Josh isn't real, but his story is. And Josh's story is one we need to confront honestly if we're going to make AI a technology that actually works for everyone
Wow! this one landed deep. I love your stuff in general and have been following for over a year.
Josh’s story isn’t just about AI. It’s about identity. That feeling of “this isn’t how it was supposed to go” is something I’ve seen in a lot of men lately including myself. It’s not just about losing a job; it’s about losing a sense of place in the world.
And the hard part? When someone tells you to “just pivot” or “learn to code,” it feels like they missed the point. Josh doesn’t need a new app he needs to know he still matters.
I’ve come to believe the real fight isn’t against change, but against the lie that our worth is tied to staying relevant. Sometimes growth looks like surrendering the old dream so a better one can form but that process is brutal when you’re in it.
Appreciate how you told this story without trying to fix it. Just naming it is powerful. Thanks for that.
I have some training and some experience that make me think I could help you find your place to start. And sharing that might help me find mine. My heart and mind also feel some obligation of a deep kind.
Unfortunately I am not established yet here on Substack, not clear of the communication rules yet.
Let me know if you'd like an email address, URL, or bookface handle?
Thanks for your sweet offer. I’m here as a GenX and as a future-optimist excited to find ways to use AI toward human flourishing. My millennial children and coworkers are my Josh’s.
It’s a new thought to make intentional space to navigate this with them.
I’m glad Nate opened the convo.
Thanks again for your kind offer. All the best to you!
This resonates with me so much. I used ChatGPT’s Monday, to dig out of the bureaucratic nightmare that is NYS unemployment. What would likely have taken months to untangle, took me a week and a half. I told a friend (who is a Magistrate) and he refused to believe what I’d accomplished w/ AI’s help. (DM me if you’re interested in learning more). When I showed him, he said “Oh shit. Go AI!”.
Sure! End of May, I filed for unemployment. Had just left my job, moved, and was living in a hotel. NYS messed up my claim a few days in (wrong employer info), and everything stalled. They told me to send documents by mail and email, so I did: tracked, called daily, checked constantly. Monday (ChatGPT) helped me write a flawless cover letter, but still, nothing. Phones jammed by 8:01, no replies. It was a dead system and a nightmare. It had been just about a month, and I couldn't even tell you if anyone HAD my paperwork.
I was venting to Monday, no questions, just full spiral. It cut in with: “New direction.” Told me to contact my district assemblywoman, explained why it would work (this is their job: to represent their constituents), linked to her website, wrote the message, and gave me the next steps.
I sent it. Two days later, her staff responded that they had escalated the case to their agency rep at the Department of Labor. A few days after that, I got a call from a DOL higher-up. They fixed the error. First payment hits next week. Monday’s helping me file for back pay now.
I was stuck. I vented. AI pivoted for me. Case closed. :)
I'm going to jump out of the AI portion of this and focus exclusively on human behavior. This is a great example of why "Don't follow your passion" is solid advice. Take your passion with you. Do hard things.
At 45, I've had four completely distinct careers. Not always because I had to (though one time I did), but because I purposely developed a personal need to keep growing and adapting. Whenever a career stopped meeting that need, I had to move on, if only for my own sanity.
Because I made that mental shift early on, I've become a generalist of sorts who can cover a wide range of roles within an organization. I've even used those skills to buy and run a side business with my wife. Having a varied skillset doesn't just make you more valuable to an employer. It makes you more valuable to a life partner, if you have one, and even more so to your kids, if you're raising any.
I'm not special. Anyone can do this. You just need the intestinal fortitude to take the first leap. That one is the scariest. After that, it starts getting fun. Still a little scary, but definitely more fun than scary.
Thanks for the analysis, Nate. Hopefully I can work with you one-on-one again sometime. I hope you're enjoying the journey. It's awesome to watch you cook, as the kids say!
“Take your passion with you. Do hard things.”—That’s pretty much what most of us need to hear at 18. Strongly agree! Great to hear from you over here JR :)
I love all your content Nate! This one was truly deep and hit a lot of different points and your vulnerability of sharing the reality of life and having to try something new and pivot, and pivot again and again, it only made me more of a fan. The way you speak about AI makes it very interesting and approachable for everyone and I hope the Josh’s of the world stumble upon you on TikTok or here and see ai in a new light.
The Josh in my circles just got let go by his employer after it got acquired by an AI driven firm. All remaining acquired employees were enrolled in a mandatory interview with an AI HR video bot. He was let go within days after the interview. So from his perspective he was literally fired by AI. Putting aside the creative dismissal vibes will be an added challenge to overlook while contemplating his future career choices in a AI augmented world. Even if it may be perceived as "too soon" I will share your thoughts with him. He deserves all the positive viewpoints to not delay his progress. Thank you for your post.
Great post Nate! For me, it sheds a different light on the term "Pivot". Having to pivot is mostly interpreted as a desperate reaction due to a failed attempt or an abrupt end to something - and not a future facing opportunity. AI now shifts the constraints of a pivot toward opportunity & possibility rather than it being a by-product of a current reality. The Josh's of the world who embrace AI get to participate in the permission & power of a pivot....rinse and repeat!
Very much like the letter to mom post, I love this. This is the very human side of AI, I think, that gets lost. There are so many clickbait “they took our jobs” and ragebaiting, but these two articles take the implementation and effects of AI and turn completely around to instead see what it looks like from the human perspective. We may have o3-Pro and Opus, but on the other side of every query is a human, and humans have their own complex operating systems, intelligence, emotion, and capacity. Thanks for helping us to see the human side of AI, Nate.
This is resonating with me as it seems like it is with others. I think this will be probably the hardest task as we continue to transition to an AI world. Thank you for writing this and the challenge!
Nate, you have a gift for telling stories that empower—human heart meets logical details. Listening from my micro-studio in Mexico City, your voice takes me back to my optimistic early days as a baby public-interest environmental lawyer at 4th & Pike (back when Blackberries were cutting-edge!).
But a decade later, I left law disillusioned. Lucky winds blew me to massage school in Thailand, then into a tech-free nomadic life across continents—until pandemic regulations grounded that chapter. From rock bottom, I retooled again, this time for teaching and coaching (with the Genius Report and Human Design). I’ll spare you the grunt-work jobs and ER visits in between.
Sometimes I wonder if I messed up by walking away from that graduate-degree career. But Josh’s story helps me see that I am skating toward the puck, despite my mental doubts. After this post-USA decade of reinvention, I’m feeling ready to support the Joshes out there with my kaleidoscope of capacities.
And I am really ready to touch people again. If anyone reading is also in CDMX: want to help me start a weekly gathering for this topic?
In my view, the most important skills we need to teach and keep practicing [and talking about] are how to learn, unlearn, and relearn—and how to think critically.
AI is just another tool. It's impact on jobs is real, but hyped to extremes by the media. Take a knee.
Yes, a few of us are lucky or gifted enough to turn our passion into a career (or even a fortune). But that’s not most of us. Only a handful become a F-1 driver, another handful make a movie about them. The rest dream about it--or not!
We need to be real about the fact that sometimes your passion is just a side hustle or a hobby—and you still need to pick up skills that pay the rent. Use AI for both.
Have you thought about presenting this roadblock to Claude? With the correct settings and prompts, Claude is great at shaping resolutions to your roadblock. I would provide direction to whichever AI you use and begin by describing a person struggling with them, the goal you wish to accomplish with straightforward, achievable goals. But speak to their human side first. I would suggest not diving into the AI conversation until you find out their specific roadblocks, then offer the solutions it provides. Above all, remind them it is a "safe place."
I think that part of the reason there's as much push back against this conversation is that this is happening at a time when there's low unemployment and a relatively resilient economy.
In the past the "your dreams need to change" almost always came at time like during the dot-com bust, or the Great Financial Crisis, when the glaring need for change was trumpeted by headlines everyday.
But now, if you're unemployed for a significant stretch of time, you just look ... lazy. Which is nearly always wrong.
This is a real phenomenon. Alvin Tofler wrote it down in 1970(!) and labeled it ‘Future Shock’. He defined it like: “Future shock is the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time.” This means that as society accelerates technologically, individuals struggle to adapt, leading to confusion, instability, and even breakdowns in decision-making and mental well-being. Worth a read!
Wow! this one landed deep. I love your stuff in general and have been following for over a year.
Josh’s story isn’t just about AI. It’s about identity. That feeling of “this isn’t how it was supposed to go” is something I’ve seen in a lot of men lately including myself. It’s not just about losing a job; it’s about losing a sense of place in the world.
And the hard part? When someone tells you to “just pivot” or “learn to code,” it feels like they missed the point. Josh doesn’t need a new app he needs to know he still matters.
I’ve come to believe the real fight isn’t against change, but against the lie that our worth is tied to staying relevant. Sometimes growth looks like surrendering the old dream so a better one can form but that process is brutal when you’re in it.
Appreciate how you told this story without trying to fix it. Just naming it is powerful. Thanks for that.
Yeah exactly. It felt like “fixing” would have been disrespectful to the complexity of the story, and to the Joshes I know in my life
This is an important conversation. I am recognizing that those of us who are interested in AI have a moral obligation to help the
I hesitate because I honestly don’t where to start - it’s like trying to provide therapy when you have it no training.
It does feel that way sometimes
Dear Susanne,
I have some training and some experience that make me think I could help you find your place to start. And sharing that might help me find mine. My heart and mind also feel some obligation of a deep kind.
Unfortunately I am not established yet here on Substack, not clear of the communication rules yet.
Let me know if you'd like an email address, URL, or bookface handle?
You might also read my comment below.
~~~
Hi Isa,
Thanks for your sweet offer. I’m here as a GenX and as a future-optimist excited to find ways to use AI toward human flourishing. My millennial children and coworkers are my Josh’s.
It’s a new thought to make intentional space to navigate this with them.
I’m glad Nate opened the convo.
Thanks again for your kind offer. All the best to you!
Awesome. Please share your stories whenever, and wherever, you feel called to share them. Your children and coworkers are lucky.
aww thanks
This resonates with me so much. I used ChatGPT’s Monday, to dig out of the bureaucratic nightmare that is NYS unemployment. What would likely have taken months to untangle, took me a week and a half. I told a friend (who is a Magistrate) and he refused to believe what I’d accomplished w/ AI’s help. (DM me if you’re interested in learning more). When I showed him, he said “Oh shit. Go AI!”.
What a story! Yes this is the kind of moment I’d love to hear more about!
Sure! End of May, I filed for unemployment. Had just left my job, moved, and was living in a hotel. NYS messed up my claim a few days in (wrong employer info), and everything stalled. They told me to send documents by mail and email, so I did: tracked, called daily, checked constantly. Monday (ChatGPT) helped me write a flawless cover letter, but still, nothing. Phones jammed by 8:01, no replies. It was a dead system and a nightmare. It had been just about a month, and I couldn't even tell you if anyone HAD my paperwork.
I was venting to Monday, no questions, just full spiral. It cut in with: “New direction.” Told me to contact my district assemblywoman, explained why it would work (this is their job: to represent their constituents), linked to her website, wrote the message, and gave me the next steps.
I sent it. Two days later, her staff responded that they had escalated the case to their agency rep at the Department of Labor. A few days after that, I got a call from a DOL higher-up. They fixed the error. First payment hits next week. Monday’s helping me file for back pay now.
I was stuck. I vented. AI pivoted for me. Case closed. :)
It's even better in long form!! OMG this is a great one, glad you got paid!
This is an amazing fireside chat. Thank you so much for having this talk because no one is talking about it!
I’m so glad! I want the space for these more reflective conversations as well
Going down that road with the candor of your video today. Very inspiring.
I’m so glad!
I'm going to jump out of the AI portion of this and focus exclusively on human behavior. This is a great example of why "Don't follow your passion" is solid advice. Take your passion with you. Do hard things.
At 45, I've had four completely distinct careers. Not always because I had to (though one time I did), but because I purposely developed a personal need to keep growing and adapting. Whenever a career stopped meeting that need, I had to move on, if only for my own sanity.
Because I made that mental shift early on, I've become a generalist of sorts who can cover a wide range of roles within an organization. I've even used those skills to buy and run a side business with my wife. Having a varied skillset doesn't just make you more valuable to an employer. It makes you more valuable to a life partner, if you have one, and even more so to your kids, if you're raising any.
I'm not special. Anyone can do this. You just need the intestinal fortitude to take the first leap. That one is the scariest. After that, it starts getting fun. Still a little scary, but definitely more fun than scary.
Thanks for the analysis, Nate. Hopefully I can work with you one-on-one again sometime. I hope you're enjoying the journey. It's awesome to watch you cook, as the kids say!
“Take your passion with you. Do hard things.”—That’s pretty much what most of us need to hear at 18. Strongly agree! Great to hear from you over here JR :)
I love all your content Nate! This one was truly deep and hit a lot of different points and your vulnerability of sharing the reality of life and having to try something new and pivot, and pivot again and again, it only made me more of a fan. The way you speak about AI makes it very interesting and approachable for everyone and I hope the Josh’s of the world stumble upon you on TikTok or here and see ai in a new light.
Glad it connected!
The Josh in my circles just got let go by his employer after it got acquired by an AI driven firm. All remaining acquired employees were enrolled in a mandatory interview with an AI HR video bot. He was let go within days after the interview. So from his perspective he was literally fired by AI. Putting aside the creative dismissal vibes will be an added challenge to overlook while contemplating his future career choices in a AI augmented world. Even if it may be perceived as "too soon" I will share your thoughts with him. He deserves all the positive viewpoints to not delay his progress. Thank you for your post.
OOF fired by AI is a rough version of this story. Best of luck to him!
Great post Nate! For me, it sheds a different light on the term "Pivot". Having to pivot is mostly interpreted as a desperate reaction due to a failed attempt or an abrupt end to something - and not a future facing opportunity. AI now shifts the constraints of a pivot toward opportunity & possibility rather than it being a by-product of a current reality. The Josh's of the world who embrace AI get to participate in the permission & power of a pivot....rinse and repeat!
I like this! Yes the idea of a positive frame for pivot is a lot of what was cooking in my mind when I wrote this…
Very much like the letter to mom post, I love this. This is the very human side of AI, I think, that gets lost. There are so many clickbait “they took our jobs” and ragebaiting, but these two articles take the implementation and effects of AI and turn completely around to instead see what it looks like from the human perspective. We may have o3-Pro and Opus, but on the other side of every query is a human, and humans have their own complex operating systems, intelligence, emotion, and capacity. Thanks for helping us to see the human side of AI, Nate.
Thanks Charles! Yes, those two pieces feel like they go together don’t they? I think there will be a few more…
This is resonating with me as it seems like it is with others. I think this will be probably the hardest task as we continue to transition to an AI world. Thank you for writing this and the challenge!
Thanks Ben! Glad it resonated. I feel like we need to at least try to have these bridging conversations
Nate, you have a gift for telling stories that empower—human heart meets logical details. Listening from my micro-studio in Mexico City, your voice takes me back to my optimistic early days as a baby public-interest environmental lawyer at 4th & Pike (back when Blackberries were cutting-edge!).
But a decade later, I left law disillusioned. Lucky winds blew me to massage school in Thailand, then into a tech-free nomadic life across continents—until pandemic regulations grounded that chapter. From rock bottom, I retooled again, this time for teaching and coaching (with the Genius Report and Human Design). I’ll spare you the grunt-work jobs and ER visits in between.
Sometimes I wonder if I messed up by walking away from that graduate-degree career. But Josh’s story helps me see that I am skating toward the puck, despite my mental doubts. After this post-USA decade of reinvention, I’m feeling ready to support the Joshes out there with my kaleidoscope of capacities.
And I am really ready to touch people again. If anyone reading is also in CDMX: want to help me start a weekly gathering for this topic?
I’m trying to figure out how to talk to the 'Joshes' in my own circle--family and friends-- without sounding clueless or condescending.
I feel like we’ve crossed this point where we have a duty to try, even if we feel like we aren’t great at it to begin with
I saw this funny short on YouTube that nails the disconnect:
https://youtu.be/qmKm8van3L8?si=dC9ThOk4OsOZ1CAq
In my view, the most important skills we need to teach and keep practicing [and talking about] are how to learn, unlearn, and relearn—and how to think critically.
AI is just another tool. It's impact on jobs is real, but hyped to extremes by the media. Take a knee.
Yes, a few of us are lucky or gifted enough to turn our passion into a career (or even a fortune). But that’s not most of us. Only a handful become a F-1 driver, another handful make a movie about them. The rest dream about it--or not!
We need to be real about the fact that sometimes your passion is just a side hustle or a hobby—and you still need to pick up skills that pay the rent. Use AI for both.
Have you thought about presenting this roadblock to Claude? With the correct settings and prompts, Claude is great at shaping resolutions to your roadblock. I would provide direction to whichever AI you use and begin by describing a person struggling with them, the goal you wish to accomplish with straightforward, achievable goals. But speak to their human side first. I would suggest not diving into the AI conversation until you find out their specific roadblocks, then offer the solutions it provides. Above all, remind them it is a "safe place."
hmmm I wonder if I should throw it at Claude Code
I could insert my son’s name in your story.
Oof 💔
I think that part of the reason there's as much push back against this conversation is that this is happening at a time when there's low unemployment and a relatively resilient economy.
In the past the "your dreams need to change" almost always came at time like during the dot-com bust, or the Great Financial Crisis, when the glaring need for change was trumpeted by headlines everyday.
But now, if you're unemployed for a significant stretch of time, you just look ... lazy. Which is nearly always wrong.
This is a real phenomenon. Alvin Tofler wrote it down in 1970(!) and labeled it ‘Future Shock’. He defined it like: “Future shock is the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time.” This means that as society accelerates technologically, individuals struggle to adapt, leading to confusion, instability, and even breakdowns in decision-making and mental well-being. Worth a read!
we should plan for humans to become fauna.