Far Flung Events

As I reflect on Brexit, I am wondering whether my life is yoked to far flung events that are beyond my control and, in some cases, events that I had no inkling were brewing until shit hit the fan.

This is particularly true of events that involve Britain and the US. [Caveat Emptor: I am an aspiring futurologist and a student of eschatology – though I am not a fan of fate or destiny]

What got me thinking was the UK timeline of EU membership (BBC) and in particular what happened in 1992. I had just graduated and was offered a job by Schlumberger; only for them to withdraw at the last minute due to “reduced attrition”. Despite my level of education (and line of industry), it was actually the first time I came across the word “attrition”. I think I spent several days – in anger – looking up that word.

Now, as I reflect on that event, it hit me that I was but collateral damage in a range of wider political and economic events happening to the UK at that time.  It was the year and almost exactly to the day that I “lost” my first job, that Britain crashed out of ERM (and made George Soros a billionaire extraordinaire). Had I known the wider context of my prospective employer’s decision, perhaps I would have ridden the wave of disgruntlement instead of taking the first flight home.

Of course, I should not berate myself too hard because I guess I was, like the average student, wet on the ears and more focused on pub crawling that on world affairs and how they impact me.

Fast forward to 2001. Yes 9/11. By this time, I was a bit more worldly. Over the years I had become a news junkie. Not only of local events but far flung local ones that had no import on me other than filling up my grey matter with junk anecdotes that I would use to illuminate my pub conversations. This time I was in the US on an H1B Visa blissfully unaware that my life would be turned upside down because of 9/11 [To say my wife hates (yes even in death) Bin Laden, is an understatement of, literally, global proportion].

Once again, I should not berate myself too hard. I mean even people that get paid to think ahead, had no inkling of the scenario. Nonetheless, I once again found myself on the receiving end of events that had no idea they would happen, and even if I knew they would, were beyond my control. [Side Note: Let us say I was aware of the event happening, can you imagine the reaction I would get trying to get the authorities to act to prevent said event?]

In contrast to the UK debacle, I did try to ride the wave of disgruntlement but then at that age I had lost my innocence, and would not countenance playing hide and seek with ICE – not with a young family in tow.

So, what is next event that I have no idea is brewing that I must watch out for and, most importantly, how do I take advantage of it before, during and after it happens?

Brexit? Coronavirus or its next equivalent? Trade war? Humans on Mars (in my lifetime)? General AI?

Maybe it is true that the future is indeed written on our backs: we only get to see it either through the eyes of a third-party (if we can believe them) or, in hindsight, with a mirror (when it’s too late).

Of course, it is not all doom and gloom. The release of Mandela, an event that happened far away from me, has had a direct positive impact on my life; and on a much smaller scale so had the awarding of government scholarships to deserving students no matter their backgrounds. Of course, one would argue that, the latter event required some prior work from me. That is true and my counterargument is that, that is true for all future events, even if, as was in this case, I had no inkling the government even offered such scholarships.