What happens when something we enjoy doing that took effort becomes effortless? And what happens if that original effort was a foundation on which we saw value in ourselves?

If our efforts, in part, define us, then our efforts have intrinsic value. Our efforts may help us understand a position we want to occupy, an identity we carry, or an outlook we present. This value contributes to an internal economy of joy, self-respect, fulfillment, happiness. When effortful things become effortless, what becomes of our position in these economies?

As you can see, I have a few questions here.

I know someone who spent a part of their adult life taking beautiful photographs, developing them by hand, framing them, cataloging them. Along came the ubiquity of digital cameras and smartphones, and "film" became infinitely available. Offhandedly, one day, this person mentioned that with the proliferation of smart phone cameras, and the ease with which one can take photos, they had found that some days their desire to continue was diminishing, and their work had lost meaning.

Technology has a history of making effortful things effortless, and there is sometimes a hidden loss in that advancement.

I figure people are continually being left behind in a similar manner day-to-day. Technology continues advancing (for the most part), and more things that remain effortful will become effortless. And "we" (ie, the populations who can afford to sit around and have crises of identity on these topics) will be further pushed to re-evaluate certain parts of our definitions of self.

For myself, in the last 10 years, my work of writing code has largely defined what I do with my working time. Now I experience large swaths of that work being created and done by AI (sometimes amazingly well, sometimes poorly), and I find myself thinking of the photographer above. It's not my wish that people can't have access to a more effortless way to write code, but I feel a strange sadness that there is less left to the act of the craft.

I have had this note in a draft state for several weeks now because I still can’t quite come to terms with how I’m feeling about things. There are so many nuances and unclear thoughts rolling around in my head about this shift. I think the only thing that is vaguely clear is that none of this would matter if making money wasn’t at play. If I was just writing code, (or taking film photographs) for fun in my free time because I enjoyed it, well, I don’t think I’d be feeling so conflicted.

Being paid to work and presenting my capacities through my craft is an exchange that I have been able to derive value from in its effortful-ness. Often times I've worked on utterly boring tasks that I would have loved to have a tool that could automate. But I didn't. And even in those menial moments I did derive some pleasure in my capacities. Of course, when it came to the real challenges, that was where I felt a pleasure and value in putting forth effort.

As a consultant, I work in a lot of different places, often for brief stints of time. And at many of these places, I see a large push, top-down, to encourage people to use AI. These employees, previously having entered an employment agreement where their capacities and experience would be exchanged for money, are now being asked that their abilities be augmented. In this way, the level continues to skew toward privileging production, often without understanding and people using their own perspectives.

When I see sentiments similar to mine, I often see reactions where people say that AI is simply a tool and that you must learn to use it and incorporate it into your toolbox. That's fine. That's well and good. But all I'm trying to say here is that I feel a lack and a loss for something. I don't understand it yet.

The title of this post, our efforts, in part, define us, is just a phrase that popped into my head. I'm not really sure if I even believe it or if I've fully fleshed out this single statement. But some part of it rings true to me. I wonder what will happen to us and our efforts. Will we be driven into further niches that are effortful, that we can derive value from? Will we become vague blobs that are formless, ill-defined, and despondent?

All of this presupposes a few things —that one can (and/or should) aim to derive value from work, that a meaningful identity is constructed by doing effortful things, that people generally are happier when they can use their skills and experiences to make something. And what’s more, there is a fine-line here between glorifying people with experience deriving value, and sounding like a shitty gatekeeper.

I will continue working for various clients. I suspect I will continue hearing leadership push AI on employees. And I will continue observing how people respond to this. Of course, for many people a job is just a job, as they say, and they'll do whatever they can to get it done more quickly (or work several jobs at once). Those very same people might find more value from their efforts now that AI is making their jobs easier. They can turn to better supporting their family, following other interests outside of work, finding other meaningful things, etc.

But at this time, I don't really see how this won’t further trample people’s spirits in the realm of work, unless we also reshape our expectations of work itself.

Is it worth the effort?