Revisiting the Past

I recently went back to my alma mater and spent time reconnecting with old friends. It was a weekend filled with nostalgia, reflection, and a few powerful takeaways. Driving through campus, I noticed that while some things looked exactly the same — Aladdin’s restaurant, the fire station, the pizza shop, the churches, and the local florist — others had changed dramatically. It reminded me that while tradition holds steady, the world around it continues to evolve.

The Disappearance of “Keeper of Knowledge” Careers

When I graduated, being a stockbroker was one of the most sought-after careers. Today, it’s practically vanished. Why? It comes down to information access. There was a time when stockbrokers, like travel agents and telephone operators, were the “keepers of knowledge” — gatekeepers to data that the average person couldn’t access.

In the early 1900s, 100,000 telephone operators knew how to connect your call. Today, technology handles it seamlessly. Similarly, before 1994, travel agents were essential to book flights and hotels. Janice and I even used one to plan our honeymoon. But with the rise of online platforms like Expedia, the need for in-person agents has plummeted — dropping from over 35,000 agencies to under 10,000.

Stockbrokers followed a similar path. Once the only way to buy stocks, they relied on information exclusivity. Now, with online investing platforms, everyday investors have that power at their fingertips.

Careers Come and Go — And That’s Okay

The truth is, most of these career shifts didn’t come with a formal announcement. No one sent an email saying, “Telephone operators will soon be obsolete.” But while some roles disappeared, others emerged. My son works as a digital marketer — a job that didn’t exist when I was in school. Just a couple of decades ago, no one had heard of a software engineer, a web analyst, or a game designer (unless it was at Hasbro).

The takeaway? The world is changing — fast. And often without warning. So, check your assumptions, because they might be holding you back. Staying adaptable and curious is one of the best ways to stay relevant in a world that won’t stop evolving.

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