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Excellent perspective, particularly so because it comes from someone who did so much to describe where a reputation economy could go. Science fiction writing i

Excellent perspective, particularly so because it comes from someone who did so much to describe where a reputation economy could go. Science fiction writing is amazing in how it gets us to imagine, be bewildered, or be alarmed by things that have not happened yet, or could never happen. It is a starting point, giving us the confidence to keep building -- but also the foresight to be ready for the ills that our creations will no doubt introduce.

nickff 11y ago
Your post reminded me of a quote from Hayek: >"The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design." I think you bring up an interesting parallel between Hayek's conception of the purpose of economics and the common view of science fiction. Being an avid reader of both, this seems to be a great synergy!
- HillaryBriss 11y ago
  Then I wish economists would pay more attention to economics because they've designed our economy right down a hole in the ground.
  - HillaryBriss 11y ago
    Oy, now they're voting my karma right down a hole in the ground! Peace out bros.
notahacker 11y ago
I thought it interesting because despite the idea of reputation-based currency being by far the most convincing and fully-realised part of Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, it wasn't until reading this essay I realised how much contempt he had for the concept. (without giving too much of the plotline away, the main distinguishing factor of the reputation-based currency is that people lose it very quickly when they upset people, and in the book people are usually upset for perfectly understandable reasons. Otherwise, people achieve high reputations with the same blend of shrewdness, endeavour and inheritance as required to get rich in today's economy).
- cstross 11y ago
  > it wasn't until reading this essay I realised how much contempt he had for the concept. That's because he didn't. Cory published DaOitMK in 2003, meaning it was in the publisher's pipeline in 2002 and written probably 2000-2001. This essay was published in 2016. He's had 15 years of cumulative experiences upon the basis of which to change his opinion on reputation economies -- is it surprising that he's done so? (Similarly: I disagree violently with the Charlie Stross who wrote Accelerando, circa 1998-2004, on the subject of the singularity. But hey, it's been close to 20 years; younger Charlie had less data and experience to go on, is all.) ((Disclaimer: I have no insight into Cory's mind on this topic other than that which comes from having known him for about 15 years and written a book with him.))
  - sshumaker 11y ago
    Charlie - what are your thoughts on the singularity these days? Is it captured in one of your more recent books?
    - cstross 11y ago
      I'm about as skeptical about the singularity these days as Cory is skeptical about Whuffie. (When you look at the pattern of beliefs around the singularity they structurally resemble the complex of beliefs held by pre-millenarian Christian fundamentalists. They're equally difficult to falsify, too. If you conditionally accept the theory that atheism as understood in the West is a product of the Enlightenment and thus a Protestan heresy, then it looks like a bunch of the avowedly rationalist atheists have come full-circle and accidentally built themselves a tree house that looks uncannily like a church.)

nickff 11y ago

Your post reminded me of a quote from Hayek: >"The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design." I think you bring up an interesting parallel between Hayek's conception of the purpose of economics and the common view of science fiction. Being an avid reader of both, this seems to be a great synergy!

HillaryBriss 11y ago
Then I wish economists would pay more attention to economics because they've designed our economy right down a hole in the ground.
- HillaryBriss 11y ago
  Oy, now they're voting my karma right down a hole in the ground! Peace out bros.

notahacker 11y ago

I thought it interesting because despite the idea of reputation-based currency being by far the most convincing and fully-realised part of Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, it wasn't until reading this essay I realised how much contempt he had for the concept. (without giving too much of the plotline away, the main distinguishing factor of the reputation-based currency is that people lose it very quickly when they upset people, and in the book people are usually upset for perfectly understandable reasons. Otherwise, people achieve high reputations with the same blend of shrewdness, endeavour and inheritance as required to get rich in today's economy).

cstross 11y ago
> it wasn't until reading this essay I realised how much contempt he had for the concept. That's because he didn't. Cory published DaOitMK in 2003, meaning it was in the publisher's pipeline in 2002 and written probably 2000-2001. This essay was published in 2016. He's had 15 years of cumulative experiences upon the basis of which to change his opinion on reputation economies -- is it surprising that he's done so? (Similarly: I disagree violently with the Charlie Stross who wrote Accelerando, circa 1998-2004, on the subject of the singularity. But hey, it's been close to 20 years; younger Charlie had less data and experience to go on, is all.) ((Disclaimer: I have no insight into Cory's mind on this topic other than that which comes from having known him for about 15 years and written a book with him.))
- sshumaker 11y ago
  Charlie - what are your thoughts on the singularity these days? Is it captured in one of your more recent books?
  - cstross 11y ago
    I'm about as skeptical about the singularity these days as Cory is skeptical about Whuffie. (When you look at the pattern of beliefs around the singularity they structurally resemble the complex of beliefs held by pre-millenarian Christian fundamentalists. They're equally difficult to falsify, too. If you conditionally accept the theory that atheism as understood in the West is a product of the Enlightenment and thus a Protestan heresy, then it looks like a bunch of the avowedly rationalist atheists have come full-circle and accidentally built themselves a tree house that looks uncannily like a church.)