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The Lights in the Tunnel

From Amazon‘s editorial review of Martin Ford‘s The Lights in the Tunnel: Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future:

The book directly challenges nearly all conventional views of the future and illuminates the danger that lies ahead if we do not plan for the impact of rapidly advancing technology. It also offers unique insights into how technology will intertwine with globalization to shape the remainder of the twenty-first century, and explores ways in which the economic realities of the future might offer new approaches to addressing global challenges such as poverty and climate change.

Yikes! I knew Facebook and Twitter would spell the end of civilization.

Here’s the website:

Retail positions at Wal-mart and other chain stores have become the jobs of last resort for many workers. Will robots and other forms of machine automation someday threaten these jobs? If so, what alternatives will the economy create for these workers?

I guess my aspirations of being a stock boy at Food Lion are out.

Here are two parts of an interview with the author.

November 3rd, 2009 | Tags: | Category: Technology Disasters | 6 comments - (Comments are closed)

6 comments to The Lights in the Tunnel

  • RBM
    November 3rd, 2009 at 2:32 pm

    # Fec

    The first red flag for me:

    Martin Ford is the founder of a Silicon Valley-based software development firm. He has over 25 years experience in the fields of computer design and software development. He holds a computer engineering degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a graduate business degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.

    There are several SV derived persons expanding their horizons that seem to take Mores Law literal in all things.

    Vinod Khosla Kholsa is the first that comes to mind.

    It all takes energy …

  • Fec the Terrible
    November 3rd, 2009 at 3:41 pm

    Allusion help:

    It is a common (but mistaken) belief that Moore’s Law makes predictions regarding all forms of technology, when it actually only concerns semiconductor circuits.

  • RBM
    November 3rd, 2009 at 8:05 pm

    @ Fec

    Shucks’s it’s so bad that it’s spread from Silicon Valley to a status the Wiki calls ‘common’? I’m surprised, I figured it was just my reading choices.

    Given Wiki’s take, I guess those arguments about lack of science education have some merit, eh ?

  • Fec the Terrible
    November 3rd, 2009 at 9:11 pm

    Wikipedia editors should always be suspect.

  • RBM
    November 4th, 2009 at 5:25 pm

    @ Fec

    Here’s a link to an interactive map:
    AP Economic Stress …by County

    Enjoy !

  • Fec the Terrible
    November 4th, 2009 at 7:04 pm

    Thanks a bunch. If I had a blog…