Author: Tim O'Reilly

It is deeply unfortunate how difficult it is for humans to practice foresight. In his wise and insightful book, The Wealth of Humans, senior editor for the Economist Ryan Avent traces the lessons that we could and should take from the centuries of economic and political struggle that led from the innovations of the industrial revolution to the successful economies of the second half of the twentieth century. Prosperity came when the fruits of productivity were widely shared; enmity, political turmoil, and even outright warfare were the harvest of rampant inequality. It is obvious that generosity is the robust strategy.

From the book WTF: What's the Future and Why It's Up To Us

The simple maps of idealized markets leave out many real-world details that must be dealt with in order for the market to actually function properly. Governance is essential.

From the book WTF: What's the Future and Why It's Up To Us

We are already in the thrall of a vast, world-spanning machine that, due to errors in its foundational programming, has developed a disdain for human beings, is working to make them irrelevant, and resists all attempts to bring it back under control. It is not yet intelligent or autonomous, and it still depends on its partnership with humans, but it grows more powerful and more independent every day. We are engaged in a battle for the soul of this machine, and we are losing.

From the book WTF: What's the Future and Why It's Up To Us

Future economic historians may look back wryly at this period when we worshipped the divine right of capital while looking down on our ancestors who believed in the divine right of kings.

From the book WTF: What's the Future and Why It's Up To Us