The news is not a nice thing. “Deaths mount on both sides on Christmas Day in Iraq“ screams the Independent, Reuters reports on more US troops dying (more), and even FOX News's usually pro-war headline reads, “Sad Holidays for U.S. War Widows“. Coupled with the Pope dedicating Christmas Mass to decrying this mass murder (more) and continued escalating terror alerts making one seriously question whether US security has decreased over the past two years (more), things just aren't looking too good.
Or are they?
You might think from reading the news entries that I post that I'm a cynic, that I think the apocalypse is right around the corner. Not true at all! I think this is an awesome time to be alive; the 21st century is going to be very exciting, for two core reasons:
1. Nuclear Fusion and other “Free” Power
Admittedly the US is doing its damndest to block the progress of fusion reactors (more, more) as well as smaller power generation platforms (ie. home power generation), but ultimately reducing the cost of power to close to zero is going to change the world. Think about it — if you have unlimited electricity, you can generate unlimited hydrogen fuel. You can grow an unlimited amount of food in your basement using automated hydroponics. You can manufacture anything. You can recycle anything. And so on.Power is the key to everything — when power is free, everything is free… And that moves us to a leisure-based society, finally, after a hundred and fifty years of science fiction promising it to us.
Of course… it also gives us unlimited power to kill.
2. Cheap Space Travel
Rutan is well on his way to proving that we can get into space for minimal cost using readily accessible technology. Couple that with unlimited electricity, and we have laid the foundation for humans finally fully colonizing space and the rest of our solar system, and one day more. I think it's very reasonable to assume that we'll see civilian human settlements this century on other worlds.
So… Maybe you're asking yourself: How can I prosper in this new world? How can I be a success? I believe there are four things you can do, but you should do them now to prepare yourself for the world of the future… coming in ten years?
A. Obtain and protect real estate
When items don't have value any more, and income becomes roughly equalized across all people, only real estate has physical value… when coupled with the ability to control that real estate. I believe we may face a series of “microwars” as wealthy land owners seek to control their assets. The question I suppose is how much respect do the lower and middle classes have for the inherited “finders-keepers” attidude of the current wealthy landholders?My advice is that you get your hands on good (scenic, isolated, whatever you want) land and be able to defend it. This has to be done soon, and should be done in exotic locales in my opinion. As the ability to travel rises, “normal people” will realize that there's nothing stopping them from buying that house in the Carribbean… And it's really a matter of first come, first serve, and once we hit the threshhold, the game basically ends, short of bartering for other properties.
But… with unlimited power, what's stopping us from settling the ocean?
B. Develop artistic skills
At least inside a 50-year window, it's unlikely that robots will dramatically surpass humans in the artistic sense — I'm talking about writers, musicians, poets, and so on… If items lose value, then “ideas” and the entertainment that comes from them takes that value. The human desire for wealth is like energy — you can't destroy the lust, you can just shift it from one concept to another.
C. Develop scientific/academic skills
You can become a part of progress… So maybe that academic degree that's valueless now, that leaves the bearer as a bitter guy that insults those without degrees as a coping mechanism, will actually find itself in demand in the future?
D. Prostitution and other services
When items and electricity become inexpensive to the point of being free, one thing always grows in value and perhaps even becomes the new currency: people. As we move to a permissive leisure society, those adept at — or adept at controlling — prostition and other carnal service industries that can't be effectively done by machines will be in high demand. We are already seeing this shift happen with the “personalization” of online pornography a la Suicide Girls and other “journal-based” porn — you're not just buying sex — you're buying intimacy (temporary — or permanent — ownership of someone else's soul, rather than temporary possession of their genitals).
Along the lines of the last one, don't be surprised if (pseudo-voluntary) slavery re-emerges as an acceptable concept in the 21st or 22nd centry.
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