Longer Lives, Longer Careers?
Statistics simply do not support that claim however, with data suggesting that our socio-economic group has more to do with our life expectancy after retirement than the job we did or the stress it caused us. The age at which we retire doesn’t seem to be much of a predictor for retirement life expectancy either, because data suggesting that early retirees die more quickly is muddied by the fact that people often retire early because they are suffering life-limiting health conditions.
From ‘soft’ to ‘human’: what’s in a name?
We have come to accept, however subconsciously, that scientists and engineers deal with hard things, like machines, test tubes and pipes. Solid manly things. Meanwhile, therapists, teachers and nurses deal with soft things, like people and feelings. Feminine, unquantifiable things. Over the decades, society has tended to place more value on professions involving hard skills - value that has seen high salaries and status for those who develop ‘hard’ skills.
AI and job displacement: Should we be fanning the flames of fear?
We like to call this the Fire and Anguish Narrative (FAN) surrounding AI, with hyped-up concerns about productivity and job displacement increasingly prevalent in the media and political discourse. Such a narrative FANs (sorry, couldn’t resist) the flames of anxiety for educators, parents and young people, who are completing the preparatory work for entrance into the workforce, which requires some horizon scanning.