China International Leadership Programme Introduction

The China International Leadership Programme is aimed at recent graduates and early-career professionals. It supports the development of practical and transferable skills needed for international work.

The programme focuses on skill areas relevant to international trade, diplomacy, transnational governance (including EU, UN, and IMF-related roles), education, technology and AI, tourism, hospitality and aviation, and international marketing.

The China International Leadership Programme is strongly centred on the real-world dynamics of today’s global landscape, with Europe and China at its core. The programme is delivered as a blended learning experience and is structured across three progressive tracks:

1. Europe—China Delegate Track (3 months)

2. Ambassador For Europe—China Cultural Relations Track (6 months)

3. Ambassador for Europe—China Relations Track (12 months)

All three tracks consist of 4 online modules and a number of on-the-ground modules in China.

China International Leadership Programme Core Goals

The China International Leadership Programme has the following core goals:

1. Develop Mandarin proficiency through structured learning, immersion, and real-world practice.

2. Build intercultural competence through cultural immersion and guided educational and cultural tours.

3. Gain teaching and leadership skills through hands-on internship experience in rural China.

The programme also includes site investigations of China’s Smart Manufacturing Hubs and International Trade hotspots.

Practical, Transferable and In-Demand Skills

The programme develops practical, transferable, and in-demand skills through Mandarin language learning, intercultural immersion, and hands-on internship experience. These skills are practical because they are applied in real-world academic, professional, and community settings; transferable because they can be used across roles, sectors, and international contexts; and in demand due to ongoing global engagement with China and the growing need for cross-cultural competence.

Participants develop functional Mandarin communication skills for professional and everyday use, alongside intercultural capabilities such as cross-cultural communication, adaptability, and relationship-building. Through teaching and leadership internships in rural China, participants gain applied experience in leadership, communication, problem-solving, lesson planning, adaptability and responsibility, skills valued across international education, trade, diplomacy, development, and globally oriented organisations.

Europe’s future depends on understanding China and demand will continue to grow for people who understand China from the inside.

For more information , please visit the China International Leadership Programme page.

China International Leadership Programme Overview

© 2025 Europe China Monitor News Team

Most people don’t realize how early the pressure to conform begins. Long before we have language for identity, purpose, or calling, we learn the rules of belonging. We learn which traits are rewarded and which ones are corrected. We learn when to speak and when to stay quiet. We learn which questions are welcomed and which ones make people uncomfortable. And for some of us, very early on, it becomes clear that whatever room we’re in, we don’t quite match it.

That realization doesn’t usually arrive with drama. It arrives quietly. It shows up in the way people respond when you speak honestly. It shows up in the subtle pauses, the raised eyebrows, the redirected conversations. It shows up when your concerns feel heavier than everyone else’s, when your joy feels deeper, when your grief lingers longer, when your faith refuses to stay shallow. Over time, you start receiving a consistent message, even if no one ever says it out loud: something about you needs to be adjusted.

So you try. You adjust your tone. You soften your convictions. You learn how to read the room before opening your mouth. You file down the edges of your personality and your faith until they’re easier for others to handle. And eventually, you may succeed at fitting in—but at the cost of feeling fully alive.

That cost is heavier than most people admit.

Because living a life that looks acceptable on the outside while feeling restrained on the inside creates a quiet kind of exhaustion. It’s the exhaustion of always translating yourself. Always filtering your thoughts. Always second-guessing your instincts. Always wondering whether the truest parts of you would still be welcome if they were fully seen.

And if you are a person of faith, that exhaustion can deepen into confusion. You may begin to wonder whether your difference is a spiritual problem. Whether your questions signal weak faith. Whether your sensitivity means you’re not resilient enough. Whether your refusal to play along means you lack humility. Whether your restlessness means you’re ungrateful.

But then you encounter Jesus—not as a slogan or a symbol, but as a living presence in Scripture—and suddenly the entire framework collapses.

Because Jesus does not treat difference as a defect.

He treats it as evidence of purpose.

From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus spoke in ways that disrupted expectations. He did not sound like the religious leaders people were used to hearing. He did not rely on their vocabulary, their formulas, or their power structures. Scripture says the crowds were astonished because He taught with authority, not as the scribes. That authority didn’t come from institutional approval. It came from alignment with truth.

Jesus didn’t blend in with religious culture. He challenged it.

And He didn’t just do this through words. He did it through presence. Through proximity. Through choices that made people deeply uncomfortable. He stood too close to the wrong people. He extended dignity where judgment was expected. He asked questions that exposed hearts rather than preserving appearances.

He consistently refused to perform righteousness for applause.

That refusal is one of the clearest signs of spiritual freedom.

When Jesus told His followers they were the salt of the earth, He wasn’t offering a compliment. He was describing a function. Salt preserves. Salt flavors. Salt stings when it touches wounds. Salt prevents decay. But salt only works if it remains distinct from what it seasons.

If salt dissolves into sameness, it loses its power.

Jesus makes this point explicitly. He warns that salt which loses its saltiness becomes useless. That statement should stop us. Because it implies something uncomfortable but necessary: in the kingdom of God, usefulness is tied to distinctiveness.

The moment you abandon what makes you different in order to be palatable, you also abandon what makes you effective.

This is not an invitation to arrogance. It is not permission to be abrasive, unkind, or self-righteous. Jesus was none of those things. But He was unmistakably Himself. And His authenticity unsettled people who relied on conformity for control.

The disciples Jesus chose reflect this truth clearly.

They were not a carefully curated group designed to appeal to the widest possible audience. They were not united by background, temperament, or ideology. They were united by calling.

Fishermen accustomed to physical labor and simple lives. A tax collector who had benefited from an oppressive system. A zealot fueled by political anger. Men with tempers, doubts, and competing visions of what the Messiah should be. And alongside them, women whose testimonies would later be dismissed in courtrooms but honored in resurrection narratives.

This group should not have worked.

From a human perspective, they were incompatible. From a divine perspective, they were perfectly chosen.

Jesus did not flatten their personalities. He did not erase their differences. He refined them. Redirected them. Anchored them in something stronger than ego or fear.

And even then, they misunderstood Him often. They argued about status. They missed His metaphors. They resisted His warnings. They failed Him at critical moments.

Jesus did not replace them.

He stayed.

That alone should reshape how you understand your own spiritual journey. The presence of friction, questions, or internal tension does not disqualify you. It may actually confirm that you are alive to something deeper.

Jesus Himself lived as a disruption.

He did not respect boundaries that existed to protect power rather than people. He healed on days when healing was considered a violation. He spoke to women publicly. He touched lepers. He forgave sins without consulting authorities. He refused to condemn when condemnation would have preserved social order.

And every time He did this, resistance followed.

Religious leaders accused Him of being dangerous. Crowds alternated between fascination and offense. Even His own family questioned His sanity at one point. Familiarity did not grant immunity from misunderstanding.

If Jesus was misunderstood while embodying perfect love and truth, it should not surprise you when faithfulness in your own life produces tension.

Jesus never suggested that following Him would make you universally admired. In fact, He explicitly said the opposite. He warned His followers that allegiance to Him would divide households, disrupt relationships, and invite opposition.

Not because His followers would become cruel or unloving, but because they would become free.

Freedom exposes what control tries to hide.

Integrity threatens systems built on compromise.

Compassion unsettles cultures sustained by hardness.

So when you find yourself standing out—not because you seek attention, but because you refuse to participate in what diminishes others—you are walking a familiar path.

Many people spend years trying to manage this tension. They attempt to reconcile their inner convictions with external expectations. They learn how to be faithful quietly. They compartmentalize. They serve, but cautiously. They believe, but privately. They love, but at a distance.

Over time, this can produce a version of faith that is technically correct but spiritually constrained. It functions, but it does not breathe.

Jesus does not heal people so they can return to emotional captivity.

He heals people so they can stand without fear.

Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus tells healed individuals to go and tell their stories. He invites them into witness, not performance. He does not ask them to sanitize their experiences or downplay their transformation. He honors their truth.

Your story—especially the parts that once made you feel out of place—becomes a bridge for others when it is told with humility and courage.

Sensitivity, for example, is often framed as weakness in a world that rewards detachment. But Scripture consistently portrays sensitivity as discernment. The ability to perceive what others overlook is not a liability in the kingdom of God. It is a form of sight.

Discomfort with hypocrisy is often mislabeled as judgment. But Jesus Himself was relentless in confronting performative religion. He reserved His harshest words not for sinners, but for those who used spirituality to mask self-interest.

Hunger for depth is sometimes dismissed as impatience or pride. But shallow answers cannot sustain a living faith. Jesus invited people into mystery, not slogans.

Compassion that aches can feel overwhelming. But that ache is often the birthplace of mercy. It is how God moves love into places others avoid.

None of these traits need to be erased. They need to be grounded.

Jesus does not ask you to become less yourself. He asks you to become more anchored.

Anchored in truth rather than approval. Anchored in obedience rather than comfort. Anchored in love rather than fear.

That anchoring allows your difference to mature into strength rather than fragmentation.

The narrow road Jesus described is not narrow because God enjoys restriction. It is narrow because truth has never been crowded. Wide roads attract consensus. Narrow roads require conviction.

You were never created to be a replica. You were created to be a witness.

Witnesses do not manufacture truth. They testify to what they have seen. And what you have seen—what you have lived, questioned, endured, and discovered—matters.

So when you find yourself asking, “Why am I like this?” consider reframing the question. Ask instead, “What has God entrusted to me that requires this way of seeing, feeling, and believing?”

The very traits you once tried to suppress may be the tools God intends to use.

The story continues.

There comes a moment in the spiritual life—often quiet, often private—when a person realizes that blending in is no longer an option. Not because they want attention. Not because they think they are better than anyone else. But because pretending has become more painful than standing honestly before God.

That moment is not dramatic. It doesn’t arrive with thunder or applause. It arrives as clarity.

You realize that the life you are living may be acceptable to others, but it is no longer truthful to yourself. You realize that the faith you have practiced has kept you safe, but it has not kept you free. And you begin to understand that the tension you feel is not something to eliminate—it is something to listen to.

Jesus never asked people to silence that tension. He invited them to follow it all the way into obedience.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently calls people away from what is familiar and into what is faithful. He does not negotiate with their need for approval. He does not soften the invitation to preserve their comfort. When He says, “Follow Me,” He is not asking for admiration. He is asking for alignment.

Alignment always costs something.

It costs certainty. It costs reputation. It costs relationships that depend on you staying the same.

And this is where many people hesitate.

Because difference becomes threatening when it is no longer theoretical. When it starts shaping decisions. When it changes priorities. When it alters how you speak, what you tolerate, what you refuse to participate in.

This is where the fear creeps in.

“What if I lose people?” “What if I’m misunderstood?” “What if obedience makes my life harder?”

Jesus never denied those risks.

He acknowledged them and then went further.

He said that anyone who tries to save their life will lose it, but anyone who loses their life for His sake will find it. That statement is not poetic exaggeration. It is a description of spiritual reality.

Trying to preserve a version of yourself that fits safely within everyone else’s expectations will slowly hollow you out. You may look successful. You may look composed. You may even look faithful. But something essential will remain untouched, undeveloped, unused.

Losing your life for Jesus’ sake does not mean abandoning responsibility or wisdom. It means releasing the illusion that safety comes from conformity. It means trusting that life is found not in approval, but in obedience.

This is why difference becomes a superpower only when it is surrendered.

Unsurrendered difference can turn into isolation. Unsurrendered difference can turn into pride. Unsurrendered difference can harden into resentment.

But difference placed in the hands of Christ becomes something else entirely.

It becomes service.

Jesus never used His difference to elevate Himself above others. He used it to lift others out of shame. He did not weaponize truth. He embodied it. He did not dominate conversations. He invited transformation.

This distinction matters deeply.

Because the goal of Christian distinctiveness is not separation—it is witness.

Witness requires proximity. Witness requires patience. Witness requires humility strong enough to remain present without surrendering conviction.

Many people confuse standing apart with standing above. Jesus did neither. He stood within broken systems without being shaped by them. He loved people deeply without affirming what destroyed them. He remained gentle without becoming passive.

That balance is difficult. It requires spiritual maturity. And it often develops slowly, through seasons of discomfort and refinement.

If you have ever felt out of step with the culture around you—even church culture—you may have wondered whether you were doing something wrong. But Scripture is full of people whose faithfulness placed them at odds with the majority.

Prophets were rarely popular. Truth-tellers were often isolated. Those who listened closely to God frequently found themselves misunderstood by others who claimed to do the same.

This pattern is not accidental.

God does not speak only through crowds. He speaks through consecrated individuals willing to listen when others rush past.

Your attentiveness, your caution with words, your resistance to shallow spirituality—these are not obstacles to faith. They are often invitations into deeper trust.

But deeper trust requires courage.

It requires the courage to disappoint people who benefit from you staying predictable. It requires the courage to be misinterpreted without rushing to explain yourself. It requires the courage to let God define your faithfulness rather than public opinion.

Jesus modeled this repeatedly.

When crowds grew too large, He withdrew. When expectations became distorted, He clarified—even if it cost Him followers. When people demanded signs, He refused. When disciples misunderstood Him, He taught patiently without reshaping His mission to appease them.

He was not controlled by reaction.

That freedom is what many believers long for but rarely claim.

Freedom does not mean doing whatever you want. It means being anchored enough in truth that external pressure no longer determines your direction.

That anchoring does not happen overnight. It is built through daily obedience, honest prayer, and a willingness to remain open rather than defensive.

Some of you reading this have been labeled difficult simply because you asked honest questions. Others have been told you are intense because you care deeply. Some have been described as rigid when you were actually trying to be faithful. Some have been called emotional when you were simply paying attention.

Labels stick easily. Especially when they excuse others from listening more closely.

Jesus was labeled too.

Glutton. Drunkard. Blasphemer. Friend of sinners.

He did not waste energy correcting every accusation. He stayed rooted in His calling.

There is a lesson there.

Not every misunderstanding needs to be resolved. Not every false narrative requires your participation. Sometimes the most faithful response is consistency.

Over time, truth reveals itself.

The challenge is trusting that revelation does not depend on your performance.

This is where many believers grow weary.

They want to do the right thing, but they are tired of explaining. They want to love well, but they are exhausted by resistance. They want to remain open, but they have been wounded by misunderstanding.

Jesus understood this weariness.

He withdrew to pray. He rested. He allowed Himself to grieve. He did not confuse perseverance with self-erasure.

If you are different, you must learn how to tend to your soul.

Difference without rest becomes bitterness. Difference without prayer becomes anxiety. Difference without community becomes isolation.

Jesus did not walk alone. He chose companions—not because He needed validation, but because humanity was part of the incarnation.

You are not meant to carry your calling in isolation.

But you may need to be selective about whose voices you allow to shape it.

Not everyone who comments on your life understands your assignment. Not everyone who critiques your faith carries your burden. Not everyone who questions your choices is qualified to direct them.

Discernment is not arrogance. It is stewardship.

You are stewarding a life shaped by God’s intention, not public consensus.

And this brings us back to the heart of the matter.

Your difference is not an accident. It is not a mistake. It is not something to outgrow or suppress. It is something to submit.

Submitted difference becomes strength.

Strength that listens before it speaks. Strength that stands without posturing. Strength that loves without losing clarity.

This kind of strength does not draw attention to itself. It draws people toward hope.

The people most impacted by Jesus were not those impressed by His authority. They were those healed by His presence.

Your presence—when rooted in Christ—can do the same.

It can create space where honesty feels safe. It can slow conversations enough for truth to emerge. It can challenge harmful patterns without shaming those caught in them.

This is not flashy work. It is faithful work.

And faithfulness rarely trends.

But it lasts.

Jesus did not measure success by numbers. He measured it by obedience. He did not chase visibility. He embraced purpose. He did not build platforms. He built people.

When you stop trying to prove that your difference is valuable and start trusting that God already knows it is, something shifts.

You relax. You listen more. You stop striving for permission.

You begin to live as someone sent rather than someone seeking approval.

That shift is subtle, but it is powerful.

It changes how you speak. It changes how you endure misunderstanding. It changes how you love those who disagree with you.

You stop needing to win arguments. You start focusing on being faithful.

And faithfulness has a quiet authority that no amount of conformity can replicate.

So if you are different—if you have always sensed that you do not quite fit the mold—consider this not as a problem to solve, but as a gift to steward.

The kingdom of God does not advance through sameness. It advances through obedience.

And obedience often looks like standing calmly in truth while the world rushes past.

You do not need to become louder. You do not need to become harsher. You do not need to become smaller.

You need to become anchored.

Anchored in love that does not bend under pressure. Anchored in truth that does not need constant defense. Anchored in Christ, who never asked you to be anyone else.

You were never meant to be average.

You were meant to be faithful.

And according to Jesus, faithfulness is not weakness.

It is power.

It is the kind of power that changes lives quietly, steadily, and permanently.

That is the gift you were told to fix.

And that is the calling Jesus meant to use.

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Your friend, Douglas Vandergraph

#faith #christianliving #spiritualgrowth #purpose #calling #obedience #discipleship #hope #truth #identity

La version 0.2.0 est disponible.

Après une première relecture, j'ai modifié quelques fonctionnements importants :

- La souillure est maintenant une mécanique générale et plus seulement réservée aux hommes, elle évalue l'influence que les Ténèbres ont sur le personnage, mais également le pouvoir que les Ténèbres peuvent lui donner (vous pouvez remplacer votre score de souillure par votre score de caractéristique + compétence). Les PNJs dévoués corps et âme au ténébreux peuvent également utiliser ce système, ainsi il est facile de concevoir les Réprouvés comme des individus à éviter à tout prix, puisqu'ils ont 100% en Souillure et donc 100% dans toutes les compétences.

- de l'autre côté du spectre, la Résonance est une autre compétence spéciale qui rassemble la puissance du Sang ancien, la perception de la trame du Destin et des souvenirs de ses autres incarnations. elle permet de substituer sur un jet sa Résonance, soit pour avoir plus de chance de réussite, soit pour mieux comprendre la manifestation de cette Résonance.

- les réflexes de combat (bonus sur les jets de surprise) sont maintenant basés sur les avantages de compétence plutôt que sur les compétences elles-mêmes

- la table de calcul des effets est plus exhaustive, j'ai simplifié les contrecoups par type de tissage, et j'ai commencé à plancher sur les rituels, normalement pour ceux qui voudraient jouer au Second Age (mais c'est pas fini, je n'ai pas encore trouvé LA bonne idée).

- la galerie des PNJs se limite au tout venant.

- pour la partie aventure (loisirs dans le système originel), j'ai commencé un questionnaire pour vous aider à choisir quelles compétences correspondent.

Sont également en préparation un Atlas des terres de l'Ouest, façon le mythique supplément “La France” pour Hawkmoon” et un recueil de scénarii pour exploiter ces règles et vous donner des idées de situations, d'époques de jeu.

JOURNAL 27 décembre 2025 #auberge

C'est l'heure silencieuse, tous se sont retirés dans leurs chambres ou au onsen. On est là dans la grande salle , on a fini de nettoyer et ranger dans la bonne odeur des braises du irori qui finissent de se consumer. On l'avait allumé ce soir, un peu pour le plaisir, un peu pour la marmite suspendue au jizaikagi (crochet) avec le merveilleux bouillon d'algues au poisson qui se gardait chaud. Les clients adorent, et nous aussi, malgré la fumée qui pique un peu les yeux, comme il y a longtemps, et l'odeur du riz dans toute la pièce.

Pendant le repas on était au temps des poètes et des artistes errants du ukiyo de edo. Je peux pas m'empêcher alors de penser à mes ancêtres pas si lointains de cette époque : femmes joueuses de shamisen ou de koto, fines et cultivées, mariées trop jeunes et sans leur consentement à des seigneurs brutaux, virilistes et abusifs pour qui la vie humaine avait si peu de prix et celle des femmes particulièrement.

Ce soir je regarde ma princesse finir son bol de bouillon tranquillement, ses cheveux nimbés d'un halo d'or par la dernière lampe murale qui éloigne comme elle peu l'obscurité, de là-bas, au fond. Tout à l'heure nous irons au onsen dans la neige avant de nous glisser délicieusement sous nos couettes épaisses dans le silence absolu de la nuit, troublé seulement soudain par le bruit étouffé d'un paquet de neige tombé d'une branche. Demain si le temps le permet nous monterons dans la forêt pour regarder de haut la beauté du monde tout blanc.

I wanted some more exercise today so I dusted off some Shaolin Fut Gar forms. I also came out to my students and I came out on Facebook. This is huge and I feel this big rush of relief from it. I don’t care how anyone will react. If they are shitty, I will block them.

This was my gift to myself. Leaving behind the burden of a double life.

“Hi. I’m Justina. It’s lovely to meet you.” It feels good. It flows well. I adore this. I get to be myself. I get to live and exist as me. And that is all that matters. I do this for me. I am me now. I have let go of the lie and stepped into the light. Trusting my way of being. Trusting my existence.

Creating a newer and better life. I can finally be okay I think.

I did my 5 phase routine with some loosening exercises and then Cosmos Palm followed by a rousing round of Swimming Dragon Baguazhang. I am settling into a pattern here. Morning Baguazhang and evening Xingyiquan.

My injured right shoulder is beginning to regain function. I started playing with the Xingyi long form last night not as a rote drill but as a playful form of self expression. I drill the basics faithfully and I then work on making them alive in a freestyle long form. I think this is where most of the incredibly complex forms came from.

I am going to invite my students to create their own forms as an advanced exercise. I think that is a useful thing to do. There is too much memorization and not enough art in martial arts nowadays. Learn the basics rigidly. Ensure you have good structure and sound technique. Then move into creative pursuits. Not just fighting but the creation of forms that express your temperament and ideas about the arts themselves.

I think we treat the forms of old masters as sacrosanct ancient things when instead we need to stop imitating the old masters and rather seek what they sought. If you want to be like Guo Yunshen, the Divine Crushing Fist, then you have to train like him. In Baguazhang you have eight trigrams. Drill those until you cannot get them wrong.

In Xingyiquan, you have 5 elements and 12 animals. Learn them well. You have these basic techniques. These jibengong. They are the alphabet. It’s up to you to make words and sentences.

You must have good basics, a strong healthy body, and pressure testing. Given all of these elements, you will wind up as a superior fighter regardless of the discipline you choose.

I feel bad for E, because I’ve been pretty badly depressed for the last few days in a row. I just feel bad because she has to deal with that, and especially because I’m forgetting so many good things, and really what it’s like to be happy. She’s putting up with me and being really sweet, and I just can’t fully acknowledge it because of this state I’m in. I hope for both of our sake I get out of it.

sumaba información como si la vida le fuera en ello / qué se estaba perdiendo acumuló además aplicaciones como si se tratara de una supervivencia digital pero lo que realmente quería / soñaba eso no estaba

Finally got an electric kettle and I am able to drink coffee again. This is a huge improvement in my quality of life. I am using this kinda like a little journal. If you ever wondered how the sausage is made, here we are.

Before I post to Substack or Medium, I come here to write out my thoughts. To gather my thoughts be they short or long and create the beginnings of finished work. This is the workshop.

I am currently playing around with a new adventure. A strange and beautiful adaptation of the old Keep on the Shadowfell from 4e D&D. Kaleril the Vile was defeated long ago in a ruined dark tower near the village of Greengrass. A group of children from the village has disappeared into the ruins in an ill fated attempt to be adventurers.

They kids are currently in the clutches of some Orcus cultists who will sacrifice them in three nights when the New Moon rises. The PC’s will learn this from a girl named Calliope who escaped the cult and ran to town for help.

The town militia is currently fighting off an incursion of bandits, so the witch hires the PC’s to save the children. 20 gp for each child safely returned. This is a good, solid little adventure. You don’t need a tremendous amount of story for any good TTRPG scenario.

You can sum up the entire plot as follows:

What? Save the children from the cult.

Where? The Dark Tower on the edge of the Boar Forest.

When? Before the kids are sacrificed.

Why? The witch is paying good money for the rescue.

Who? The Cult Leader is Lareth the Beautiful (Yes the guy from Village of Hommlet but made into a cool, deeper character.)

Let’s look at Lareth. He is a beautiful young man, around 25 or 26 years old. He has long black hair and looks a lot like a young Antonio Banderas. He is quite amorous. He was the younger son of a noble family in the capital. He has become a cult leader because Orcus promised him immortality. He is brilliant and cool but he has a master.

Who is Lareth’s Master? A beautiful woman of course. An elder vampire named Shoshana. She isn’t important to the current adventure so we can just safely leave her lurking in the background. If Lareth succeeds in making the sacrifice, she will turn him into a vampire. Thus fulfilling Orcus’s promise to Lareth.

Ok so we have Kaleril, an ancient lich who built the tower. We have Lareth the low level bastard. We have Shoshana, the vampire manipulator. She is much more powerful than the PC’s at low level so she remains in the background.

Lareth has the ear of Rolf, the leader of the local bandits. Rolf is a failed revolutionary. He tried to overthrow the parliament and the Emperor.

Ok so now we know our setting has a constitutional monarchy and that the land is vast. Greengrass is located inside the empire but the land is huge and the Emperor doesn’t have enough soldiers to keep the peace. So the Empire has grown too big. The expansionist military is on the fringes, the interior lands grow increasingly lawless.

Well then here we have some fine pieces of world building. I have pulled from various sources and remixed them. And it all started with a proper cup of coffee.

Night mud, street lights on its pock pools. Sycamores weep water

God, forgive me for my sins. I’m so tired I can’t feel anything. Is there a penitent heart in there somewhere?

I’m sorry for all the sins I will commit, simply because I love the world too much. I confess that there is no love in me, and I am just as depraved as anyone else walking this Earth. Not even love for you. I cannot do anything good apart from you. I want to give up on trying to do that. Because I have realized that any act of mine, without being imbued and blessed by your love in my heart, is a worthless husk. Trapped by duty, trying to uphold biblical standards of perfection so I don’t sully your name or turn people away from Christ is actually doing harm to me and everyone else involved. I don’t need that in my life anymore. I need not plastic surgery to make my acts perfect, but I need you to give me a heart transplant.

I don’t think it’s even right for me to ask you for the heart to love others. Sometimes I’m just asking for it so I can be right in your sight, and not break rules, rather than because I’m in a state of distress that I cannot love those that I should. I am a selfish man, and I know to fear punishment from a holy God. I think I just need to want you, but even that is a heart that I cannot gain on my own, and even that is not a heart that is natural to me.

For some reason, Lord, you have given me faith. Definitely not because I am better than others, but for some reason I cannot understand. But you have started this journey through your grace, and now I realize that not a single step towards the goal can be taken without overbearing amounts of your grace. I believe in you enough to desire heaven and fear hell, but I confess I don’t love you like that. I realize that life is meaningless without you, but still I fill my heart with the pleasures of the world without seeking you. Many times, you have given me a new heart that has allowed me to desire you, and many times I have thrown it away, turned it as hard as stone again, so I could revel in the trifles of this world. I humbly ask you that you would again, give me another chance. If you wish. Up to you. I know I don’t deserve it.

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: MILD SPOILERS

Embark on a thrilling journey with the Fantastic Four as they harness their newfound powers to save the world in their first epic adventure!

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5 stars)

Overall, the movie was decent. The storyline and the cast were quite good. What I found less convincing was the attempt to merge the 1930s-1960s era with advanced technology and space travel. This combination didn't come across as believable. If retro-futurism was a deliberate choice for the society depicted in the film, it needed more explanation.

#review #movies #streaming

The paradox sits uncomfortably across conference tables in newsrooms, publishing houses, and creative agencies worldwide. A 28-year-old content strategist generates three article outlines in the time it takes to brew coffee, using ChatGPT with casual fluency. Across the desk, a 58-year-old editor with three decades of experience openly questions whether the work has any value at all. The younger colleague feels the older one is falling behind. The veteran worries that genuine expertise is being replaced by sophisticated autocomplete. Neither is entirely wrong, and the tension between them represents one of the most significant workforce challenges of 2025.

The numbers reveal a workplace dividing along generational fault lines. Gen Z workers report that 82% use AI in their jobs, compared to just 52% of Baby Boomers, according to WorkTango research. Millennials demonstrate the highest proficiency levels, with McKinsey showing that 62% of employees aged 35 to 44 report high AI expertise, compared to 50% of Gen Z and merely 22% of those over 65. In an August 2024 survey of over 5,000 Americans, workplace usage declined sharply with age, dropping from 34% for workers under 40 to just 17% for those 50 and older.

For organisations operating in media and knowledge-intensive industries, where competitive advantage depends on both speed and quality, these divides create immediate operational challenges. The critical question is not whether AI will transform knowledge work but whether organisations can harness its potential without alienating experienced workers, sacrificing quality, or watching promising young talent leave for competitors who embrace the technology more fully.

Why Generations See AI Differently

The generational split reflects differences far deeper than simple familiarity with technology. Each generation's relationship with AI is shaped by formative experiences, career stage anxieties, and fundamentally different assumptions about work itself. Understanding these underlying dynamics is essential for any organisation hoping to bridge divides rather than merely paper over them.

The technology adoption patterns we observe today do not emerge from a vacuum. They reflect decades of accumulated experience with digital tools, from the mainframe computing era through the personal computer revolution, the internet explosion, the mobile transformation, and now the AI watershed moment. Each generation entered the workforce with different baseline assumptions about what technology could and should do. These assumptions profoundly shape responses to AI's promise and threat.

Gen Z: Heavy Users, Philosophical Sceptics

Gen Z presents the most complex profile. According to Adweek research, 70% use generative AI like ChatGPT weekly, leading all other cohorts. Google Workspace research found that 93% of Gen Z knowledge workers aged 22 to 27 utilised at least two AI tools weekly. Yet SurveyMonkey reveals that Gen Z are 62% more likely than average to be philosophically opposed to AI, with their top barrier being “happy without AI”, suggesting disconnection between daily usage and personal values.

Barna Group research shows that whilst roughly three in five Gen Z members think AI will free up their time and improve work-life balance, the same proportion worry the technology will make it harder to enter the workforce. Over half believe AI will require them to reskill and impact their career decisions, according to Deloitte research. In media fields, this manifests as enthusiasm for AI as a productivity tool combined with deep anxiety about its impact on craft and entry-level opportunities.

Millennials: The Pragmatic Bridge

Millennials emerge as the generation most adept at integrating AI into professional workflows. SurveyMonkey research shows two in five Millennials (43%) use AI at least weekly, the highest rate among all generations. This cohort, having grown up alongside rapid technological advancement from dial-up internet to smartphones, developed adaptive capabilities that serve them well with AI.

Training Industry research positions Millennials as natural internal mediators, trusted by both older and younger colleagues. They can bridge digital fluency gaps across generations, making them ideal candidates for reverse mentorship programmes and cross-generational peer learning schemes. In publishing and media environments, Millennial editors often navigate between traditionalist leadership and digitally native junior staff.

Gen X: Sceptical Middle Management

Research from Randstad USA indicates that 42% of Gen X workers claim never to use AI, yet 55% say AI will positively impact their lives, revealing internal conflict. Now predominantly in management positions, they possess deep domain expertise but may lack daily hands-on AI experimentation that builds fluency.

Trust emerges as a significant barrier. Whilst 50% of Millennials trust AI to be objective and accurate, only 35% of Gen X agree, according to Mindbreeze research. This scepticism reflects experience with previous technology hype cycles. In media organisations, Gen X editors often control critical decision-making authority, and their reluctance can create bottlenecks. Yet their scepticism also serves a quality control function, preventing publication of hallucinated facts.

Baby Boomers: Principled Resistance

Baby Boomers demonstrate the lowest AI adoption rates. Research from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers shows only 20% use AI weekly. Mindbreeze research indicates 71% have never used ChatGPT, with non-user rates of 50-68% among Boomer-aged individuals.

Barna Group research shows 49% are sceptical of AI, with 45% stating “I don't trust it”, compared to 18% of Gen Z. Privacy concerns dominate, with 49% citing it as their top barrier. Only 18% trust AI to be objective and accurate. For a generation that built careers developing expertise through years of practice, algorithmic systems trained on internet data seem fundamentally inadequate. Yet Mindbreeze research suggests Boomers prefer AI that is invisible, simple, and useful, pointing toward interface strategies rather than fundamental opposition.

When Generational Differences Create Friction

These worldviews manifest as daily friction in collaborative environments, clustering around predictable flashpoints.

The Speed Versus Quality Debate

A 26-year-old uses AI to generate five article drafts in an afternoon, viewing this as impressive productivity. A 55-year-old editor sees superficial content lacking depth, nuance, and original reporting. Nielsen Norman Group found 81% of surveyed workers in late 2024 said little or none of their work is done with AI, suggesting managerial resistance from older cohorts controlling approval processes creates bottlenecks.

Without shared frameworks for evaluating AI-assisted work, these debates devolve into generational standoffs where speed advantages are measurable but quality degradation is subjective.

The Learning Curve Asymmetry

D2L's AI in Education survey shows 88% of educators under 28 used generative AI in teaching during 2024-25, nearly twice the rate of Gen X and four times that of Baby Boomers. Gen Z and younger Millennials prefer independent exploration whilst Gen X and Boomers prefer structured guidance.

TalentLMS found Gen Z employees invest more personal time in upskilling (29% completing training outside work hours), yet 34% experience barriers to learning, contrasting with just 15% of employees over 54. This creates uncomfortable dynamics where those needing formal training are least satisfied whilst those capable of self-directed learning receive most support.

The Trust and Verification Divide

Consider a newsroom scenario: A junior reporter submits a story containing an AI-generated statistic. The figure is plausible. A senior editor demands the original source. The reporter, accustomed to AI outputs, has not verified it. The statistic proves hallucinated, requiring last-minute revisions that miss the deadline.

Mindbreeze research shows 49% of Gen Z trust AI to be objective and accurate, often taking outputs at face value. Older workers (18% for Boomers, 35% for Gen X) automatically question AI-generated content. This verification gap creates additional work for senior staff who must fact-check not only original reporting but also AI-assisted research.

The Knowledge Transfer Breakdown

Junior journalists historically learned craft by watching experienced reporters cultivate sources, construct narratives, and navigate ethical grey areas. When junior staff rely on AI for these functions, apprenticeship models break down. A 28-year-old using AI to generate interview questions completes tasks faster but misses learning opportunities. A 60-year-old editor finds their expertise bypassed, creating resentment.

The stakes extend beyond individual career development. Tacit knowledge accumulated over decades of practice includes understanding which sources are reliable under pressure, how to read body language in interviews, when official statements should be questioned, and how to navigate complex ethical situations where principles conflict. This knowledge transfer has traditionally occurred through observation, conversation, and gradual assumption of responsibility. AI-assisted workflows that enable junior staff to produce acceptable outputs without mastering underlying skills may accelerate immediate productivity whilst undermining long-term capability development.

Frontiers in Psychology research on intergenerational knowledge transfer suggests AI can either facilitate or inhibit knowledge transfer depending on implementation design. When older workers feel threatened rather than empowered, they become less willing to share tacit knowledge that algorithms cannot capture. Conversely, organisations that position AI as a tool for amplifying human expertise rather than replacing it can create environments where experienced workers feel valued and motivated to mentor.

Practical Mediation Strategies Showing Results

Despite these challenges, organisations are successfully navigating generational divides through thoughtful interventions that acknowledge legitimate concerns, create structured collaboration frameworks, and measure outcomes rigorously.

Reverse Mentorship Programmes

Reverse mentorship, where younger employees mentor senior colleagues on digital tools, has demonstrated measurable impact. PwC introduced a programme in 2014, pairing senior leaders with junior employees. PwC research shows 75% of senior executives believe lack of digital skills represents one of the most significant threats to their business.

Heineken has run a programme since 2021, bridging gaps between seasoned marketing executives and young consumers. At Cisco, initial meetings revealed communication barriers as senior leaders preferred in-person discussions whilst Gen Z mentors favoured virtual tools. The company adapted by adopting hybrid communication strategies.

The key is framing programmes as bidirectional learning rather than condescending “teach the old folks” initiatives. MentoringComplete research shows 90% of workers participating in mentorship programmes felt happy at work. PwC's 2024 Future of Work report found programmes integrating empathy training saw 45% improvement in participant satisfaction and outcomes.

Generationally Diverse AI Implementation Teams

London School of Economics research, commissioned by Protiviti, reveals that high-generational-diversity teams report 77% productivity on AI initiatives versus 66% of low-diversity teams. Generationally diverse teams working on AI initiatives consistently outperform less diverse ones.

The mechanism is complementary skill sets. Younger members bring technical fluency and comfort with experimentation. Mid-career professionals contribute organisational knowledge and workflow integration expertise. Senior members provide quality control, ethical guardrails, and institutional memory preventing past mistakes.

A publishing house implementing an AI-assisted content recommendation system formed a team spanning four generations. Gen Z developers handled technical implementation. Millennial product managers translated between technical and editorial requirements. Gen X editors defined quality standards. A Boomer senior editor provided historical context on previous failed initiatives. The diverse team identified risks homogeneous groups missed.

Tiered Training Programmes

TheHRD research emphasises that AI training must be flexible: whilst Gen Z may prefer exploring AI independently, Gen X and Boomers may prefer structured guidance. IBM's commitment to train 2 million people in AI skills and Bosch's delivery of 30,000 hours of AI training in 2024 exemplify scaled approaches addressing diverse needs.

Effective programmes create multiple pathways. Crowe created “AI sandboxes” where employees experiment with tools and voice concerns. KPMG requires “Trusted AI” training alongside technical GenAI 101 programmes, addressing capability building and ethical considerations.

McKinsey research found the most effective way to build capabilities at scale is through apprenticeship, training people to then train others. The learning process can take two to three months to reach decent competence levels. TalentLMS shows satisfaction with upskilling grows with age, peaking at 77% for employees over 54 and bottoming at 54% among Gen Z, suggesting properly designed training delivers substantial value to older learners.

Hybrid Validation Systems

Rather than debating whether to trust AI outputs, leading organisations implement hybrid validation systems assigning verification responsibilities based on generational strengths. A media workflow might have junior reporters use AI for transcripts and research (flagged in content management systems), mid-career editors verify AI-generated material against sources, and senior editors provide final review on editorial judgement and ethics.

SwissCognitive found hybrid systems combining AI and human mediators resolve workplace disputes 23% more successfully than either method alone. Stanford's AI Index Report 2024 documents that hybrid human-AI systems consistently outperform fully automated approaches across knowledge work domains.

Incentive Structures Rewarding Learning

Moveworks research suggests successful organisations reward employees for demonstrating new competencies, sharing insights with colleagues, and helping others navigate the learning curve, rather than just implementation. Social recognition often proves more powerful than financial rewards. When respected team leaders share their AI learning journeys openly, it reduces psychological barriers.

EY research shows generative AI workplace use rose exponentially from 22% in 2023 to 75% in 2024. Organisations achieving highest adoption rates incorporated AI competency into performance evaluations. However, Gallup emphasises recognition must acknowledge generational differences: younger workers value public recognition and career advancement, mid-career professionals prioritise skill development enhancing job security, and senior staff respond to acknowledgement of mentorship contributions.

Does Generational Attitude Predict Outcomes?

The critical question for talent strategy is whether generational attitudes toward AI adoption predict retention and performance outcomes. The evidence suggests a complex picture where age-based assumptions often prove wrong.

Age Matters Less Than Training

Contrary to assumptions that younger workers automatically achieve higher productivity, WorkTango research reveals that once employees adopt AI, productivity gains are similar across generations, debunking the myth that AI is only for the young. The critical differentiator is training quality, not age.

Employees receiving AI training are far more likely to use AI (93% versus 57%) and achieve double the productivity gains (28% time saved versus 14%). McKinsey research finds AI leaders achieved 1.5 times higher revenue growth, 1.6 times greater shareholder returns, and 1.4 times higher returns on investment. These organisations invest heavily in training across all age demographics.

Journal of Organizational Behavior research found AI poses a threat to high-performing teams but boosts low-performing teams, suggesting impact depends more on existing team dynamics and capability levels than generational composition.

Training Gaps Drive Turnover More Than Age

Universum shows 43% of employees planning to leave prioritise training and development opportunities. Whilst Millennials show higher turnover intent (40% looking to leave versus 23% of Boomers), and Gen Z and Millennials are 1.8 times more likely to quit, the driving factor appears to be unmet development needs rather than AI access per se.

Randstad research reveals 45% of Gen Z workers use generative AI on the job compared with 34% of Gen X. Yet both share similar concerns: 47% of Gen Z and 35% of Gen X believe their companies are falling behind on AI adoption. Younger talent with AI skills, particularly those with one to five years of experience, reported a 33% job change rate, reflecting high demand. In contrast, many Gen X (19%) and Millennials (25%) remain more static, increasing risk of being left behind.

TriNet research indicates failing to address skill gaps leads to disengagement, higher turnover, and reduced performance. Workers who feel underprepared are less engaged, less innovative, and more likely to consider leaving.

Experience Plus AI Outperforms Either Alone

McKinsey documents that professionals aged 35 to 44 (predominantly Millennials) report the highest level of experience and enthusiasm for AI, with 62% reporting high AI expertise, positioning them as key drivers of transformation. This cohort combines sufficient career experience to understand domain complexities with comfort experimenting effectively.

Scientific Reports research found generative AI tool use enhances academic achievement through shared metacognition and cognitive offloading, with enhancement strongest among those with moderate prior expertise, suggesting AI amplifies existing knowledge rather than replacing it. A SAGE journals meta-analysis examining 28 articles found generative AI significantly improved academic achievement with medium effect size, most pronounced among students with foundational knowledge, not complete novices.

This suggests organisations benefit most from upskilling experienced workers. A 50-year-old editor developing AI literacy can leverage decades of editorial judgement to evaluate AI outputs with sophistication impossible for junior staff. Conversely, a 25-year-old using AI without domain expertise may produce superficially impressive but fundamentally flawed work.

Gen Z's Surprising Confidence Gap

Universum reveals that Gen Z confidence in AI preparedness plummeted 20 points, from 59% in 2024 to just 39% in 2025. At precisely the moment when AI adoption accelerates, the generation expected to bring digital fluency expresses sharpest doubts about their preparedness.

This confidence gap appears disconnected from capability. As noted, 82% of Gen Z use AI in jobs, the highest rate among all generations. Their doubt may reflect awareness of how much they do not know. TalentLMS found only 41% of employees indicate their company's programmes provide AI skills training, hinting at gaps between learning needs and organisational support.

The Diversity Advantage

Protiviti and London School of Economics research provides compelling evidence that generational diversity drives superior results. High-generational-diversity teams report 77% productivity on AI initiatives versus 66% for low-diversity teams, representing substantial competitive differentiation.

Journal of Organizational Behavior research suggests investigating how AI use interacts with diverse work group characteristics, noting social category diversity and informational or functional diversity could clarify how AI may be helpful or harmful for specific groups. IBM research shows AI hiring tools improve workforce diversity by 35%. By 2025, generative AI is expected to influence 70% of data-heavy tasks.

Strategic Implications

The evidence base suggests organisations can successfully navigate generational AI divides, but doing so requires moving beyond simplistic “digital natives versus dinosaurs” narratives to nuanced strategies acknowledging legitimate perspectives across all cohorts.

Reject the Generation War Framing

SHRM research on managing intergenerational conflict emphasises that whilst four generations in the workplace are bound to create conflicts, generational stereotypes often exacerbate tensions unnecessarily. More productive framings emphasise complementary strengths: younger workers bring technical fluency, mid-career professionals contribute workflow integration expertise, and senior staff provide quality control and ethical judgement.

IESEG research indicates preventing and resolving intergenerational conflicts requires focusing on transparent resolution strategies, skill development, and proactive prevention, including tools like reflective listening and mediation frameworks, reverse mentorship, and conflict management training.

Invest in Training at Scale

The evidence overwhelmingly indicates that training quality, not age, determines AI adoption success. Yet Jobs for the Future shows just 31% of workers had access to AI training even though 35% used AI tools for work as of March 2024.

IBM research found 64% of surveyed CEOs say succeeding with generative AI depends more on people's adoption than technology itself. More than half (53%) struggle to fill key technology roles. CEOs indicate 35% of their workforce will require retraining over the next three years, up from just 6% in 2021.

KPMG's “Skilling for the Future 2024” report shows 74% of executives plan to increase investments in AI-related training initiatives. However, SHRM emphasises tailoring AI education to cater to varied needs and expectations of each generational group.

Create Explicit Knowledge Transfer Mechanisms

Traditional apprenticeship models are breaking down as AI enables younger employees to bypass learning pathways. Frontiers in Psychology research on intergenerational knowledge transfer suggests using AI tools to help experienced staff capture and transfer tacit knowledge before retirement or turnover.

Deloitte research recommends pairing senior employees with junior staff on projects involving new technologies to drive two-way learning. AI tools can amplify this exchange, reinforcing purpose and engagement for experienced employees whilst upskilling newer ones.

Measure What Matters

BCG found 74% of companies have yet to show tangible value from AI use, with only 26% having developed necessary capabilities to move beyond proofs of concept. More sophisticated measurement frameworks assess quality of outputs, accuracy, learning and skill development, knowledge transfer effectiveness, team collaboration, employee satisfaction, retention, and business outcomes.

McKinsey research shows organisations designated as leaders focus efforts on people and processes over technology, following the rule of putting 10% of resources into algorithms, 20% into technology and data, and 70% into people and processes.

MIT's Center for Information Systems Research found enterprises making significant progress in AI maturity see greatest financial impact in progression from building pilots and capabilities to developing scaled AI ways of working.

Design for Sustainable Advantage

McKinsey's 2024 Global Survey showed 65% of respondents report their organisations regularly use generative AI, nearly double the percentage from just ten months prior. This rapid adoption creates pressure to move quickly. Yet rushed implementation that alienates experienced workers, fails to provide adequate training, or prioritises speed over quality creates costly technical debt.

Deloitte on AI adoption challenges notes only about one-third of companies in late 2024 prioritised change management and training as part of AI rollouts. C-suite executives (42%) report that AI adoption is tearing companies apart, with tensions between IT and other departments common. Sixty-eight percent report friction, and 72% observe AI applications developed in silos.

Sustainable approaches recognise building AI literacy across a multigenerational workforce is a multi-year journey. They invest in training infrastructure, mentorship programmes, and knowledge transfer mechanisms that compound value over time, measuring success through capability development, quality maintenance, and competitive positioning rather than adoption velocity.

Navigating the Transformation

The intergenerational divide over AI adoption in media and knowledge industries is neither insurmountable obstacle nor trivial challenge. Generational differences in attitudes, adoption patterns, and anxieties are real and consequential. Teams fracture along age lines when these differences are ignored or handled poorly. Yet evidence reveals pathways to success.

The transformation underway differs from previous technological shifts in significant ways. Unlike desktop publishing or digital photography, which changed specific workflows whilst leaving core professional skills largely intact, generative AI potentially touches every aspect of knowledge work. Writing, research, analysis, ideation, editing, fact-checking, and communication can all be augmented or partially automated. This comprehensive scope explains why generational responses vary so dramatically: the technology threatens different aspects of different careers depending on how those careers were developed and what skills were emphasised.

Organisations that acknowledge legitimate concerns across all generations, create structured collaboration frameworks, invest in tailored training at scale, implement hybrid validation systems leveraging generational strengths, and measure outcomes rigorously are navigating these divides effectively.

The retention and performance data indicates generational attitudes predict outcomes less than training quality, team composition, and organisational support structures. Younger workers do not automatically succeed with AI simply because they are digital natives. Older workers are not inherently resistant but require training approaches matching their learning preferences and addressing legitimate quality concerns.

Most importantly, evidence shows generationally diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones when working on AI initiatives. The combination of technical fluency, domain expertise, and institutional knowledge creates synergies impossible when any generation dominates. This suggests the optimal talent strategy is not choosing between generations but intentionally cultivating diversity and creating frameworks for productive collaboration.

For media organisations and knowledge-intensive industries, the implications are clear. AI adoption will continue accelerating, driven by competitive pressure and genuine productivity advantages. Generational divides will persist as long as five generations with fundamentally different formative experiences work side by side. Success depends not on eliminating these differences but on building organisational capabilities to leverage them.

This requires moving beyond technology deployment to comprehensive change management. It demands investment in training infrastructure matched to diverse learning needs. It necessitates creating explicit knowledge transfer mechanisms as traditional apprenticeship models break down. It calls for measurement frameworks assessing quality and learning, not just speed and adoption rates.

Most fundamentally, it requires leadership willing to resist the temptation of quick wins that alienate portions of the workforce in favour of sustainable approaches building capability across all generations. The organisations that make these investments will discover that generational diversity, properly harnessed, represents competitive advantage in an AI-transformed landscape.

The age gap in AI adoption is real, consequential, and likely to persist. But it need not be divisive. With thoughtful strategy, it becomes the foundation for stronger, more resilient, and ultimately more successful organisations.

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References & Sources

• The Generational Divide in AI Adoption | Randstad USA
• AI Adoption & Generational Diversity | Protiviti US
• Frontiers | AI technology adoption and intergenerational knowledge transfer among older employees
• AI in the Workplace Statistics 2025 | Adoption, Impact & Trends
• Understanding Generational Differences in the Age of AI | AEM
• How Different Generations Use AI in 2025
• Workplace Adoption of Generative AI | NBER
• AI Across Ages | Mindbreeze
• Hesitant & Hopeful: How Different Generations View AI | Barna Group
• As workplaces adopt AI at varying rates, Gen Z is ahead | WorkTango
• AI Adoption in the Workplace Still Low | Nielsen Norman Group
• Frontiers | Exploring how AI adoption affects employees
• What Will Drive 2025? | Training Magazine
• Bridging the AI Skills Gap | Universum
• AI, generational divides, skills and agility in 2025 | TheHRD
• How AI Is Shaping Corporate Training in 2025 | Training Industry
• How Millennials Are Driving AI Adoption | Training Industry
• What HR should know about AI's effect on multigenerational workplaces | HR Dive
• The State of Upskilling & Reskilling: 2024 Research | TalentLMS
• Employers Train Employees to Close AI Skills Gap | SHRM
• IBM Study: CEOs Race Towards Gen AI Adoption | IBM
• AI in the workplace: A report for 2025 | McKinsey
• A multilevel review of AI in organizations | Journal of Organizational Behavior
• 100 + AI in HR Statistics 2025 | HireBee
• A Future That Works: AI-Ready Workforce | Jobs for the Future
• AI Governance in Practice Report 2024 | IAPP
• Leveraging AI for Impactful Mentoring | MentoringComplete
• Reverse Mentorship and AI in HR | Empleyado
• Why Reverse Mentoring Is Secret Weapon for 2025 | Infeedo
• How to Manage Intergenerational Conflict | SHRM
• How AI Can Improve Conflict Resolution | SwissCognitive
• Preventing and resolving intergenerational conflicts | IESEG
• AI skills gap widens | Randstad
• Generational gap, future skills and AI | Rome Business School

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Tim Green UK-based Systems Theorist & Independent Technology Writer

Tim explores the intersections of artificial intelligence, decentralised cognition, and posthuman ethics. His work, published at smarterarticles.co.uk, challenges dominant narratives of technological progress whilst proposing interdisciplinary frameworks for collective intelligence and digital stewardship.

His writing has been featured on Ground News and shared by independent researchers across both academic and technological communities.

ORCID: 0009-0002-0156-9795 Email: tim@smarterarticles.co.uk

Another 5 phase routine. This time I did my Building the Ball qigong and my Xingyiquan in a qigong state of mind outdoors.

Five Element Fists (Wu Xing Quan)

1. Pi Quan- Metal- Splitting

2. Zuan Quan- Water- Drilling

3. Beng Quan- Wood- Crushing

4. Pao Quan- Fire- Pounding

5. Heng Quan- Earth- Crossing

Twelve Animals

1. Dragon

2. Tiger

3. Monkey

4. Horse

5. Chicken

6. Dove

7. Turtle

8. Swallow

9. Snake

10. Hawk

11. Bear

12. Eagle

I will add the long form tomorrow.

Silent Night, Holy Night

en español al final

We often imagine Christmas as a quiet arrival.

A gentle night.

A still sky.

A peaceful world waiting patiently for light.

But that image has more to do with longing than history.

Christmas did not enter a calm or receptive world. It did not arrive in stillness. It arrived in contrast.

The world Jesus entered was loud—politically, socially, spiritually. Power spoke in declarations. Peace was enforced through control. 

Pax Romana. Roman peace, was achieved through domination. Leaders claimed divine authority. Fear was a governing tool. Economic strain pressed heavily on ordinary people, and hope was fragmented by disappointment and delay.

This was not a world prepared for gentleness.

It was a world accustomed to dominance.

Empire promised peace through order. Stability was maintained by force. Caesar was called “lord.” Victories were announced loudly, visibly, and often violently. 

Salvation was framed as control—of land, of people, of outcomes.

Power was not subtle.

It was visible.

It was enforced.

And it demanded allegiance. 

The world already had its saviors.

It had “sons of god,” “bringers of peace,” and rulers who claimed to secure the future through strength. 

Salvation was defined as dominance, certainty, and the elimination of threat. Order mattered more than mercy. Stability mattered more than truth. 

Into that world, Christ arrived—not with argument, but with contradiction.

The world had a definition of salvation.

Christmas challenged it without debating it.

God did not announce Himself to power.

He did not negotiate with empire.

He did not offer proof or spectacle.

He did not arrive with leverage.

Instead, God chose vulnerability over control.

Presence over performance.

Nearness over rescue.

This was not confrontation.

It was contradiction.

God did not oppose the world’s power directly—He rendered it incomplete by refusing to imitate it.

The incarnation was not efficient.

It was costly.

God did not bypass suffering—He entered it.

He did not eliminate waiting—He inhabited it.

He did not resolve history immediately—He redeemed it patiently.

Christmas did not fix the world overnight.

It refused to abandon it.

That cost still echoes.

Loss without replacement.

Faith without clarity.

Hope without immediacy.

These are not signs of failure.

They are the texture of incarnation.

And that is why Christmas still matters.

We still live in a loud world.

We still equate power with speed, certainty, and dominance.

We still crave solutions more than presence.

We still want outcomes before trust.

Christmas remains disruptive because it refuses urgency.

It rejects coercion.

It sanctifies waiting.

It does not hurry us past grief.

It does not shame uncertainty.

It does not reward performance.

Christmas was never meant for people who have everything figured out.

It is for those who live in the darkness, but seek the light.

For those between endings and beginnings.

For those who know effort alone cannot hold life together.

If there is a lesson we can draw from Christmas , it is this:

human nature cannot comprehend the nature of God.

And yet—God comes anyway.

The world has not grown quieter since that first night.

Empires still rise and claim peace through control.

People still long for clarity, for safety, for proof.

But Christmas remains what it has always been—

the uninvited mercy of God entering what we cannot fix.

He does not wait for the noise to stop.

He does not wait for us to be ready.

He comes anyway—

into the conflict,

the fatigue,

the unfinished story of every life.

And perhaps that is the meaning we miss most often:

that holiness does not arrive through triumph,

but through willingness—

God’s willingness to be near,

and our willingness to notice.

So if this year has left you weary, uncertain, or waiting, remember:

Christmas is not postponed by unrest.

It is proven by it.

For every generation that has waited in the dark,

the light has found a way through

quietly, faithfully, without announcement.

And it still does.

© SilentSentinel, 2025. All rights reserved. Excerpts may be shared with attribution.

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Noche de Paz, Noche Santa

A menudo imaginamos la Navidad como una llegada silenciosa.

Una noche apacible.

Un cielo inmóvil.

Un mundo en paz esperando pacientemente la luz.

Pero esa imagen tiene más que ver con el anhelo que con la historia.

La Navidad no entró en un mundo tranquilo ni receptivo. No llegó en quietud. Llegó en contraste.

El mundo en el que Jesús nació era ruidoso—política, social y espiritualmente. El poder hablaba en decretos. La paz se imponía mediante el control.

Pax Romana. La paz romana se lograba por medio de la dominación. Los líderes reclamaban autoridad divina. El miedo era una herramienta de gobierno. La carga económica oprimía a la gente común, y la esperanza estaba fragmentada por la decepción y la demora.

Este no era un mundo preparado para la mansedumbre.

Era un mundo acostumbrado a la dominación.

El imperio prometía paz a través del orden. La estabilidad se mantenía por la fuerza. César era llamado “señor”. Las victorias se anunciaban de forma ruidosa, visible y, a menudo, violenta.

La salvación se entendía como control—de la tierra, de las personas, de los resultados.

El poder no era sutil.

Era visible.

Era impuesto.

Y exigía lealtad.

El mundo ya tenía a sus salvadores.

Tenía “hijos de dios”, “portadores de paz”, y gobernantes que afirmaban asegurar el futuro mediante la fuerza.

La salvación se definía como dominio, certeza y eliminación de la amenaza. El orden importaba más que la misericordia. La estabilidad más que la verdad.

En ese mundo, Cristo llegó—no con argumento, sino con contradicción.

El mundo tenía una definición de salvación.

La Navidad la desafió sin debatirla.

Dios no se anunció al poder.

No negoció con el imperio.

No ofreció pruebas ni espectáculo.

No llegó con palancas.

En su lugar, Dios eligió vulnerabilidad en vez de control.

Presencia en vez de desempeño.

Cercanía en vez de rescate.

Esto no fue confrontación.

Fue contradicción.

Dios no se opuso directamente al poder del mundo—lo dejó incompleto al negarse a imitarlo.

La encarnación no fue eficiente.

Fue costosa.

Dios no evitó el sufrimiento—entró en él.

No eliminó la espera—la habitó.

No resolvió la historia de inmediato—la redimió con paciencia.

La Navidad no arregló el mundo de la noche a la mañana.

Se negó a abandonarlo.

Ese costo aún resuena.

Pérdida sin reemplazo.

Fe sin claridad.

Esperanza sin inmediatez.

Estas no son señales de fracaso.

Son la textura de la encarnación.

Y por eso la Navidad todavía importa.

Seguimos viviendo en un mundo ruidoso.

Seguimos equiparando el poder con la rapidez, la certeza y el dominio.

Seguimos deseando soluciones más que presencia.

Seguimos queriendo resultados antes que confianza.

La Navidad sigue siendo disruptiva porque rehúsa la urgencia.

Rechaza la coerción.

Santifica la espera.

No nos apura más allá del duelo.

No avergüenza la incertidumbre.

No recompensa el desempeño.

La Navidad nunca fue pensada para quienes lo tienen todo resuelto.

Es para quienes viven en la oscuridad, pero buscan la luz.

Para quienes están entre finales y comienzos.

Para quienes saben que el esfuerzo por sí solo no puede sostener la vida.

Si hay una lección que podemos extraer de la Navidad, es esta:

la naturaleza humana no puede comprender la naturaleza de Dios.

Y, aun así—Dios viene de todos modos.

El mundo no se ha vuelto más silencioso desde aquella primera noche.

Los imperios siguen levantándose y reclamando paz mediante el control.

La gente sigue anhelando claridad, seguridad y pruebas.

Pero la Navidad sigue siendo lo que siempre ha sido—

la misericordia no invitada de Dios entrando en lo que no podemos arreglar.

Él no espera a que el ruido se detenga.

No espera a que estemos listos.

Viene de todos modos—

al conflicto,

al cansancio,

a la historia inconclusa de cada vida.

Y quizá ese sea el significado que más a menudo pasamos por alto:

que la santidad no llega por medio del triunfo,

sino por la disposición—

la disposición de Dios a estar cerca,

y nuestra disposición a notar.

Así que, si este año te ha dejado cansado, incierto o esperando, recuerda:

la Navidad no se pospone por la agitación.

Se confirma por ella.

Para cada generación que ha esperado en la oscuridad,

la luz ha encontrado la manera de abrirse paso—

en silencio, con fidelidad, sin anuncio.

Y todavía lo hace.

© SilentSentinel, 2025. Todos los derechos reservados. Se pueden compartir extractos con atribución.

I am now back from a special norweigan Christmas dinner for family and relatives, and I was on the fringe of that.

The outskirts

I drank aquavit and had this wonderful time of just eating and drinking with people who didn’t really care about me, but still I got all of this food and drink!!

I could just sit there and feel the mist rising with each aquavit and it felt like this was a gateway to Avalon.