Resources management and society

While we might live in the 3rd millennium, use the technology of the 21st century and scour the globalized world, we are thinking just like in the beginning of the industrial age when it comes to the consumption and resources management.

More is better!

Is it? Really? Yes... if the problem is not enough goods. In times, where everything was made by hand struggling to make more, effectively, precisely and cheaply was the logical way. Machinery and automation were the big bang of the day.

But hey, time to wake up. We have production surplus on pretty much everything and effectivity flies among the skies. The dominant potato chips company in the Czech Republic has about 8 employees. It's good are everywhere in tons... The companies know that they can do more than people can use. But.. "More is Better!" So they are trying to make as much goods as they can for as cheaply as they can and spend millions on persuading and manipulating people that it is their stuff they should buy of all there is.

So they are selling supersized packs, design items to break after the warrant ends and make cool fashion items like tablets and smartphones so people get a new one every few years even though they have little use or difference between them.

In the past, having more was good because there was a tons of things people actually needed. More food meant less hunger, more variety. To get a new Dishwasher or Washing machine meant you wont have to do it by the hand anymore. This is still true for most people in the developing countries.

In the developed world, this part is over. We have goods, we know how to make them cheap, effective and in a short time. We can build our machines and stuff to last as well. It is time to stop wasting resources. You know, the things wars are waged for and people dies to get a hold of. In this new dynamic world.. it is time to welcome the most production cost efficient model:

Subscription is the new way!

While having your own dishwasher or washing machine makes sense, for some items, personal ownership is just plain waste. Do you want to see an example? Cars in the city. Having a car is a great thing when you live on a farm where closest anything is a few miles away. Not like you really have a choice there anyway. In the city though... cities are clogging with huge traffic, millions of cars roaming the world streets... in 90% of the cases transporting just one person in a 5 seat vehicle and just two times a day - to work and from it. Rest of the time it sits somewhere, "rusts" and takes up a space.

Cities don't have enough space to just waste it on parking. In this case, restricted car access and filling streets with cars from subscription based car companies would heavily reduced the parking problem, the effectivity of use problem and most likely even traffic problem as the cars could be made much smaller - making much more room for them in the streets - not to mention their power consumption. Like seriously, wth do you get an SUV when you drive 10 kilometers a day on basically an easy terrain and only thing transported is your butt.

It would mean never again to have troubles with parking - you come and take any car you want and leave it anywhere you want. The only thing you carry around is a card with your credit and driving permit. Make cars autonomous (thx. google) and centrally coordinated and you won't have a problem with traffic jams, or not having car available. Make those cars electric and charging stations solar powered and you got a 3rd mil. transport solution. I wouldn't mind if they were hover cars but you know, everything in time... (sniff)

On demand production!

Ok, so some things are just not worth owning. But how about those that can't go any other way? Well, instead of making 3,000,000 pieces of a T-shirt, selling it for 10 times it's manufacturing price and than throwing 3rd of them away and writing it off as a loss...  having a portfolio and manufacture on demand would save a lot of material. And all you need is a fast, global and reliable communication channel that is widely accessible (internet anyone).

So.. thanks for reading and, if you have an idea on what could be done more effectively (and it would be practical) - share it with me in the comment below!

How will this happen?

It is actually kind of easy. It is not about companies doing it, those are around already. It is about society. When having a car is not a symbol of wealth but just a necessity for a few people. When having everything you want available 24/7 anywhere is not a requirement. When having a new smartphone with a 14 new completely useless functions is cool... than we can work it out. First the mindset of the industrial age have to go. Than we can actually move somewhere. The people have to understand and grow up soon. Until then - companies will just work the way they did until now. 

3D printing getting mainstream?

Oh yes please!

That is what I thought when I walked into the common copy-center in Prague few days ago. There I go, getting some stuff printed and bam... there it is among machines printing on the t-shirts, coffee cups and common paper - a 3D printer.

It is an amazing and useful technology that is, unfortunately, still in it's beginnings. A lot of geeky people who loved to manufacture or needed a rapid prototype sketches already had one or at least access to it. But most of the people didn't even had a slightest idea this stuff is around.

 

Not anymore. Even though these cheap printers still take hours to actually make anything and mostly are able to work only with some kind of plastic - they can be useful. The only problem for most people is the modeling part. One of the popular solutions are "model libraries" for different printers available to their customers. Here, people who are skilled in design make their models available and some even offer their services. It is also possible to use 3D scanner to copy the items you already have. To be honest, if there was one file-type for all the printers and design programs, it wouldn't hurt...

Now, with this getting more and more mainstream, I just wait until repair-shops and design boutiques will print their stuff locally... some E-shops already do. Want to see something awesome? Check out shapeways.com.

Before spending 3k$ on your own 3D printer though.. read though what this guy has to say - he makes a living through a 3D printing so while the rest of us dream of better futures, he has a very precise idea about possibilities, strengths and weaknesses of this technology: why 3d printing is overhyped - by Nick Allen (founder of 3D print UK)   

If you still think this stuff is amazing and consider getting one yourself for fun or as a stylish and futuristic addition to your business... it is not as hard or expensive as one would expect. I was thinking about getting one too but friend already has one and my tiny apartment is, well, tiny. However I did the research so here are the spoils:

fab@home.org
makerbot.com

Have fun, explore the future, and see you soon. :-)

NSA scandal, internet security and meaning of life

The American National Security Agency (NSA) made itself well known to the world in the past weeks. It had no intend to.
Well, I guess, Edward Snowden did taught them a lesson about security of information. Did they listen? We might never actually know.

However, while they scream about espionage and treason, the truth remains. The contractor workers had access to personal data, wire-taps and all kinds of surveillance. People working for external companies could get all kinds of data about pretty much anyone. And Americans are worried about an insider trading? Who can blame the corporations for using encrypted channels...

The internet security and independence is essential to this world. It is a corporate channel, personal universe and much more. The internet is the new symbol of freedom while America slowly sinks mocking it's own constitution with it's anti-terrorist laws, gun-control laws and big brother like behavior of alphabet agencies. As all the old school blackmailers know, information equals control. Government talks about crime and terror but people should consider - the cattle lives a very safe lives in captivity, would like to live like that? How much of your life are you willing to give up for your safety? And how far can you go before the safety mechanisms will become the threat?


On the internet, you are a step away from information. True or not, that is for you to decide. It is a great training tool for critical thinking, which is crucial for a free society. Internet is also a great tool to reveal the truest self and see it reflected in the others, without the fear of rejection or misunderstanding. Here, if community doesn't embrace you, you can just walk away and find a new one without consequences. It is much harder in physical world where moving to a different town or work might not be easy or even possible and even then you might not be going out for a new life as haters can reach your new community and reveal them what you don't want to be known. Just remember that embarrassing story you have... Part of the internet's wonder is that it's connection to the physical world is very loose and it is only your choice to make it stronger.

Not so if you are being watched and your actions filed by a government agency. In that case internet becomes the best tool of controlling regime. The wrench of oppression. It doesn't matter what country does the surveillance and why. It is a matter of principle. Not to mention that the countries can change. Germany, and most of the formerly communist countries, in 20th century went from a democratic countries to the most brutal totalitarian states of recorded history... and the process took but a few years and, in some cases, just one elections.

If history teaches us something, it is that nothing is certain and that people tend to repeat themselves. 
Now, my fellow internetians, stand for the freedom of internet, security of the information and protect yourself from those who claim that they want to protect you.

The blog is in the making...

It is not ready... but I am workin' on it.