Edition #2: The Becoming Human Manifesto: What Do We Refuse to Automate?

We’re not just building a future with AI. We’re building a future that will test who we are in the process.

By Mykel Salomon · 2025-11-08

<h3>🔓 Opening Reflection</h3>We’re not just building a future with AI. We’re building a future that will test who we are in the process.Automation is everywhere, and accelerating. And with it comes a flood of news:📉 Layoffs 📈 Efficiency metrics 🤖 Headlines telling us what machines can do nowBut here’s what they don’t talk about enough: The mindset shift required to stay human in all of this. The builder mentality. The I can adapt, I can learn, I can create what’s next mindset.This edition of The Becoming Human Manifesto is for the doers. The dreamers. The ones who know that even in a world being rewritten by algorithms, some things must remain human by design.<hr><h3>🔦 Signal of the Week</h3>“Automation is coming for everything..... except meaning.”Yes, we can automate workflows. Yes, we can delegate tasks to agents and AI.But we can’t automate:<ul><li>Vision</li><li>Intuition</li><li>Conviction</li><li>Imagination</li><li>The why behind the work</li></ul><blockquote>The future belongs to those who don’t just plug into tools, but ask better questions about what they’re building, and why.</blockquote><hr><h3>💬 The Big Question</h3>What do you refuse to automate.....and what does that say about your values?If you want to stay human, start with what you protect. Because what you protect reveals what you believe. Time to protect our humanity... at all costs.<hr><h3>🧠 Human Moment</h3>I’ve spoken with people who’ve lost jobs to automation this year. And I’ve spoken with others who used that moment… to reinvent. To build something new. To reconnect with a skill they buried under structure. To create their own lane, not wait for permission.And here’s the truth:<blockquote>In every disruptive moment, there’s also an opening. A portal into a version of you that hasn’t been automated, or broken.....by the system.</blockquote>That version? That’s the one we build from.<hr><h3>🛠️ Build Together</h3>Here’s what it means to stay human in this season:<ul><li>Learn the tools, but lead with intention, not imitation</li><li>Use AI to amplify your voice, not replace it</li><li>Get clear on your edges: What do you automate, and what do you protect?</li></ul>Because this isn’t just about skills. It’s about self-awareness. And the belief that you still get to choose what kind of future you show up for.📩 Hit reply or drop a comment: What are you refusing to automate right now?<hr><h3>🎙️ This Week’s Episode</h3>🎧 Ep. 11 – More Human Than Ever: Leading with Authenticity in the Age of AIGuest: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="text-[#4FD1C5] underline hover:opacity-80 ember-view" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/-tom/">Tom Cox</a> — CEO, Founder & Executive Coach <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="text-[#4FD1C5] underline hover:opacity-80 jFyrVBZmOJTVoHJvKvUZeDCVoBSSacnHLLmEXDw " href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/vmleader/">Vertical Motion</a>We talk about:<ul><li>How to build trust in a time of uncertainty and change</li><li>Why the most powerful leadership tools can’t be outsourced</li><li>What it takes to show up with presence, when everyone else is automating personality</li></ul>🎧 Listen or watch:<ul><li><a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="text-[#4FD1C5] underline hover:opacity-80 jFyrVBZmOJTVoHJvKvUZeDCVoBSSacnHLLmEXDw " href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0tOWJPoD4oDe4pULSnqMF9?si=5efebbe4356842d1">Spotify</a></li><li><a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="text-[#4FD1C5] underline hover:opacity-80 jFyrVBZmOJTVoHJvKvUZeDCVoBSSacnHLLmEXDw " href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-11-more-human-than-ever-leading-with-authenticity/id1843402023?i=1000735375822">Apple Podcasts</a></li><li><a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="text-[#4FD1C5] underline hover:opacity-80 jFyrVBZmOJTVoHJvKvUZeDCVoBSSacnHLLmEXDw " href="https://youtu.be/FR1t9kL34V0?si=lwaDwj42HciMCr0t">YouTube</a></li></ul><img class="max-w-full h-auto rounded-md my-4" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/D4E12AQGu8UYoo6EmTQ/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/B4EZpgf_EfIoAQ-/0/1762555592189?e=1772064000&v=beta&t=TzSK20Gh8WserHYC580qqnjVermZFLONvHrn-e2SK9w" alt="Article content"><hr><h3>🧭 Thought to End the Week With</h3>“We don’t need to fear automation. We need to remember what we refuse to automate.”Refuse to automate empathy.Refuse to automate vision.Refuse to automate your humanity.Because what you refuse to automate is what makes you irreplaceable.<hr>💌 Share this with someone navigating the shift from fear to ownership.🔗 Follow <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="text-[#4FD1C5] underline hover:opacity-80 jFyrVBZmOJTVoHJvKvUZeDCVoBSSacnHLLmEXDw " href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-human-protocol/">The Human Protocol</a> to stay rooted in meaning as the world speeds up.🌍 Let’s build the future ...... human-first.— Mykel