3 ms·
Rifkin has been pushing these ideas (basically advancing technology will require his preferred political positions) for 20+ years (see "End of Work" (1995)). He
by spikels 13y ago
Rifkin has been pushing these ideas (basically advancing technology will require his preferred political positions) for 20+ years (see "End of Work" (1995)). He just updates the buzzwords and publishes it as a new book (see "The Age of Access" (2000) and "The Zero Marginal Cost Society" (2014)). As usual there are a few grains of truth (jobs replaced by technology, drastically lower costs for some products) but it is mostly just well known falsehoods (lump of labor fallacy). In the end you will know less after listening to Rifkin's arguments.
- Shivetya 13y agoWell robotics will make about anything possible as time and tedium will be removed as barriers. In a society where supply is merely a result of time there won't be much to want or steal. At least if your in that first world part of the world. Yeah there are costs involved in setting it all up, but with robotics it comes down to material access to build with. The nice thing about robotics is you can put them into inhospitable areas for about, well forever. I fully expect there will be a generation not too far off whose primary source of work is creating things just because and not for whom. Oh sure there will be people who do and do for others, but it won't be a real requirement. Just like a small number of people get the real work done in most work environments so will society migrate too.
- gojomo 13y agoThe fun thing is Rifkin has also sometimes been a doomsayer – especially with regard to genetic biotech or global energy. I think in his career he's aiming more for "say thought-provoking things" than "be substantially correct in retrospect". That can be OK!