The Destructive Impact of the Computer

It is destroying what the Industrial Revolution created in the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries - Industrialization, Capitalism, and the Market. A Way of Life that had become Global, and that everyone had taken for granted.

When I say this was an entire Way of Life, I am not exaggerating - it changed who we were completely - for the better, and for the worse - in ways we were not aware of - but we identified with completely. And which we do not want to change - or even think of changing. Because it is Who we Are.

It took centuries to build this environment, but the Computer has changed it, in less than a Century - leaving us in a state of shock - seeing enemies everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

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"Interesting theory!" You may say, "But too far-out, for me to believe in. How come no one else is saying it?"

Good question, but one easily answered "People are saying it - but carefully. They don't want to get squashed, like a bug on the windshield."

People have been critical of the Industrial Economy for a long time - as long as it has been in operation. But they were not considered a threat - because its success answered for itself.

The Computer is different - it is successful, and it is making substantial changes - whether we want them or not.

It has changed the way we solve our problems. I saw this when I was working in Silicon Valley in the Nineties. When any changes were contemplated - the first thing everyone did - was Form a Company - complete with the usual corporate structure and offices. This was true in any Organization - such as the Schools - a social hierarchy had to be formed, with those at the top making more than those at the bottom - and having most of the Control. Everyone knew this was the way it had to be done.

But this is not the way it was done in Software. Software Developers could see this was not working - and set about doing it differently. Concentrating on something that worked and worked better. The result was a different kind of social structure - flexible, and built to do the job on hand.

It is not entirely correct to say that Software is destroying Industrialization - it would be more correct to say it is improving on it - by replacing the parts of it that no longer work.

And the people who have gotten rich off of those parts.