America: From a Fallen Child Star to the Head of the University of the West

Chapter 99 The Future Has Arrived

Lao Ma didn't sneak in; instead, dressed in a black leather jacket and surrounded by several assistants, he walked openly to the reserved seat in front of the stage.

All the cameras instantly turned to him, flashes going off everywhere. Musk casually waved at the cameras, sat down, crossed his legs, and looked at Sean on the stage with a slight smile.

"This guy—"

Sean maintained his composure with difficulty and said to the reporter who had just asked the question, "Please continue with your question."

But the atmosphere had been disrupted, and the reporter's questions became increasingly inattentive.

The open discussion then began. Musk, along with three other invited academics, engineers, and a former auto union representative, took to the stage and sat with Sean on a sofa in the center.

As soon as the host posed the first question about "automation and employment," Musk leaned forward and picked up the microphone.

"First, I want to thank Sean for inviting me," Musk said quickly. "He raised many points worth discussing. But I want to approach this from a more fundamental perspective: we shouldn't try to resist automation or artificial intelligence. It's futile, just like resisting the loom back then. We should embrace it and accelerate it. Automation isn't the problem; the problem is our social structures, our education system, and the mindset of many people, which are still stuck in the last era."

In fact, before the arrival of the AI ​​era, he repeatedly warned people to be wary of AI!

It seems he caught the last train of this era now —

Lao Ma continued gesturing, his tone becoming more persuasive: "In the next ten years, repetitive physical and mental labor will largely disappear. But at the same time, new jobs—jobs we can't even imagine today—will be created. The key isn't to protect old jobs, but to prepare people for new jobs, no, not just jobs—new roles, new ways of creating. What we need is a complete rethinking of education—"

"Of course, the premise is that LGBT+ individuals cannot be allowed into schools to corrupt our next generation —"

He spoke for nearly five minutes straight, covering topics from neural networks to interstellar colonization, from brain-computer interfaces to the energy revolution, and from having children to colonizing interstellar space.

Several other guests tried to interject, but he overwhelmed them with his faster pace and more expansive concepts. The audience, especially young people and tech professionals, listened with great interest, and some even applauded.

Sean listened patiently, nodding occasionally, but his gaze swept across the audience, noticing the slightly confused or uneasy faces.

Then it was the turn of a woman in her sixties with gray hair to speak. Her name was Marian Dalton.

Her voice was heavy. “Mr. Musk, the future you’re talking about may sound wonderful. But in Flint, Michigan, where I grew up, many people were left behind in the last revolution. Factories closed, communities decayed, and people waited decades for those unimaginable new jobs you’re talking about.”

"What they got was an opioid epidemic and despair. What use is your talk of rethinking education to people who are already in their forties or fifties and have families to support?" Her tone was heavy.

Musk frowned. "Ah—these are unavoidable sacrifices, the growing pains of history, but hindering technological progress will only make everyone poorer. What we need is faster adaptation, a more flexible labor market, and perhaps a concept like Universal Basic Income (UBI) to provide a buffer—"

In a rational discussion, UBI isn't necessarily contrary to Layman's aversion to government regulation. Although it originated from the left, it surprisingly aligns with some of Hayek's ideas. After all, the UBI framework can significantly reduce government involvement.

"UBI?" Marian raised her voice. "Money instead of work? Work isn't just about money, Mr. Musk. It's about dignity, your place in the community. Many people don't want to be buffered," they want to contribute, to be needed!

The discussion began to turn somewhat polarized. Another scholar attempted to reconcile the conflict, but Musk was clearly impatient with the discussion being confined to "how to fix things." His tone became impassioned again, even carrying a prophetic fervor: "Fixing things won't fix them! Systemic problems require systemic upgrades! If we slow down because we're afraid of the growing pains, other countries will overtake us. What we need is a leap! A complete embrace of automation, an explosive increase in productivity, and only then can we discuss how to distribute the abundant rewards! In this process, the obsolescence of some old industries and old work models is an inevitable cost. Trying to preserve them is like trying to preserve the horse-drawn carriage industry!"

"I can understand it emotionally, but financially it's suicidal!"

"The price? Sir, what is the price?" Marian's voice trembled slightly. "It's our lives, our community!"

The situation was getting out of control. The host tried to intervene. The audience began to whisper among themselves. But Mr. Ma seemed to be still immersed in his own logic of justification, and continued to explain the necessity of his "creative destruction."

Just then, Sean picked up the microphone in front of him.

"Elon," he called Musk by name, looking him directly in the eye, "no one questions the value of technological progress, and no one really wants to go back to the past. Marian doesn't want to, I don't want to, and I believe the vast majority of people here don't want to."

He paused, letting the words settle. Musk stopped and looked at him.

"But the problem lies in speed and direction," Sean made sure every word was clear. "No matter how fast a car goes, if it only cares about rushing towards the finish line, regardless of what it hits or who it leaves behind along the way, is the future we ultimately arrive at really what we all want? Or is it just the future of a few people on board?"

He turned to the audience: "Technology is a tool, a powerful tool. But the value of a tool is determined by the goals of the person using it. What are our goals?"

At this moment, he needed to say something that seemed like nonsense, but was perfectly appropriate for the occasion.

After all, politics is a perverse art, and he can't just watch the prison guards vent their anger and then nod in agreement, can he?

This is his home turf!

He then looked at Musk again, his tone firm but not aggressive, "You say we need to leap forward, and I completely agree! But I think a bolder leap isn't about recklessly rushing through technology while ignoring the pain, but about designing a mechanism that allows more people to leap forward together. Yes, it's harder, but that's what politics should be doing—not simply declaring the future is here and survival of the fittest, but shaping a future where more people can survive and even prosper."

A few seconds of silence fell over the room. Then, applause erupted from the back rows, gradually spreading to the front. It wasn't applause for technological fantasies, but for this call to put people back at the center.

Marian Dalton nodded emphatically, while the scholars looked thoughtful.

Musk looked at Sean, the fervor on his face fading slightly. He finally shrugged helplessly, saying with a hint of sarcasm but not hostility, "Typical political rhetoric. But okay, I admit, it's really difficult. And you're right, good luck, Sean."

The crisis was averted. Sean didn't embarrass Musk, but clearly stated his position: technological progress must go hand in hand with social justice. He neither completely succumbed to anti-technology populism nor bowed to technological determinism.

The discussion returned to more specific policy details. Sean once again took control of the conversation, launching into a lengthy boastful monologue—

Liam, watching from the side of the curtain, unconsciously stopped writing in his notebook. He turned to Matthew and whispered, "What he just did—that wasn't rehearsed, was it?"

Matthew smiled and shook his head: "Mr. Pan's greatest strength is his ability to handle situations. He knows exactly what to say at what time. Mr. Kelly said he has a keen eye for people," and I think he also has a keen eye for situations.

The press conference is coming to an end.

Sean concluded by saying, "When elk migrate, they don't abandon their injured or old companions. They adjust their pace and search for new pastures together. In this era of change, what we need is this spirit: to move firmly toward the future, but to make sure we move together."

The event concluded with applause. The media swarmed in, but the questions were no longer about ambiguous stances or a lack of conviction, but rather about policy details, pilot programs, and funding sources.

Sean answered them all patiently.

Before leaving, Musk walked over to Sean and said briefly, "Sean, I'll think about your points. But anyway—the presentation went well."

Then the jailer patted Sean on the shoulder and turned to leave.

Backstage, Kelly smiled approvingly: "Well done, kid. You didn't let him lead you astray, and you didn't break ties with him. Most importantly, you showed everyone that you're no longer a soft-hearted peacemaker. You have your own core, and you know how to protect it."

Sean loosened his collar and exhaled. "I just said what I had to say. But—"

He glanced at the new team member who was having an in-depth conversation with Marian Dalton. "We need to quickly turn those specific proposals we discussed today into more solid plans. We need to listen more to voices like Marian's."

Liam approached, his eyes sparkling with newfound interest: "Mr. Pan, may I be involved in this part of the work? I've done some research on American labor history and regional economic transformation—"

"Of course, Liam," Sean smiled, "Go and work with Matthew to organize everything you've heard and thought about today. We're just getting started. Our next step is young people and students like you!"