A few days ago, Forbes publisher Rich Karlgaard had a sharp blog post on the underlying sources of Americans’ economic anxiety. “I think there are two deeper causes,” Karlgaard writes. “One is a rate of inflation that has jumped ahead of most people’s annual pay raises. The widely quoted consumer price index figure excludes gas, health care and education, all of which have climbed at rates higher than the CPI.

“The other really deep reason is the underlying rate of economic change. That rate is accelerating. Companies that are leaders in their industries—and this applies to leaders in all industries—are falling out of leadership faster than before. New and disruptive companies are popping up everywhere, like jaguars amid elephants….

“Cheap production technology combined with vast pools of talent, capital and consumers around the world guarantee a world of “extreme competition” (to borrow a McKinsey phrase) and ever-accelerating business-model evolution. What could slow it down? Nothing I see. Not even war.

“What goes for companies goes for careers. Your career and mine can be disrupted more easily than before. The best personal career strategy is to assume that our jobs will be disrupted. Everyone needs a Plan B.

“If you and I face up to these facts and trends and likelihoods, the world will look scary but thrilling, and full of opportunity, too. If we cover our eyes or imagine that politicians can protect us from change, the world will look scary, period.”