Living The Examined Life

Thoughts From Europe

If that sounds ironic, that’s because it is. Yes, the city that valued democracy for its diversity of ideas, also democratically made Socrates a martyr for ideas that were too disruptive and threatened the status quo for those in power.

Socrates questioned what it meant to gain knowledge, or live a “good life”, and more than 2000 years later, those questions are still relevant today. On my trip to Europe, I challenged myself to think critically about my own personal growth and future aspirations. As I visited London, Athens and Rome, I recorded interesting thoughts as they crossed my mind, raw or refined, fragmented or whole.

I let my mind wander as I wandered Europe, and here are some thoughts.

There’s nothing like the present. As I traveled each city, I imagined what life was like years and years ago — climbing the Acropolis in 400 BC, attending the Colosseum in 100 AD, or walking the River Thames in the Middle Ages. And yet, my passion for technology leads me to imagine life years and years from now—flying cars, colonizing Mars and whether we’ll finally eliminate the need for work.

The endless imagination years into the past and future is a reminder that we’re not at the edge of history — we’re a small part of it. We only have control of the today to make a difference, it’s up to us to make the most of it.

As humans, we've governed ourselves in every way we could imagine. Throughout history, we’ve tried having a single leader, a few leaders, or no leader at all. We’ve experimented with attaining leadership through intellect, power, heritage or merit.

Every society has had its own virtues and flaws, and as critical thinkers, it’s important to acknowledge what’s working (and what’s not) so we can improve. But then, what does it even mean to improve? Is it a stronger economy, a longer lifespan, more equality, or more happiness? What takes priority, and who makes the decision? Do the ends justify the means?

As I discover how I want to change the world, I’ve learned to recognize my cognitive biases, to avoid group think and challenge the dominant discourse. These need to be overcome to truly think for myself, and I’m on a path to do that.

Why do the past leaders in technology eventually fall behind? Is it inevitable? What does this mean for companies and individuals? These existential questions are difficult to answer, but without any clear conclusions yet, I have a few thoughts.

Evolutionary technology benefits the leaders, but leaders rarely survive new paradigms from revolutionary technology. The innovator’s dilemma is that today’s leaders aren’t guaranteed to survive during transitions when AI, self-driving, crypto and other “hype” technologies finally mature.

Success often requires luck. Britain led the 1st Industrial Revolution because they happened to sit on the most important resource then (coal), and Athens grew its reach and popularized democracy only after it discovered another critical resource (massive silver deposits).

But, it takes more than luck. It took more than luck for those civilizations and empires to become leaders, and today, as Canada sits on its own important resource (hydrocarbons, AI talent, etc), it’ll take more than luck for Canada to become a leader — and stay the leader.

The rise and fall of historic superpowers challenged me with a sobering thought: Will the US always be the superpower?

History tells us it’s hard to stay on top. In the 18th to 20th centuries, Britain enjoyed the industrial revolution, favorable trade with its colonies, and lofty tariffs even when colonies traded with each other. But unfair tariffs and the desire for independence led to inevitable decolonization, and Britain lost political and economic control around the world throughout the 21st century.

The situation is chillingly similar to today’s changing world order. With growing threats to US superiority, the US responds with punitive tariffs that may result in retaliation and escalation.

History tells us where this may lead. Centuries of political tension culminated in the World Wars, global leadership shifted, and the winners got to set the rules of the new world order (ex. “global” institutions like UN and IMF are based in the US).

Where are we headed as political tension rises today, and who will be the winner in the next world order? Only time will tell.

Socrates felt it was only worth living if we understood the meaning of life, or pursued it. While it’s extreme to be the only thing worth living for, I think we can learn from his example to live a more purposeful life.

So let your mind wander, learn about yourself and the world around you. Discover the life you want, and pursue it. I am!

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