The end of history

We live in historic times.

While it always feels this way to an extent, it’s pretty much unquestionable that it’s particularly true right now. 

Take the last four months. We’ve seen a terrorist attack, trade wars, actual wars, skyrocketing fuel prices, inflation returning, interest rates creeping up in response, ABC strikes, mass AI-driven redundancies, and Pauline Hanson leading a surge in support for One Nation by treating Gina Rinehart’s jet like a quadriga of the end times. 

History, we are told, is written by the winners. But events now move so quickly, and the battle to define and own the narrative is so fierce, history is now written by everyone, in real time. 

Those who apply hindsight are often ignored - the world has moved on, our attention shifted permanently elsewhere. History became a race long ago. Now it’s moving to be predictive. 

Nowhere is this more evident than in AI.

The idea that we know where AI is going is fanciful. But that doesn’t stop people trying. Whether it’s mapping the direction of white collar workers, explaining Claude, or attempting to define Dario Amodei and other leaders, much of the reporting around the topic has gone from explanation to interpretation. 

This is, on one level, only natural. When the world feels so uncertain, we don’t have the luxury of waiting for a careful historical post factum. We need answers now - to understand, to inform decisions, to calm that creeping sense of dread.

But as we lose patience for history, we lose the lessons that calm retrospection offers. With events rapidly overtaking even the most considered takes, we could all do with learning from a bit of history.