With some much bad news in the world – or at least in the newspapers and featured on rolling 24 hour news coverage – it is easy to think it is all doom and gloom out there.
The world undoubtedly faces some significant challenges.
A growing population and growing demand for natural resources, combined with massive inequality between developed and developing economies, means we will have to face up to these challenges before (as dramatic as this sounds) the inevitable collapse of human civilisation.
I first heard about a book called Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think by Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis whilst listening to a podcast recently.
Kotler is a well known journalist and author (I’ve heard another of his books, The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance, reviewed on a podcast as well recently) and Diamandis is best known as founder of the X PRIZE Foundation.
Abundance takes a contrarian stance and makes the case that technology means we will soon be able to meet and exceed the basic needs of every man, woman and child on the planet. The book makes a convincing argument for this, with detailed research and references backing up every claim.
Kotler and Diamandis explain in the book how four forces—exponential technologies, the DIY innovator, the Technophilanthropist, and the Rising Billion—are all conspiring to solve our biggest problems.
As I read Abundance on my Kindle, I highlighted several passages with important messages:
“Humanity is now entering a period of radical transformation in which technology has the potential to significantly raise the basic standards of living for every man, woman, and child on the planet. Within a generation, we will be able to provide goods and services, once reserved for the wealthy few, to any and all who need them. Or desire them. Abundance for all is actually within our grasp.”
“The negativity bias—the tendency to give more weight to negative information and experiences than positive ones—sure isn’t helping matters.”
“One concept lately gaining momentum is “impact investing” or “triple-bottom-line investing,” whereby investors back businesses that generate financial returns and meet measurable social or environmental goals. The practice often gives investors a further reach than traditional philanthropy—and this practice is growing. According to the research firm the Monitor Group, what was $50 billion in impact investments in 2009 is on pace to reach $500 billion within the decade.”
“Right now,” says Joy, “we’re fixated on having too much of everything: thousands of friends, vacation homes, cars, all this crazy stuff. But we’re also seeing the tip of the dematerialization wave, like when a phone dematerializes a camera. It just disappears.”
“What if healthy and wealthy means you don’t need all those things because, instead, you’ve got these really simple devices that are low maintenance and encapsulate everything you need?”
“If an idea is truly a breakthrough, then the day before it was discovered, it must have been considered crazy or nonsense or both—otherwise it wouldn’t be a breakthrough.”
If you’ve read Abundance, please use the comments below to let us know what you think.
You can find reviews of some of the other books we’ve been reading at icl-ifa.co.uk/book-club/
