Comment by CPLX
2 years ago
I have mixed feelings about it.
I do believe with certainty that there are many people, millions, whose life has been made substantially worse by the invention of ubiquitous computing devices.
Probably the minority. But I’d say his questions (ie “What’s in it for me?”) are excellent ones to pose in the face of new technology.
I think this is anti-status quo bias, which for once is unjustified. Sure the world has many systemic problems, but to say that the MASSIVE efficiency gains the internet have brought us are for a minority seems like an insane claim. Just because capitalists have been claiming all the new excess value doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
To illustrate, consider: spreadsheets, video chat, shared documents, automated calendars, maps, autopilot assistants, CGI, I could go on… the world is not quite good enough that I’m ready to say that we don’t need more efficiency. Not everyone has a home on mars quite yet.
I said the opposite of what you think I said.
People who are worse off are most likely the minority.
But I do think it’s worth noting that they exist.