The Inevitable

Imagine standing at the edge of a vast river, its waters never still, always flowing, reshaping the banks, carving new paths. This river is the essence of our technological world—a ceaseless stream of becoming. Nothing stands still; everything is in a constant state of flux. This is not just a poetic metaphor but a fundamental truth that governs both the physical and digital realms. Even the most solid objects around us—stone, metal, roads—require energy and care to maintain their form. Without attention, they degrade, crumble, and vanish. Surprisingly, this applies equally to the intangible world of digital bits and software. Fresh software, newly released, begins to fray immediately. Code corrodes, apps weaken, and systems ossify if neglected. The complexity of our digital environment demands constant upgrades, not as optional luxuries but as necessary hygiene to keep the ecosystem alive.

Consider the experience of upgrading your smartphone or computer. What once seemed like a minor update often triggers a cascade of further changes—new features, altered interfaces, compatibility shifts. Delaying these upgrades is akin to ignoring a growing leak; eventually, the flood becomes overwhelming. Users find themselves perpetual newbies, forever learning, adapting, and relearning. The average lifespan of a phone app is about 30 days, meaning mastery is fleeting, and humility in the face of change becomes a vital skill.

This relentless pace of becoming can be unsettling. It pierces our hearts with new desires and needs, creating holes that must be filled by the next innovation. Yet, this discomfort is also the source of human ingenuity and growth. Without this ever-present discontent, progress stagnates. We are not content to survive; we strive to create new itches to scratch, new horizons to explore.

It is important to recognize that the future is not a utopia or dystopia but a protopia—a state of gradual, incremental improvement. This is a process, not a destination. Every year brings new challenges born from yesterday's successes, but also new solutions that pave the way forward. Protopia is subtle, often invisible in the moment, but it accumulates to build civilization. While grand visions may captivate us, it is this steady becoming that truly shapes our world.

As we embark on this journey through the inevitable technological forces, keep in mind this central theme: change is not an event but a continuous process. Our task is to embrace this flux, to become comfortable with being perpetual learners, and to see the future as a canvas of endless becoming. With this understanding, let us move forward to explore how intelligence itself is transforming in this ever-changing landscape.