The power of collaborative information: a live demo, right now!

Do you follow the evolution of the situation in Fukushima nuclear power plant? I do, and it happens I know a bit about nuclear power plants and nuclear safety. So basically, as in any field where you happen to know a bit more than average, I am frustrated by the approximations of conventional media.

So, I was looking for the best source of information for me – not just high level plain-vanilla information but accurate and detailed information to allow me to understand what was happening.

I found it.

It’s not CNN or any of the television news networks.

It’s not the International Herald Tribune or any of the newspaper web sites.

It’s Wikipedia. The Fukushima 1 article is up-to-date as quickly as the professional media and much, much more precise and detailed.

Fukushima NPP accident picture (from Wikipedia)
Fukushima NPP accident picture (from Wikipedia)

The power of the Fourth Revolution in action: the collaborative enterprise of amateurs beats the professional news.

When do you start looking at Wikipedia and other collaborative news sites for a better information coverage?

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A live example of how the Fourth Revolution brings opportunities to developing countries

I want to share with you a true story of how the Fourth Revolution can bring incredible opportunities, regardless of whether you are living in a developing country.

A few month ago I was thinking about the concept of the Fourth Revolution, and considering maybe to write a book, when I stumbled on this image in the middle of a slideshow of diverse stunning images (thanks Jean-Marc!!)

a picture by Alim Boeana
a picture by Alim Boeana

WOW – I thought, that’s a great illustration of the Fourth Revolution concept! How can you get more visual?

So I went to try to get a copy of the picture in high definition so that I could use it for printing, and possibly the Fourth Revolution book’s cover.

So I googled a little bit, found soon the name of the photographer, Alim Boeana, and uncovered within a few minutes that he is a young and talented photographer from Indonesia, working in Bali and Yogjakarta.

After trying unsuccessfully a few email addresses I could find on the internet I finally managed to establish the contact thanks to Facebook (you can send messages to people you don’t know). We quickly came to an arrangement for the license for the picture, I transferred the money using Paypal, and I received the full high quality pictures by email. They now adorn the website, the blog and soon the cover of the book.

So, what’s the lesson from the story? Having posted some pictures on internet, Alim put a seed to the world. He could be seen. His stunning pictures were reproduced and spread from person to person. I could contact him although he is in a developing country, and that made absolutely no difference. And, in a typical win-win situation, Alim could get an unforeseen compensation for his pain and talent, and I could get a great picture for my project.

Just 5 years ago this would not have been possible without excessive pain, and probably we could never have been able to contact each other.

Who now still says the Fourth Revolution has not ignited? And that the entire world is not participating?

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Have no bed, no toilet but I have a mobile phone… and internet!

A major impact of the Fourth Revolution is that ubiquitous cheap long distance communication is accessible worldwide. That means, also in developing countries.
It is so important for people to be able to communicate that in a scarce budget, people will often put a mobile phone or internet as a first priority expense. Every day in Africa, India and other places of the world, communication capability is more important in people’s life. The famous Grameen Bank of Muhammad Yunus developed micro-credit by lending money to women entrepreneurs so that they could buy mobile phone and sell communication time!

No shoes, no bed... but internet
No shoes, no bed... but internet

There has been a lot of comments on the post on the renewal of the elites. The daily news show how pervasive the Fourth Revolution can be in developing countries, making coordination of demonstrations and public action in a way that was before reserved to countries with highly developed infrastructure.
So what? The developing world is now connected to the world. Communication and broadcasting is not reserved to rich countries.
And that’s a fundamental change. Sure, that does not help in the short term the condition of the daily life in developing countries, but it will certainly transform it in the medium term. Because with connection comes opportunity. Discriminations based on Agricultural Age mindset will be overcome. History will not just be written by rich countries or elites that have access to broadcasting.
We are just now seeing the tip of the iceberg.
The world will change fundamentally in the next few decades. New perspectives will come from developing countries. Are you ready to embrace the change?

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Will the Fourth Revolution bring positive changes? The objections part 2: Big Brother is watching You

So, is big brother watching us?

Big Brother is Watching You
Big Brother is Watching You

In George Orwell’s novel, the government controls completely information, even changing systematically historical archives to fit some new official viewpoint.

Web-based applications certainly make much more private and personal data available to many more people than ever before.
Some literacy is needed to know what information to post and what not, in which conditions.
There are quite a few scary things happening out there on the internet – emails and Facebook pages get hacked, confidential information can be used against us. Our communications are certainly filtered for terrorist clues. If we are not careful, our computer might even become a participant to the zombie networks of organized crime.

Still, despotic governments again and again don’t manage to control internet. Their only solution is often to shut it down completely. Because it is widespread, shapeless, unstable, ultra-redundant, long distance communication cannot be stopped any more. And with collaborative tools, instant demonstrations can be effectively coordinated by loose leadership, through virtual social networks, using mobile networks or internet.
If a government shuts down internet, its people will never be able to get on board the Fourth Revolution and the dramatic change of value produced in the world. It condemns the country to slip economically behind. This is not sustainable and one day or the other, it will collapse.

Every day, long distance interactive communication shows its anti-despotic powers.

Could somebody take control at the world level? If Google turned evil, could that happen? I don’t believe so, because if would be easy to rebuild something similar on the side and start again. The disruption would be there but it could be overcome.

So, yes, each of us gives a lot of personal information to the world. Still, because of our new, incredible global interconnection, and an entirely decentralized infrastructure, the risk of a global evil takeover of our communications and our lives appears more and more remote. Rather, modern communication technologies develop the practice of democracy at an astounding rate.

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Will the Fourth Revolution bring positive changes? The objections part 1: no renewal of the elites

One clear assumption of the Fourth Revolution Manifesto is that the Fourth Revolution will ultimately bring positive change to the world (the way to the Collaborative Age might however have some bumps). Quite a few reactions have been received that disagree with this assumption. So, the next few posts will cover the two main objections categories received. I expect that they will be the source of much heated debate! Anyway, thanks to those that have raised them as they fostered a lot of thoughts!

The two types of objections are basically the following:

  1. The present changes in the world only reinforce the influence of the current elite, and poor, underprivileged and fragile people will see their own personal situation worsen
  2. Big Brother is watching us: our interconnectivity opens the door to incredible access in our private lives, which could be exploited by evil groups, ultimately leading to a new era of general slavery

Let us dwell on the first objection. The second objection will be treated in the next post.

One source of the objection is that we can observe in our world today, in particular in developed countries, that certain fragile categories of the population, get even more fragile with the globalization and the general disappearance of low qualification industrial employment. Governments have financial problems and the social safety nets get less safe. The poor get poorer and the rich, richer.

Industrial employment is certainly disappearing and it is only a question of time until its share will diminish even in emerging countries. The problem with the fragile segment of the population of the developed countries is that it now competes worldwide for manufacturing jobs, which tends to lower the value share they can claim.

Does that mean that the people that thrive today will be the same than the ones that will lead the world tomorrow?

Historically during the Third Revolution, it did not happen. Apart from a few exceptions, aristocrats did not manage to make it in the leadership of the Industrial Age – although they would have had the time and the means to access the necessary knowledge. And instead a powerful ‘social elevator’ progressively brought a large segment of the poor farmers up in the social hierarchy – based on processing abilities leading to promotion in the mandatory public education system. Numerous current industry and political leaders come from families that were quite poor 2 or 3 generations ago.

Through the Fourth Revolution, apart from a few exceptions, the current elite will not make it into the new leadership, in spite of their available time and means, because they are in their comfort zone. A new ‘social elevator’, based on different skills than the Industrial Revolution’s, will operate. And new leaders will come from all segments of society – and more importantly, for the first time, from all ethnic and national origins.

So, yes, the segments of the population that rely on Manufacturing for their living will suffer, as the ones that relied on Farming did in the 19th and the early 20th centuries. Still, the opportunities will be here to move into the Collaborative Age value creation system.
Never had so many people so many opportunities to access to knowledge and education, to be connected to the world- in particular in emerging or developing countries. And they can all practice the necessary skills to become successful, part of tomorrow’s leadership.

As, overall, the value production will increase tremendously, so will ultimately the living condition of all.

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We are the generation of the Fourth Revolution. We will shape the world

Willingly or not, we are the generation of the Fourth Revolution.

We will shape the world. It is our destiny.

It is our responsibility and our opportunity.

Let’s shape a world we will proud to leave to our children.

Let us thrive, and at the same time, make the world thrive

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So, will you choose the blue pill or the red pill?

Morpheus: The Fourth Revolution is everywhere, it is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your computer. You can feel it when you go to work, or when go to church or when you pay your taxes. It is the Industrial World that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.

Neo: What truth?

the matrix choice
the matrix choice

Morpheus: That you are a slave of your mindset, Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born inside a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch. A prison for your mind. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Fourth Revolution is. You have to see it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.

Morpheus: You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Remember – all I am offering is the truth, nothing more.

Freely adapted from The Matrix (written by Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski)

So, are you ready for the Fourth Revolution? Which pill do you choose?…

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Four keys to success in the Collaborative Age – the Fourth Revolution Manifesto part VII is online!!!

Now that we have investigated in depth the Fourth Revolution and how it will change the world, we can now focus on what will make individuals successful. Find out four keys to personal success in the Collaborative world in part 7 of the Fourth Revolution Manifesto – now online.

Cover of the Fourth Revolution manifesto part 7
Cover of the Fourth Revolution manifesto part 7

You can access the part VII of the Fourth Revolution Manifesto – FOUR keys to success in the Collaborative Age by clicking on the link. You can also read and share the document on Scribd – it has a great reader and can also be used as a backup if the above link does not work: the Fourth Revolution Manifesto – part 7 on Scribd .

Don’t hesitate to comment and bring in suggestions in the comments to this blog post!

Can’t wait to see the conclusion? Next week, in the final part of the Fourth Revolution Manifesto we’ll finally discuss your choice – and why you are important for the Fourth Revolution.

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How can we hope to understand the Collaborative Age?

We have been raised in the Industrial Age. Our parents lived in the core of the Industrial Age. Our mindset and world-view has been shaped by years and decades of Industrial Age formatting.

Revolutions take often at least one generation to spread, because it involves a drastic mindset change.

Embedded in our Industrial Age conditioning, how can we hope to get a glimpse, understand, the Collaborative world?

Only two approaches are possible.

  • Analyze previous Revolutions to understand typical constants and transformations, and extrapolate to the Fourth Revolution
  • Examine Fourth Revolution precursors and follow their direction towards the Collaborative Age.

The way to understanding the Collaborative Age is hard and dangerous. But it is necessary. Only by anticipating transformations can we thrive through them and find a meaning to the world.

Are you ready to go down the arduous path of trying to understand the Fourth Revolution?

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Quantum physics – A precursor of the Fourth Revolution

Since the beginning of the 20th century we know that Newton’s mechanistic approach is not sufficient to explain everything we can observe.

EinsteinEinstein came out with the Theory of Relativity. Matter is now energy. Light is deviated by mass.

Planck, Heisenberg and others developed quantum physics. Particles are little bit of energy moving in the void. It is not possible to know exactly where they are. Observation changes the reality by reducing the uncertainty.

All revolutions are related to changes in our view of the world, which is expressed in the laws of physics. Newton’s theory, after some time, led to the development of all the machines of the Industrial Age.

Some time is always needed between the definition of new laws of physics and the development of new objects that take advantage of this new knowledge. It takes even more time for philosophers to decipher the consequences for the destiny of humanity.

We are now, after a few decades, surrounded by objects based on the new laws of physics. Laser. CD’s. Computer chips.

We have not yet fully understood what quantum physics means for our destiny.

One thing is sure. Quantum physics is a radical departure from the predictable Newtonian world. It is definitely a precursor of the new Revolution.

Einstein was right to be naughty. He just threw the world upside down.

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Unprecedented long distance collaboration

Long distance collaboration is new.

social network

It is new because the technology that makes it cheap and available everywhere is new

30 years ago it cost a fortune to make a long distance call.

Today it costs nothing. I can stay on Skype with the video on for hours in a row with my family 10,000 kilometers away

That’s a true Revolution. We can’t even imagine the consequences

Do you still think about the bill when you call long distance ?

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