How to Participate in the Meaning Economy
How to Participate in the Meaning Economy
It is quickly becoming a foregone conclusion (in some circles) that AI + robotics will fundamentally reshape the economy. So what comes next?
The frontier of automation fundamentally disclocates labor.
For the sake of argument, I’ll assume you’re up to speed on the idea that AI and robotics will destroy human jobs as we know them. If you want to check it out, here’s a report by Anton Korinek over at the IMF on the frontier of automation.
MOVING ON.
Okay, so if we accept the idea that jobs, as we know them, are going away, what comes next? How do we make ends meet? What do humans do?
Leisure Lifestyles
One possibility is leisure lifestyles. We might all end up living more like Roman patricians or landed gentry a la Downton Abbey. Throughout most of recent human history (circa 3500 BCE onward) there has pretty much always been a leisure class—aristocrats, landed gentry, lords, etc—who don’t really have to work for a living. Sure, they sometimes go do military service, but for the most part, they don’t exchange daily labor for wages.
These folks have found plenty of things to do to keep entertained:
Killer parties. The Greeks and Romans were famous for their dinner parties, some of them more debauched than others.
Spiritual pursuits. Burning Man is a sort of modern version of Beltaine at Stonehenge.
Intellectual pursuits. Most of the Western scientists and explorers of the Renaissance and early Modern period were nobility—folks who could afford to dick around in a lab all day or go galavanting through the Amazon.
The Grand Game. While shows like Bridgerton are candy-colored exaggeration, humans always love a good status game. Crossfit is a good example of a modern status game based on physique. Political intrigue and social games are endless entertainment for our monkey brains.
I have no doubt that, assuming we achieve post-scarcity and hyper-abundance and that most jobs get destroyed by AI and robots, people will still find stuff to do. Throw more orgies, attend more raves, do more drugs. You know, wholesome activities for the whole family! (Kidding, of course).
I don’t want to perseverate on post-AGI lifestyles broadly on this post, though it can be a fun exercise in fantasizing and future-surfing. Instead, I want to focus on making money in that period.
Economic Bifurcation
One thing I predict is that we’ll see a sort of bifurcation of the economy. On the one hand, the capital economy (Microsoft, etc) will continue much the same. Data centers, power plants, infrastructure—all the stuff that we will depend upon for our leisurely lifestyles—will continue in demand. Someone’s gotta run the AI and build the robots.
But where does that leave the rest of us? Let’s say you get bored of your Victorian-style pursuit of alcohol-fueled debauchery and sleeping in, and decide that you want to achieve more in life, you want to earn a nicer house, a higher social status, or something. What then, do you do?
In a solved world, what kinds of things would you still spend money on?
Imagine that, from a functional standpoint, you are independently wealthy. For the sake of argument, imagine that you get a $100M windfall from an uncle you didn’t know you had. Suddenly, you don’t need to do anything to get by. Housing, food, medical expenses… none of that matters. You can now make more on interest each year than you might have saved your entire life.
Take a moment to brainstorm what you’d do with your time and money.
No really, jot down a list or even talk with your favorite chatbot. Share in the comments what you would do.
What did you come up with?
Something like these:
Buy a new car, maybe a new house, or even a fancy yacht.
Go on more vacations to exotic destinations.
Indulge a little bit?
Go to more music festivals, dance festivals, or spiritual retreats.
Spend more times with friends, family, children.
Finally get good at guitar/piano/singing/violin.
Now imagine that everyone on the planet is allocating their time, money, and energy like this. You can see new market possibilities emerging.
The Meaning Economy is an economic paradigm that emerges as AI and automation increasingly fulfill material needs, shifting human economic activity towards the creation, exchange, and consumption of meaningful experiences, relationships, and personal growth opportunities. In this economy, value is primarily derived from activities that provide purpose, fulfillment, and emotional or intellectual satisfaction, rather than traditional goods and services. It represents the next evolution beyond the service economy, where human creativity, empathy, and the ability to generate and transmit meaning become the core drivers of economic value.
Meaning Economy Examples
The vast majority of human history was under the paradigm of agrarian economics. Farming. Then we pivoted to an industrial economy for a couple of centuries (really about 150 years, give or take) before transitioning again to the service economy. That economy, in hindsight, will have lasted less than a century before we transition finally to the meaning economy.
Meaning jobs have always existed, though. From clerics and monks and spiritual leaders, to philosophers and wandering gurus and even yoga teachers. Writers and thinkers throughout history, from Plato to Voltaire, were arguably part of a very small niche of the meaning economy.
Such jobs have always existed, and continue to this day. Commentators like Jordan Peterson and Destiny are prime examples of ideologues; public intellectuals who lead the conversation of certain ideological tribes. My job is that of a maven, someone who ingests and transmutes huge amounts of information from various sources. But could everyone make a living by talking about AI or transgender issues? Probably not. At the time of writing, YouTube has awarded about 450,000 silver “play buttons” to creators with more than 100,000 subscribers, which is about the threshold to when you can make a living doing YouTube full time. That’s 0.0056% of the population, if my math is correct.
So clearly this domain is not large enough for everyone, even if the meaning economy expands. Imagine that instead of working in an office 8 hours a day, people around the world spend more time on YouTube. That would be great for me and Jordan Peterson!
Meaning Economy Sectors
I had a conversation with Claude, explaining the concept of the meaning economy and together we’ve brainstormed a few sectors or categories of activities that will likely be in the meaning economy, and therefore, should (hopefully) be durable against automation.
Personal Development: People will likely be willing to pay good money for retreats and workshops, for a broad variety of skills and experiences. Furthermore, life coaching and mentorships will probably be durable as well, as there is something quintessentially human about coaching, even if AI can offer good advice. The value of emotional resonance and connection is there. Other courses and workshops, such as self-improvement and even philosophical or existential explorations in the form of webinars will probably stick around.
Experiential Activities: As material needs are increasingly met, people will seek out unique and meaningful experiences. This could include immersive travel experiences that go beyond typical tourism, offering deep cultural immersion or personal growth opportunities. Cultural festivals and events will likely gain more importance as they offer communal experiences and shared meaning. Virtual and augmented reality experiences may provide novel ways to explore and find meaning, while psychedelic-assisted therapy (where legal) could offer profound personal insights and transformative experiences.
Creative Pursuits: The creation and appreciation of art, music, literature, and other forms of creative expression will likely become even more valued in the meaning economy. People may invest more time and resources in developing their artistic skills or supporting artists. Digital content creation, including podcasting, vlogging, and social media content, will continue to be a significant part of how people express themselves and find meaning in the digital age.
Community Engagement: As automation reduces the need for traditional labor, people may find increased meaning in community involvement. This could include local volunteer work, community-building initiatives, and collaborative projects that bring people together for a common purpose. Social impact ventures that aim to address community or global challenges could become a major focus for those seeking meaning through their work.
Intellectual Stimulation: The pursuit of knowledge and understanding will remain a key source of meaning. This might manifest as participation in philosophical discussions and debates, attending public lectures and seminars, or engaging with think tanks and idea incubators. Online learning communities could flourish, offering platforms for people to share knowledge and engage in intellectual discourse on a global scale.
Wellness and Health: As the link between physical health, mental wellbeing, and overall life satisfaction becomes more apparent, people will likely invest more in holistic health practices. This could include personalized fitness and nutrition coaching, mental health support, and preventative healthcare services. The focus may shift from treating illness to optimizing wellbeing and finding meaning through physical and mental balance.
Spiritual and Existential Exploration: In a world where material needs are largely met, many may turn to spiritual or existential pursuits for deeper meaning. This could involve meditation and mindfulness practices, seeking religious or spiritual guidance, or engaging in existential counseling. Consciousness exploration, through various means, might become a more mainstream pursuit as people seek to understand themselves and their place in the universe.
Environmental Stewardship: As environmental concerns become more pressing, finding meaning through environmental protection and sustainability efforts may become increasingly common. This could involve participation in conservation projects, attending sustainable living workshops, engaging in eco-tourism, or contributing to climate change mitigation initiatives. People may find deep satisfaction in knowing they're contributing to the planet's wellbeing.
Cultural Preservation and Exchange: In an increasingly globalized world, there may be a counter-movement to preserve and celebrate diverse cultural heritage. This could involve language preservation initiatives, cultural heritage projects, and facilitating cross-cultural dialogue. There might also be increased interest in indigenous wisdom sharing, as people seek alternative perspectives on life and meaning.
Relationship Building: Despite technological advancements, human connections will likely remain a crucial source of meaning. This could manifest in various forms, from matchmaking services that go beyond superficial connections to community bonding events that foster a sense of belonging. Family counseling and conflict resolution services may gain importance as people seek to build and maintain meaningful relationships.
Ethical Technology Integration: As technology becomes more advanced and pervasive, there will likely be increased demand for services that help people navigate the ethical implications and integrate technology meaningfully into their lives. This could include AI ethics consulting, human-AI collaboration workshops, and digital well-being services that help people maintain a healthy relationship with technology.
Meaning-Driven Innovation: The meaning economy may spark a new wave of innovation focused on creating products and services that directly contribute to people's sense of purpose and fulfillment. This could involve purpose-driven startups, social entrepreneurship initiatives, and ethical investment advisory services that help people align their financial decisions with their values and desire for meaning.
This article is already getting a bit long, so I’ll leave you with one final example. There are a few fellow creators that I support. One is Nerd Cookies, who makes video essays about, well, nerd culture like Star Trek and Dune. I’d watched her for a while until one day she made a video that really just struck a chord and that was the “activation moment” for me. I thought to myself “Okay, I need to support this chick.”
Another is my friend Philip over at AI Explained. He’s a prodigious reader and great communicator and, as I say to my audience, “incentivize the behavior you want to see!” So I signed up for his Patreon (and he signed up for mine).
The last creator that I’ll mention is actually a couple named Strick and Fran.
Now, you might say “Okay, just another travel influencer VLOG, big deal.” And sure, that’s what they do on the surface, but Fran is a marine biologist and Strick is an engineer who also loves history and indigenous cultures. So they sprinkle a lot of wisdom and factoids throughout their videos, and they both care about the natural world so much. Their love for the environment shows through.
But above and beyond that, they are pioneering a new way to relate to the world. After watching them for almost a year, I decided it was time to support them, as I want them to keep doing what they are doing. Why? There are a TON of reasons that I shell out $40 per episode for them:
They give me hope for my own life. They are much tougher than I am, as I’ve been dealing with chronic health issues which (hopefully) are about to go away. They have been hugely inspiring to me, to show me what’s possible. Even if I only ever become half as adventurous as them, it will be more than I could have ever dreamed of for myself.
They really care a lot. This makes me feel less alone. Strick is always telling stories about the history of the places they visit, and they are pointing out natural lifecycles of all the creatures they encounter. It’s wonderful to support such thoughtful people who are bringing these ideas and messages to the world. Their videos regularly get hundreds of thousands of views. (Again, incentivize the behavior you want to see!)
They are incredibly sweet people. I’ve had the chance to talk to them a couple times and they are even nicer in person than you’d imagine. They just exude kindness and appreciation, on top of being thoughtful and conscientious.
Again, not everyone can go be a content creator or a travel blogger, but if AI and robotics drastically reduce our cost of living, who knows? Maybe we do need more artisans and musicians.
My goal for myself is to get to Burning Man in 2025. I hope that I’ll be healthy and resilient enough by then. That’s my New Year’s Resolution for 2025.
Finally, if you want to learn more about this future and learn directly from me on how to participate, I invite you to join my New Era Pathfinder’s community. Link here: https://www.skool.com/newerapathfinders