Big Updates: The Book Has Evolved. So Has the Mission.

As Dickens wrote of Fezziwig, we all have “the power to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil.” That power extends beyond the office. It shapes families, communities, and the future we’re building together.

If you’ve been reading this blog quietly for a while, thank you. If you’re standing at your own threshold, wondering what comes next, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

The archipelago is forming. And there’s room for you on these islands. Continue reading Big Updates: The Book Has Evolved. So Has the Mission.

Straw Houses

ow we treat workers as AI reshapes the economy. How we handle communities disrupted by automation. How we balance efficiency against human dignity when machines can do it faster and cheaper.
If we justify humane treatment of displaced workers by arguing it “maintains social stability” or “protects consumer spending,” we’re building on straw again. The moment someone decides the instability is manageable, the justification disappears. Continue reading Straw Houses

The Wrong Race: What Winning Costs in America

American competitive culture—the belief that you prove your worth by sacrificing everything, that love must be earned through achievement, that there is no second place—is a choice. Not fate. Not human nature. A cultural invention.

And a cruel one. Continue reading The Wrong Race: What Winning Costs in America

Breaking Down Barriers: AI’s Role in Authentic Writing

But those rough edges were never the source of authenticity. They were just markers of who could and couldn’t afford good editing.

The machine didn’t give me my ideas, create my arguments, or manufacture my voice. It did what my human editors did—helped me find the words that were always there but just out of reach. Continue reading Breaking Down Barriers: AI’s Role in Authentic Writing

Drifting Toward Home (and What Comes Next)

It’s been a quiet week or so here on Better Places. After many weeks of posting twice a week, I’ve … Continue reading Drifting Toward Home (and What Comes Next)

The Magic Mirror and the Lost Humanities

“The question isn’t, ‘Is the mirror alive?’ The real question is, ‘Are we?’ If we lose touch with our own humanity, the AI mirror will reflect only our shallowness. Reclaim the humanities. Read deeply. Be your own mirror.” Continue reading The Magic Mirror and the Lost Humanities

Why I Stopped Being the Boss: How Teal Leadership Changed My Life

But implementing that vision meant confronting my own paternal instincts. I had to unlearn habits built over years: controlling outcomes, protecting people from discomfort, making decisions for them. It was uncomfortable. It required humility. But it was liberating. Continue reading Why I Stopped Being the Boss: How Teal Leadership Changed My Life

The 25 Hour Week

That question might sound naive in today’s climate. The headlines are full of anxiety: AI is coming for your job. Deepfake campaigns are undermining elections. Automation is about to render human labor obsolete. And yes—those risks are real. But I think we’re asking the wrong questions. Instead of asking what AI will take from us, we should be asking: Continue reading The 25 Hour Week

Taming the Jackal: Why Language Matters More Than Ever

I’ve tried hard not to mention active political figures on this blog. I do that intentionally—not because I don’t have opinions, but because I don’t want to lose readers to the haze of partisan vitriol. Political passion, as we see it now, is often short-sighted and misdirected. It burns hot, fizzles fast, and rarely invites the kind of careful thought that builds understanding or trust.

But this week, I’m making an exception. Continue reading Taming the Jackal: Why Language Matters More Than Ever

Welcome to the Inspiration Economy

Yet—just as in 1995—I also feel a flicker of frustration. So much power, and yet so few ideas come to mind for how to wield it. Innovation still begins with inspiration. Continue reading Welcome to the Inspiration Economy