Why Every Generation Fears the Next Big Leap, Until It Becomes Ordinary
Every era has its turning point, an invention that feels unsettling at first, then becomes so essential we can’t imagine life without it. AI is simply the next one.
My grandparents started their married life in a “lean‑to” on several acres in the middle of Indiana. For those of you who do not know what a “lean‑to” is, I will elaborate. This is a shelter made of branches with one end buried in the ground and the other heading skyward. Several are put together, and the front parts are held up by upright branches, thus forming an open front and a closed back. Blankets or skins form a curtain across the front of the shelter. Now, I am sure they were relieved to eventually move into a cabin, and then a house, and by the time I came along, they had a rambling farmhouse.
Now, what is the point? Times change and life advances. Those steeped in tradition resist. For example, my Uncle Johnnie did not put in an indoor toilet until I was about 12. Think of that during an Indiana winter.
AI is the next essential convenience, much like indoor plumbing. The analogy holds up.
AI will flush out the ring binder that you used to carry around to every class. AI will write better essays and research more details in seconds than you can in hours. Will AI make some mistakes? Sure.
There are so many advances we can point to that were initially resisted but later embraced for the long term. We no longer look to miss “road apples” on the street. We drive from England to France. We call friends on other continents. We send messages around the world in seconds, and we can do the same with bombs if we so choose.
When college students cross the stage to receive diplomas and acknowledge their computers, their tribute to AI is understandable.
How might AI change your life? Airplanes quickly take you to Florida. Cars let you run errands all day. The comparison is clear.
AI is here to stay and will soon be serving you daily, just like every other invention. The fear is that AI could act independently. We are already being cautious about who can manage this intelligence. Anthropic refused to give the U.S. government unrestricted access to its AI technology. Powerful, or perhaps wise. This is the next frontier, and access is the key question. Who can know how it works? Who can control it? Or can you control it? Movies have explored the fear of AI taking over, and that is the concern.
Every generation faces a moment when the future feels too big, too fast, too unfamiliar. And yet, we adapt. We learn. We integrate. AI will be no different, another tool that reshapes our lives, challenges our assumptions, and ultimately becomes part of the everyday landscape.
For more reflections on technology, adaptation, and emotional resilience, visit Psychology Today’s essays on human behavior and change and Greater Good’s research on innovation and well‑being.
If AI stirs curiosity, anxiety, or questions about how we adapt to rapid change, therapy can help you explore those feelings with clarity and grounding. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional flexibility in a changing world.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
