ENG- How Do You Stand Tall When the Ground Beneath You Trembles?
Change, ambiguity, resilience and the power of inner constants in a volatile world. Also, the rather impressive capabilities of “NotebookLM” -with examples
(There is also a Greek version of this)
I.
Imagine This
You open your eyes in a foreign country.
You have no idea how you got there.
It’s as if someone transported you in the middle of the night while you were asleep.
You quickly realize you’re trapped.
You’re wearing rags.
No phone. No money.
Not a soul you recognize.
No job. And that hard-earned degree—Bachelor’s, Master’s, or even PhD with honors—is just a piece of paper here.
You’re starving.
But your pockets are empty.
You don’t speak the language.
So to communicate your hunger, you raise your hand to your mouth, mimicking the motion of eating.
Pause.
Now think:
What would you rely on?
What are your anchors when everything familiar disappears overnight?
Where do you find stability when the world around you shifts faster than you can comprehend?
Yes, it’s an extreme scenario.
But I’m not talking about war survivors or disaster refugees.
This isn’t a thought experiment about people in 2x2 prison cells.
This is about all of us.
The question—What are your constants?—
is one I believe we should ask ourselves often, even when life feels "normal."
II.
Welcome to the V.U.C.A World
Why is this important?
Because we’re living in what the world calls a VUCA environment: – short for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous.
In this VUCA. world, technology—especially Artificial Intelligence (AI)—is changing everything at lightning speed.
Even long-standing social norms are wearing new “clothes”.
If you’re keeping up with AI news, you already sense this. We’re not just talking about early AI agents. Soon, virtual AI “coworkers” will be among us.
AI companions are already softening the edge of loneliness.
AI robots are beginning to address sexual needs.
(More on that soon—I’m writing a piece about it.)
And what about AI therapists?
Yes, emotionless algorithmic therapists are already showing promise.
One such bot, Therabot, reduced depressive symptoms by 51% and anxiety by 31%—just by sending 10 messages a day.
It was developed by top psychiatric researchers at Dartmouth College.
Even legislation—the backbone of any functional society—may soon be co-created by algorithms.
In the UAE, early systems are already being tested, promising a 70% increase in law production efficiency.
Would you accept being judged by laws written partially—or entirely—by AI?
Personally, I celebrate the possibilities technology offers.
But I’ll never stop emphasizing this:
It all depends on how we use it.
A hammer can build a house.
It can also crush a finger—or a skull.
III.
When War Becomes a Math Problem
Of course, turmoil isn’t limited to tech.
The geopolitical landscape is even more V.U.C.A.:
Wars. Tariffs. Famines. Catastrophes.
AI is being tested as a weapon in Ukraine.
And we fear a future where machines might wage wars.
Machines that, when deciding to launch a missile, might simply calculate how many lives will be lost vs. saved— without considering each life’s intrinsic value.
Just cold, utilitarian arithmetic.
Like solving a subtraction problem with human lives.
IV.
10 (and a Bit More) Questions to Reflect On
So yes—everything is fluid.
And we humans? We need anchors.
So I ask again:
What keeps you grounded in a constantly changing world?
What helps you stand steady when your career, your finances, and your sense of familiarity feel like they’re dissolving?
What’s your compass when it comes to human connection?
How many of your friends do you meet at least four times a month—in person?How often do you do something good for someone without expecting anything in return?
On what values are you building your character?
How do you help the next generation build theirs?What’s your relationship with responsibility—for your own choices?
How do you view adaptability, openness, fear, learning, ego, bias, critical thinking, envy—and your ability to find inspiration and joy in others’ success?
Do you value experiences more than material things?
Why do you seek knowledge? How do you learn? Do you chew and digest information—or swallow it whole?
What moves you? What inspires you?
V.
A Personal Note—and a Powerful Tool
I’m not a psychologist or a coach.
This is personal.
These reflections come from my recent birthday, a time when I asked myself these very questions.
The past year transformed me.
It forced me to confront my illusions, values, and certainties.
I’m grateful for that.
In this era of volatility and ambiguity, I’ve been thinking a lot about how our inner core—our personal constants—can help us better navigate the times ahead.
And on that note, let me introduce a tool that stole my heart recently:
NotebookLM.
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Antonis Armoundas, a Greek scientist working in the U.S. (Harvard, MIT).
We discussed how Large Language Models like ChatGPT-4o, Gemini, and Perplexity can support doctors and patients.
I tried to transcribe our 50-minute audio with Speechmatics, but it wouldn’t upload.
So I turned to NotebookLM.
I uploaded the file—and without prompting, it generated a flawless 140-word summary.
Then, I asked it to transcribe the audio.
Done in 30 seconds—with impressive accuracy.
NotebookLM can also:
Summarize 150-page research papers with key insights
Identify weak points in arguments
Process Word, Google Docs, PDFs, YouTube videos, MP3s etc
Create 20 min podcasts based on the source with natural-sounding voices (just click load on the audio review menu on your right)
Generate study guides and quizzes
Prepare you for live presentations with FAQs
Plan custom travel itineraries based on your style
Support “patient agency” by summarizing lab tests, prescriptions, and medical research to discuss with your doctor
Reminder: AI isn’t infallible.
Human oversight is crucial—always.
But NotebookLM minimizes “hallucinations” by sticking to your source materials.
But a tool is only as good as how you use it.
See you next Tuesday, Future-Fit people.
Until then, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Leave a comment.
Let’s talk.
We, humans, must keep talking.
P.S.
Below are two images generated by Gemini and ChatGPT-4o using the prompt:
“Create a realistic image depicting a VUCA world.”
Which do you prefer and why?
If you had to visually represent this world, what would it look like?
What clichés would you avoid?
Thank you all for reading!
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