👋 Hi! I'm Dan. I help entrepreneurs and creatives do the work that only you can do. If that sounds good, let's go! 🚀

Hi Reader,

Happy week after Thanksgiving in the US. I feel like everyone has a bit of holiday hangover.

We have a lot of great content this week. Here's the rundown so you don't miss anything:​
💭 Lessons learned: Being Human in an Age of AI
⏱️ This Week's Sponsor
📝 Great Content you may have missed
🖤 Some favorites (ANOTHER holiday edition)

Let's get into it!

Lessons Learned

We’re debating if AI will take our jobs.

When we should ask what it means to be human.

I spent the first leg of my career in ministry. Then studying meaning and the human condition. (MA in Psychology and Theology)

Then I jumped into tech. Founded a venture studio. Lead Product for 6 SaaS lifecycles.

Now I’m watching my worlds collide.

Here’s what I can’t stop thinking about:

We’re building systems trained up on our collective intelligence. But we barely understand our consciousness: the nature of our own souls.

The tech bros talk about AGI like it’s the second coming. Like it will give us the pill to escape the matrix of the human condition. (As if that’s what we need)

But we forgot the lessons of every sacred tradition:
- Power without wisdom is dangerous
- Knowledge without love is empty
- Progress without purpose is meaningless

The real question isn’t whether AI will surpass us (It will) It’s whether we’ll remember what makes us human while building it:
- Our capacity for love
- Our ability to create meaning
- Our understanding of sacrifice
- Our aptitude for awe, wonder, & gratitude

There is a theology of AI. But it’s not about the machines.

It’s about us.

What are we here for? What’s the meaning we’re making? What stories are we telling ourselves? What gods are we trying to replicate & become? What parts of our humanity are we willing to trade? And to what end?

AI is changing everything.

But here’s the truth:

It can drive us further from our humanity. Or invite us deeper in.

Closer to the fire. Closer to what we’re made for. Closer to who we’re becoming.

The choice is yours. (As it always has been) 🖤

This Week's Sponsor:

In Case You Missed It:

A few recent posts and articles across platforms

From LinkedIn:

📰 Four Thanksgivings can change everything.​

📰 FAIL BRILLIANTLY.​

📰 19 years ago today. Barely a penny to our names.​
​

From the Newsletter:

✉️ That emptiness you feel? It's not failure.​

✉️ This one's for the bread winners...​

✉️ The Recipe for a Life Without Regret​

Favorites! Holiday edition

The holidays are upon us. Our house celebrates Christmas. It's fun. It's magical. It's my favorite time of the year.

BUT, it's so different celebrating in a different culture! We're in Merida Mexico, and I'm struggling to get my usual dose of Christmas cheer.

So I'm leaning in! HARD! And I welcome any recommendations you might have!

Here are mine and one from a reader:

🎅 Buddy's Musical Christmas HORROR SHOW?

Listen: I'm appalled.

I mentioned this wonderful and fun musical in the last issue. I love it. My kids love it. The music is great. The story is great.

Then a few days ago my kids were happily listening to the soundtrack when I innocently searched it up on IMDB. And I nearly threw my phone across the room.

LOOK AT THIS!

5.4 stars?!? It's like people want this kids musical special to be a carbon copy of the movie Elf. If you wanted to watch Elf, why didn't you watch THAT instead of THIS?

And the reviews! I can't even...

I'm losing my faith in humanity.

It's time for you to choose a side. Is it the worst thing ever to be called a Christmas Special? Are my tastes that bad?

Only you can decide: Watch it here.

🎥 Unaccompanied Minors

Kathy K. sent along a recommendation: "One of our favorites movies this time of year is Unaccompanied Minors"

I don't know it (yet) but it looks fun.

​

Your turn

Anything great you've been enjoying? Hit reply and send it along! I'd love to know. Seriously.

9,500+ people are getting this email, and I can count on one hand how many responses I usually get. You have the chance to change that! Hit reply. Tell me what's good!

Yours in meaning making,