AI, Mental Health & The Meh Generation
Are heading towards a post-work dopamine-addicted future?
An odd affliction seems to have struck a significant percentage of my social circle. These are educated folk living in some of the world’s largest cities, in the 25–40 year age range, with some financial security thanks to their own earnings or those of their families. Here are some of their unconventional views:
- I don’t hate my job, but I wouldn’t mind quitting it either
- I have specific interests that represent my true identity outside of work. But I don’t know how/whether to turn that into a job (and I don’t want to take a pay cut)
- The thought of working beyond the next 10 years, at a full-time job, horrifies me
- I dream of creating a passive source of income, but I haven’t figured out how
- Netflix, YouTube, TikTok and the like are a big part of my daily life. I fill my quiet moments with these apps, from sunrise to sunset. In periods of quiet reflection, I worry about my digital health