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Monday 15 October 2018

Part 51 - Bad Moon rising

May you live in interesting times.

This has been attributed to an ancient Chinese curse but like many things these days, you can't always rely on its provenance.

Regardless,  we are living in very interesting times, on the brink of the greatest change in human history to date.

Apart from the current social upheaval and nationalistic isolationism (whew, big words) we are also changing in technology like never before as we approach the fourth Industrial Revolution.

This is the age of automation and robotics.


A little far fetched I hear you say.

A few years ago I may have agreed with you but then I got a 3d Printer.....

Investigate the world of 3D printing and your worldview changes with it.

For example, I have had my 3D Printer (cost $400.00) for less than a year and while working full time as well as taking holidays and weekends away I have still managed to build this:
  
So this is something that I have built at home at no great cost in my spare time, just let that sink in.

Now consider that industry is doing this full time with huge budgets and massive resources.
Robotics, automated vehicles, factory automation and AI are here now and the trend is increasing dramatically.

So where does that leave us?

There are a couple of options,
Oppose it and slow down the uptake by forcing industry to use labour intensive techniques and prop it up with artificial barriers like tariffs.
At best a short term gambit as costs will increase and exports will be too expensive, particularly if your market imposes tariffs as well, which is happening now between the US and China.

Alternatively, and it's the only real option, embrace the change and make it work for you.
Adapt society to take advantage, before the technology adapts society in a way you don't want.

If we don't embrace the change then we will become victims of it.

Can we turn back the clock?

Some politicians think we can but how long for and how much damage will it do?

When's the last time you saw someone walking in front of a car waving a red flag as a warning.

Technology is not going away, we need to use it and accept it.
Resistance is futile.

So what happens to the people displaced by the technology?
Now is the time to change our society and include everyone, not just those with a job.

Universal basic income is a great first step.

Doing it through reverse taxation limits it to only those who need it and people who are out of work have a way forward to re-invent themselves with dignity.

Now is the time to change before it's forced on us.

I support a basic income and will be standing for the Australian Senate in 2019 to support this.

May we all live in interesting times.

#basicincome @voteclivemyers

P.S. here is a video that emphasises the point a little more:



Meanwhile on a lighter note I thought this was pretty funny.



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