About
Dave.

A working life

As a young man, I studied hard to become a master butcher. The profession demanded far more than many people realised. I had to acquire both the practical skills of the trade and the technical knowledge behind them. I took pride in mastering my craft and won numerous prizes in national competitions.

My education went considerably further. I studied anatomy and physiology and earned a degree in animal pathology. My original intention was to continue into veterinary science, but life took me in a different direction and I entered industry instead.

At the time, some of my friends had office jobs and I occasionally felt embarrassed by what I did. Looking back, there was no reason to be. I had worked hard, developed specialist knowledge and succeeded in a skilled profession. It taught me that the value of a job is not determined by whether somebody else is impressed by it.

I later became an operations manager. It was a role built around solving problems, making decisions and keeping things working. People relied on me, and for many years work supplied both structure and a large part of my identity.

Retirement brought freedom, but it also raised a question many people face: who are you when the job title disappears? Finding my own answer has become one of the subjects I write about.

Thinking for myself

I have never been particularly interested in agreeing with something merely because it is popular. I stood as an independent candidate in local elections and have spoken at public rallies. I care about what happens to ordinary people, the direction of Britain and the kind of country we leave behind.

I am fascinated by human behaviour: why people form groups, how power is used, why we believe certain stories and why we sometimes hand our judgement to somebody—or something—else.

That interest runs through my writing about society, retirement and artificial intelligence. I may speak plainly, but I am willing to reconsider an opinion when the evidence tells me I am wrong.

Hills, tents and an allotment

I first visited Kinder Scout as a boy and have returned to the Peak District many times since. Walking, camping and being outdoors give me space to think—and remind me that a satisfying life does not have to be expensive or complicated.

These days I have to respect my knees and recognise that some routes require more thought than they once did. Turning back is not defeat when it is the sensible decision. There will always be another path, another campsite and another day.

My allotment gives the week a different kind of rhythm. Nature does not care about job titles or timetables. There is always something to grow, something to learn and occasionally something that refuses to behave as the gardening books promised.

Author at 70

Retirement did not end my interest in the future. If anything, it gave me more time to investigate it. I began making videos, sharing my observations online and talking with people far younger than me.

I wrote and published The Coming AI Shock, a book about how automation could reshape work, families and the UK economy. I wanted to discuss artificial intelligence in plain language and concentrate on what it might mean for ordinary people.

Now I am building A Dose of Dave with the help of AI. The technology can arrange the page, but the experiences, opinions and decisions remain mine. That, to me, is how AI should be used—to help people express themselves without replacing the person doing the expressing.