Generational dialogue; the end of infinity; NEH grants restored: Newsletter 13 May 2026

Newsletter 152. Old people’s message to their successors in the workplace, plus the Authors Guild gets prescriptive about AI, mathematicians face up to their limits, three people to follow, and three books to read.

Young vs. old

I’m old. I was once young. I remember what it was like to be young in the workplace, and in case I forget, I have children who are early in their careers to remind me.

What follows is a letter from an old person in the workplace to a young one. If you’re old, this may resonate for you. If you’re young, it may help you understand.

—

Hey, friend. I appreciate your enthusiasm. I was once that excited to solve the world’s problems. We need that energy.

We older workers have experience in our brains and weighing down our shoulders. That means our opinions aren’t worthless. But it doesn’t make us right.

That challenge you’re facing at work? We’ve seen it before. We know what to do.

Of course, our knowledge of what works is out of date. Your new idea might be better. Let’s hear it.

We’re not adept with the latest AI and communications tools. We still print things out sometimes.

Even so, the challenge in a team is always communication. Email may be obsolete, but we still need to work together. Let’s focus on ways to connect, not using new tools to solve problems in unsustainable ways.

We’re pleased you came up with an answer so quickly. Just note that an answer is not the answer. What you came up with: Will the team understand it? Will it stand the test of time, or crumble in real-world conditions? Even if it works for us, will it work for our customers, partners, and suppliers?

Let’s assume we do things the way you suggest. Is that a template for the future? How will it help us solve the next problem, and the one after that?

We older workers often fail to prepare for innovation and change. We tend to think of a static world.

But you younger workers often fail to account for risk. Even if your ideas hold up, what new vulnerabilities might they create?

You challenge us every day with new ways of thinking. Will you permit us to challenge you with lessons learned the hard way?

If you eliminate us, our learning goes with us. Your AI can’t replicate that — at least not well. You’ll make mistakes we could have helped you avoid.

If we eliminate you, there is no new generation to learn and grow into leaders. No AI can replace your creativity, and no AI is going to come up with the new ideas you’re imagining.

It’s an uneasy coexistence. But it’s what we need to thrive.

News for writers and other who think

The Authors Guild published AI guidelines for authors. The moralizing is a bit overdone, but the recommendations are sound.

Mathematicians are dependent on the concept of infinity. Well, most of them are. Some are trying to see what they can accomplish without it.

According to Futurism, in the wake of some AI-tainted articles, the New York Times reminded its freelancers that “Using [generative AI] tools to create, draft, guide, clean up, edit, improve, or rephrase your writing is strictly prohibited.”

Writers who appear to be hearing supportive messages from their famous colleagues are finding they’re the victim of AI-powered impersonators.

Demand for HarperCollins’ Author Academy swelled 343% this year.

A federal judge ruled that the Trump Administration’s mass cancellation of more than 1,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grants based on keywords like LGBTQ was illegal and caused irreparable harm (New York Times, gift link).

Three people to follow

Liz Wiseman , leadership thinker and author

Ron Friedman, Ph.D. , revealing the strategies of overperforming teams

Richard Nash, CPCC, PCC , executive coach, author, deep thinker on motivation and excellence

Three books to read

Hot Type: The Magnificent Machine That Gave Birth to Mass Media and Drove Mark Twain Mad by Jeff Jarvis (Bloomsbury Academic, 2026). The Linotype machine was unimaginable . . . until it became inescapable and completely transformed media.

Puddle Jumpers: Simple and Proven Ways to Raise Confident & Joyful Kids by Brandon Webb (Authors Equity, 2026). Surprising fathering advice from a Navy SEAL.

I Bottled My Mother: Grit, Grime & Growing a Business. The Mrs. Meyer’s Story by Monica Nassif (Ideapress, 2026). Startup recollections with a smile, not completely sanitized.

Meet me in the other Portland

I’ll be at the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) in Portland, Oregon this week, May 14-16. Pop by the Soqratic booth and say hi.