Our future will be better than we think? | What Would The Internet Do?

The following post is from +Singularity Utopia, a well-regarded source on FAI or “friendly artificial intelligence”. She writes a lot about post-scarcity, and in this letter, makes an appeal for people to embrace a new book on the subject by Dr. Peter Diamandis. Please note that none of the co-authors of the blog are actual Singularitarians (Sasha did attend the prestigious Masters program at Singularity University), but one of the intentions of WWTID is to present as many relevant points of view as possible for considering our digital futures. That said, we all feel that post-scarcity is an incredibly important topic to discuss from all sides.

Recently I had the pleasure of receiving an email from Ray Kurzweil asking me to help publicise the book “Abundance—the Future is Better Than You Think” by Dr. Peter Diamandis.

I won’t read too much into Ray’s email, but I personally like to think my recent Post-Scarcity and FAI views were appreciated by a key voice in the futurist movement. Instead of psychopathic Artificial Intelligence, or enslaved sentient-machines populating the future, I am confident our future will be better than we think.

Personally I expect utopia, which you probably guessed. I’ve been trying to publicize the concept of Post-Scarcity for the past couple of years therefore I’m happy to help raise awareness regarding Peter’s book. If you are unaware about how the coming Post-Scarcity era (abundance or super-abundance) will radically transform our world, then I suggest you should read Peter’s book. Even if you are aware of Post-Scarcity I’m sure Peter’s book will be an enjoyable read. I’ve not actually read it myself, but it should be entertaining and informative.

A world beyond scarcity is the most interesting and important topic in the history of human civilization. I’m sure the book will explain how everything will be free in the not too distant future.

For people who don’t know what Post-Scarcity is, it entails everything being free (the abolition of money). Everything being free occurs due to superabundance of goods and services. Superabundance will be created via AI, nanotechnology (nano-assembly nanobots), and 3D printing. Things only possess monetary value due to scarcity. Monetary prices are required to restrict limited supplies in situations of scarcity. High-powered-AI will ensure our available resources are effectively limitless. AI will ensure ultra-efficiency.

I think Post-Scarcity should be a more prominent issue, but what do you think? Everything being free is something everyone can relate to, therefore greater prominence regarding Post-Scarcity could easily increase popular support for the Transhuman epoch we are approaching. I therefore think we should all be doing more to stimulate Post-Scarcity awareness.

Peter H. Diamandis should be highly commended.

#PostScarcity is something I am very interested in therefore I’ve created various Post-Scarcity symbols to raise awareness. I am including one recent PS symbol in this blog, which you are welcome to share or perhaps it will inspire you to create your own PS symbol.

Make sure you explore the free gifts (if you order the book) on the Abundance site, and there’s also a chance to win prizes if you help publicize the book.

Here is a copy of the email Ray sent to me:

Dear Singularity,I’d like to reach out to you personally about a new book that I am very excited about: Abundance — The Future Is Better Than You Think. This book is written by my dear friend and colleague Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Singularity University Cofounder and X PRIZE Foundation Chairman, and Steven Kotler, science journalist.

Peter and Steven intend to start a new conversation in the world — one focused on solving problems rather than just being gloomy about them. In the book, they give an extensive tour of the latest in four emerging forces: exponential technologies, the DIY innovators, the Technophilanthropists, and the Rising Billion. They present a very convincing case that the world’s getting better at an accelerating rate and lay out a road map for achieving the vision of abundance. I think you’ll enjoy the abundant stories, hard facts, and science/engineering in the book.

Today, we are all empowered more than ever before to solve humanity’s grand challenges. You can help change the world’s conversation from the pessimism of scarcity to Abundance!

Please explore this book at their website, www.AbundanceTheBook.com, where you can pre-order Abundance, download the first chapter, watch videos, share your reactions, and participate in a campaign to change the world’s conversation (and win a $5,000 prize in the process).

To launch the book and make a real impact in turning the world’s current negative focus around, Peter and Steven are offering four gifts to thank any early supporters for pre-ordering at www.AbundanceTheBook.com by February 13. (You’ll get access to Singularity University’s video library packed with graduate training on exponential technologies, the Transcendent Man documentary, and more.)

Please help spread the word!

Best,

Ray Kurzweil

http://khanneasunztu.wordpress.com/ KhanneaSuntzu

Tsk.
- http://singularity-2045.org/ Singularity Utopia
  
  Tsk, Khannea?
  - Brian Geniesse
    
    Khannea Suntzu…….I hope this is not why you say Tsk……….Fear of losing monetary wealth? Enjoy the fact that when people stop coveting physical wealth, the society we will see will provide….A great example is the 3D printer….In fact Jay Leno has a large one that he uses to make replacement parts for cars that are so old, that to find the part is near impossible. Take the fact that an elderly woman recently received a titanium lower jaw. The jaw was created in a 3D printer…..To sum it up, devices of this nature improve the fact that objects will be abundant, therefore reducing the demand……
    - http://khanneasunztu.wordpress.com/ KhanneaSuntzu
      
      I said “tsk” because I found it remarkable that Singey would regard the message of the people around Ray as close to hers. Singey has always appeared a little aloof of that frame of thought to me.
      
      I am poor so any change to the current monetary system is an improvement to me. I myself don’t believe much of imminent abundance. I am fairly sure things are really bad, and we are close to a very painful decrease in collective societal wealth. Paint me a pessimist, but I have deliberated this for quite a few years.
      
      Let’s hope Singularity and Peter Weyland errrrr Diamandis are correct.
      - http://singularity-2045.org/ Singularity Utopia
        
        In this video http://youtu.be/9ntjrnJvPdA?t=1m45s an astronaut said: “We’re just trying to do a simple thing, which is to remind people back on Earth that the impossible is possible.”
        
        Via this playlist http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF9ECAAB36D53EFE8 you will find other videos where noteworthy people expect fiction to become a reality.
        
        There are problems in the world and sometimes there are setbacks but on the whole things are rapidly improving. On this G+ page https://plus.google.com/u/0/112564607617850290297 you will find many examples of rapid technological progress, bold strides forward. Utopia will not happen in the next few years but by 2045 at the latest it will happen. By 2030 we should be experiencing very dramatic improvements to civilization.
        
        I am not a fan of Ray Kurzweil, I am critical of various points regarding his Singularity-exposition, but there is validity in many of his points; I also feel unity is better than division thus I am not shy about focusing on commonalities.
Sally Morem

This looks to be a wonderful book. And with Eric Drexler’s book coming out this year, the concept of abundance will finally get a thorough airing. Looking forward to both.