ames explores the issues at play. She argues that we must realize the invaluable perspectives women can bring to designing and regulating the future to explore the full potential of 4IR.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
The evolution of AI. The Italian luxury goods company Brunello Cucinelli published a fascinating perspective on artificial intelligence and human evolution. Seeing a clothing brand throw its hat into this passionate debate is strange, but its perspective deserves some pause. In essence, they argue that AI has serious potential for human progress. Still, this progress can only be fully embraced if AI platforms are developed with solid ethics, human values, and historical context. Embracing AI should be done with the intent of bettering society by relieving menial burdens. However, one should remain cautious and consider whether AI can truly encapsulate deep human emotions and experiences.
The animals are talking. Sometimes, the best thing we can do as thinking human beings is to reflect on just how little we understand about the world around us. Consider this. New research from leading scientists worldwide is revealing how deeply some animals communicate with each other. The New York Times recently investigated the so-called hardest problem in science: the origins of language. We must never forget just how much we have to learn.