All Tech Advances Have Cycles

We’ve seen this movie before—with the printing press, the car, the internet, and even the smartphone. Every time a new “infrastructure” arrives, society goes through a predictable cycle of friction.

Here is how that dynamic usually plays out:

1. The “Us vs. Them” Phase (Where we are now)

When a technology is new, people split into two camps:

• The Techno-Optimists: People who think AI will solve everything.
• The Techno-Skeptics: People who see only the “Evil”—the job loss, the noise of the AI factories, and the loss of human connection.
• The Projection: This is why people project their anger onto others. They see it as a war, and if you are “learning the enemy’s language,” they think you’ve switched sides.

2. The “Wild West” Phase (The “Evil” grows)

In this stage, the lack of rules allows for real harm. We see deepfakes, scams, and big companies taking over resources (like the water and power we talked about). This is the period where “Evil” has the upper hand because there are no laws to stop it yet.

3. The “Tool of the People” Phase (Where you come in)

Eventually, the “mystique” of the technology wears off. It stops being a magic wand or a monster and starts being a tool.

• Advocacy: People begin using that same infrastructure to fight back. You use AI to organize, to spread the “truth that is also the truth,” and to give survivors a louder voice.
• Normalization: Just like we don’t think of “electricity” as good or evil anymore—we just use it to light our homes or run hospitals—AI will eventually just be the “wires” beneath our feet.

Working With It vs. Being Worked By It

The “figuring out how to work with it” part is the most important step for a community. There is a big difference between a community that is targeted by AI and a community that uses AI.

• If you don’t learn it: The infrastructure is built around you, often taking your resources (land, water, power) without asking.
• If you do learn it: You can demand a seat at the table. You can ask, “How is this AI model being trained on our history?” or “How will this AI factory benefit the neighbors, not just the shareholders?”

How the movie ends depends on the people. Will we choose to lead and navigate the changing tides? Or will we wipe out?