CHAPTER 11

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Learning about the baseline of the Hierarchy of Needs is one thing, but building a praxis in a time of increased automation, advancements in AI, and the ongoing climate crisis (A2C2) could kickstart this new chapter in our lives. A praxis that improves upon many things, from the general air quality, water quality and availability, and food quality and availability to now Warmth to some degree, would provide a more reassuring direction in an otherwise less certain future. However, when it comes to connecting the end of our Basic Needs, like Warmth, with the next level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Safety, there are a few things that I will put on your radar.

Growing up, do you recall math teachers telling the class we wouldn’t always have a calculator in our pocket? That has since changed with the advent of smartphones. Just as we’ve experienced the advancements of our phones’ capabilities, AI can, relatively speaking, answer questions in a homework assignment or take a test with greater accuracy than the mind of a passive student. So, what have we been working towards in the classroom? After all, how many of us will become contestants on Jeopardy anyway?

Education is a fundamental human right that empowers individuals to lead healthy and productive lives. Regardless of how advanced AI becomes, education should continue to equip us with the skills and knowledge necessary to participate in society actively, enhance our economic status, contribute to community development, and elevate our consciousness while fostering cultural synthesis within our communities. Whether the work we put in will lead us back to nature or further our needs elsewhere, the lesson plan and conversations within the classroom should reflect what we want to accomplish. Knowing that AI will continue to change our future, how will the classroom change along with it and better prepare students for the future?

As we harken back to the book’s beginning, we can reflect upon Paulo Freire’s rejection of the traditional Banking Model of Education, where teachers deposit knowledge into passive students’ minds and make withdraws under high-stakes testing. But will the Problem-Posing Method be a better approach to democratically identifying, collaborating, and solving real-world problems? 

In the context of The FML Theory, Paulo Freire provides us with a “looking glass” to break free from the traditional classroom constraints and better realize our humanity. Abraham Maslow provides us with a “playbook” to place priority on our basic needs. As A2C2 continues, we must question our goals and what we want to accomplish in the classroom. But in all of this change that will occur, what about the teachers? Can they teach us how to peer through the looking glass better, and what exactly could this playbook evolve into?

It’s not just in the name; educators constitute the backbone of any education system. Teachers serve a pivotal role in shaping the future of societies. Without professors, there would be no higher education system to speak of. The importance of fair compensation for our mentors and the significance of investing in education cannot be understated. However, it is disheartening that many are underpaid and undervalued, leading to a decline in educational quality and a shortage of qualified instructors. Could achieving this be as simple as providing salary increases for academia to continue their work, work in underserved areas, or for students to want to become more scholarly themselves?

While most Americans have completed high school, we’ve been shadowing teachers as their impromptu apprentices throughout childhood and adolescence. But despite growing up in the classroom, many pursue careers outside of teaching because the pay is better, or they might not want to spend their entire life in the classroom. Suppose we incentivize better pay for teachers to encourage young people to consider a career path in education, especially when many of the skills taught for today’s jobs will likely become obsolete once more displacement from A2 unfolds. Therefore, it is crucial to attract the best teaching talent right now to educate us on the skills required for the jobs of tomorrow and to match the pay with how vital this role is for our future.

Still, it’s not just about preparing a young student for tomorrow’s economy but also preparing ourselves for the short-term and long-term effects of A2C2 in and out of the classroom. As we continue to reevaluate education further and provide a new curriculum to prepare young people for this new world, we should also do so with the intent that the student’s parents or legal guardians might also be in the classroom with their kids. When the machines free our time, we can become even more involved in our children’s education and future. In doing so, education will dramatically improve because parents and legal guardians are involved even more in their children’s education.

Still, as we seek to change “what we discuss in schools” and who might find themselves back in the classroom, we must also remember the fundamental building blocks of society beyond the schools. This consideration is critical as we prioritize work in every country where A2C2 will impact our species’ lives. So, let’s continue to build upon our education like scaffolding. We have a solid foundation, but what else can we focus on that will help improve our lives and those who will inherit the Earth in due time?

Over the last several decades, globalization has led many businesses to ship their factories and offices to less expensive labor markets to remain competitive internationally. However, over the next several years, as even more machines and their software replace many jobs around the planet, the demand for inexpensive labor in factories and offices will be affected. What work can we prioritize once machines replace millions of jobs? Specifically, what work can serve our Basic Needs or carry over into the next level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, our Safety Needs?

With the undeniable need to focus on work that “must be done” in a country where the work cannot be outsourced or performed by a machine, infrastructure will serve as one of the most significant domestic job creators. After all, without systems like the electrical grid, roads, bridges, damns, highways, public transportation, water treatment facilities, sanitation systems, etc., that tie into our houses, a home is just another building that keeps us temporarily out of the elements. That is, until we make it a home.

Traditional infrastructure systems have fueled our economic development for the past century. Still, many empty or vacant buildings have remained abandoned for long periods between all of the homes, offices, and warehouses we have built. These old, abandoned buildings or lots, not limited to residential dwellings, are called blight. Blight refers to the process of deterioration and decay that occurs when a property is left neglected for an extended period. Abandoned areas that have experienced weather damage, lack of maintenance, vandalism, or natural disasters can contribute to blighted property.

When an area becomes blighted, it can negatively impact the surrounding community. Abandoned buildings can attract criminal activity, lower property values, and contribute to the overall decline of a neighborhood. Due to this neglect, they can also pose safety hazards, as unstable structures lead to the accumulation of debris like garbage or even leach decaying building material into the soil or waterways. However, addressing blight requires a comprehensive approach involving public and private efforts. These efforts may include code enforcement, property tax incentives, grants, loans for renovation, community revitalization initiatives, and, in some cases, blighted properties that may need demolishing to make way for new development. But what can be done with the property once blight has been removed?

With every dollar invested in blight removal, there is an economic correlation with increased property values, decreased crime rates, and heightened economic activity in the surrounding area. To revitalize communities and stimulate economic growth, an old building or neglected property could be turned into Green Space Infrastructure!

Green spaces allow nature to thrive, from grassy spots within urban areas to trees and shrubs, parks, gardens, forests, wetlands, mangroves, and various natural or landscaped areas. Green spaces serve multiple purposes, offering recreation, relaxation, and environmental conservation opportunities. They bring numerous benefits to surrounding communities, including improved air quality, noise reduction, and positive effects on mental health. Although it might seem like I’m suggesting we demolish every old building in sight, there are several things we could do before destroying everything we’ve forgotten that we’ve built.

Identifying vacant or underutilized buildings for repurposing before outright demolition is crucial. It will be essential to offer them as affordable housing units or shelters for people without homes. This holistic approach helps reduce homelessness, encourages urban revitalization, preserves valuable resources without starting from scratch, and promotes long-term stability and cohesiveness in communities.

Ultimately, tackling these challenges will prepare us better for what comes next. Cities can work towards more equitable, resilient, and environmentally friendly urban environments in our ever-changing world, as the work we encounter will differ from usual.

So, with AI and Automation doing a lot of the heavy lifting in the next decade and beyond, we have a serious “time opportunity” opening up from the constraints of our current jobs and the classroom we’ve come to know. We need to use our time wisely and help the most disadvantaged in our society regain their humanity. In doing so, we can reclaim the humanity that we have lost. Being helpful, being useful, and being more present in the moment means we can pursue more meaningful work that provides us with a greater purpose. Solving A2C2 will be one of the most impressive endeavors we’ve ever undertaken.

Reexamining how we will allocate resources for public schools, including teacher salaries, classroom supplies, facility improvements, implementing early childhood education programs, strengthening after-school and extracurricular programs, fostering partnerships between schools, local businesses, community organizations, and supporting higher education and vocational training opportunities still in high demand for the economy of the future will be one of the most exciting times in many of our careers, and our connected lives.

In summary, the disciplines, topics, areas of interest, or studies mentioned throughout this book could mean a new curriculum is ahead of us as students in the classroom and as students of life. I know I’ll never live to be 250 years old to discuss this with everyone, but suppose I can say something in a book that everyone could read or hear about. In that case, I look forward to what connects us as equal human beings in the classroom and beyond.