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Finding Meaning in the Age of AI

More than two thousand years ago, Laozi wrote in the Tao Te Ching: “The five tones deafen the ear, the five colors blind the eye.” He was warning us about overstimulation—when the senses are flooded, the heart loses clarity. In today’s world of endless short videos and algorithm-driven feeds, his words feel prophetic. Our eyes and ears are full, yet our hearts are empty. The more we scroll, the more anxious we become.

The New Face of Anxiety: AI

You are likely reading this because the algorithm has calculated your fears—especially the fear of AI. It’s everywhere. People worry that machines are learning faster, producing more, and even replacing the value of human effort.

In the past, Chinese culture held that “Of all pursuits, only study is noble.” But today, no matter how long you read or study, you cannot outpace an AI model that has absorbed millions of books. This realization often leads to a painful question: “Do I still matter?”

And of course, someone profits from this anxiety. Online courses promise to help you “keep up with AI.” They start cheap—$49 for an entry class—but behind them lurks the $4,900 or even $49,000 “advanced package.” You pay, but the worry remains. Because the problem is not AI. The problem is disconnection from meaning.

Why We Are So Anxious

Anxiety is not new. It is a product of modern civilization itself.

• In the agricultural age, people hunted, planted, and lived by the rhythm of seasons. Life was uncertain, but meaning was tangible—you sowed, you harvested, you survived.

• In the industrial age, machines set the rhythm. Humans had to keep pace with factories and schedules. Anxiety grew.

• In the information age, things accelerated further. Infinite feeds, constant alerts, 24/7 news cycles—our minds are overloaded while our bodies are still wired for the slower pace of hunting and farming.

Evolution is slow. Technology is fast. The gap between them is where modern anxiety lives.

A Different Path: Stop Scrolling, Start Building

So how do we step out of this spiral? The solution may be simpler than we think: stop scrolling, and use your hands to build.

Build a cabin. Plant a tree. Craft a table. Shape a garden. When you work with your hands, something powerful happens:

• Attention shifts from the infinite feed back to the finite, real world.

• Anxiety gives way to focus.

• Emptiness is replaced with a sense of accomplishment.

In the act of building, you rediscover meaning. You reconnect with yourself, with the earth, with time. You prove—at least to yourself—that human value is not measured by how much data you consume or how many notifications you chase.

Meaning in the Real World

AI will continue to advance. Algorithms will continue to push content designed to keep you hooked. But the question is not whether you can outcompete the machine. The question is whether you can reclaim your own humanity.

The answer is in your hands—literally. Build something real. Create a space that belongs to you.

So pause here. Don’t scroll further. Step away from the feed, and start building. Because true meaning is not inside a screen—it’s in the world you can touch.