The CEO of Africa's largest bank states they strategically avoid being on the cutting edge. This "fast follower" approach allows them to adopt proven innovations responsibly while avoiding the high costs and risks of being a pioneer.

Professionals often dismiss AI to avoid the effort of learning it, just as they once mocked older relatives for struggling with new technology. This reluctance to adapt turns them into the very people they used to make fun of for being out of touch.

The perceived speed of technological displacement is more critical than the change itself. A 20-year horizon allows industries and individuals to adapt, learn, and integrate new tools. A rapid 2-year horizon, however, creates widespread fear and unrest because it outpaces society's ability to adjust.

The Church has a tradition of embracing technological progress, from monks copying books to using the printing press and radio. The slow adoption of the internet is seen as an exception they are now trying to correct with AI.

The mechanically superior clock was ignored for 200 years while the rudimentary hourglass thrived. This was because society valued approximate time, not precision. A technology's potential remains invisible and unharnessed until a culture's value system shifts to appreciate what that technology offers.

The Catholic Church banned Gutenberg's printing press for over 100 years, fearing the loss of control that widespread literacy would bring. Gutenberg himself died without seeing its impact. This historical precedent shows that powerful institutions have always resisted technologies that democratize information and power.

While their faith prohibits them from driving cars, the Amish have a practical workaround: they hire non-Amish people, whom they call 'English,' to drive them. This creates an informal taxi service, allowing them to travel long distances without breaking their religious rules.

Older generations resist new platforms not just because they're romantic about the past, but because they are complacent and unwilling to put in the work to learn something new. This creates a predictable cycle of resistance that presents a clear opportunity for agile competitors.

New communication technologies go through an awkward adoption phase. It took about 15 years for people to learn how to have deep conversations on the telephone, initially using it only for transactions. We are currently in this same learning period for email, text, and other digital communication.