In a recent PLOS One paper, a team of evolutionary biologists at Stanford examined why most human cultures have a class structure instead of being egalitarian; they conclude that the very inequities of the class system were the driver for its global spread.
By modeling the destabilizing effects associated with the unequal distribution of resources in stratified societies, SFI External Professor and Science Board Co-Chair Marcus Feldman and collaborators compared demographic stability and rates of migration to determine why hierarchical societies historically outnumber their egalitarian counterparts.
They found that higher migration rates arise when resources are scarce and members of a population go in search of additional resources. Such migration often results in the creation of new stratified societies.
"This is the first study to demonstrate a specific mechanism by which stratified societies may have taken over most of the world," Feldman said.
Read the PLOS One paper (September 21, 2011)
Read the Stanford University News article (September 23, 2011)
Read the Science a GoGo article (September 29, 2011)
Facebook
Twitter
Email Newsletter
SFI News Feed
Google+
YouTube
iTunes U
Comments - post a comment
PART 1 OF 2.
Complexity theory and SFI are outstanding. The danger is in presenting opinions as facts. This book has excellent description of what 'is' but like many similar books on the subject, the most evil and incorrect 'prescription' of what to do in the future or present!
DESCRIPTION VS. PRESCRIPTION
The facts in the book are great. The interpretation of the facts are to be distinguished when the remedy is offered.
Jobs will be displaced.
This has happened in every age of man. That is not a revelation but it is good to get it from him. His remedy is the worst "evil
" because it involves and advances "Statism" . It is outright distortion of the facts to justify incorrect opinion.
This is the problem between those that give good description [e.g. about I.Q like authors of the "Bell Curve", or the state of a nation like this author] and then give the worst remedy [e.g. Hitler: to cure Germany, Hitler's remedy is Statism and ethnic cleansing. Even allies did NOT mind his remedy, but they minded the fact he invaded others and threatened England]. .
Be ware of evil, because it is Not like in the movies coming at you in one-go. It slowly creeps up like a toad in boiling water, like a virus. Any Statism is evil.
PART 2 OF 2 [please read part 1 of 2, first]
What is the 'cure', the prescription to job displacement and changing times ? The fact one must recognise changing times in one's job. AND therefore expand one's skill set to areas of potential value, particularly watching trends. One must learn. One must experiment by offering value to others. One must adapt and change if it is not working. That is the key.
Secondly: in every generation it is IMPOSSIBLE TO PERCEIVE what the future [technology] holds, otherwise people would be doing it. Planes could NOT fly. It took the Wright brothers to invent it. It took a while and others TO COMMERCIALISE it. The key is laissez-faire free economy where people CAN create value and because they retain their wages, so they have enough to invest in new ideas.
Finally: consider this. If mass jobs disappear but new technology appears, then people without jobs can not partake and purchase the offers output by these new technologies. They would not have enough money!
Therefore it would either mean:
1. No more new technologies [companies going bust] OR
2. Smart people using new technologies to create value for others such that these others had enough money to grow.
Example:
Gary Valnerchuck offers wine critique. His customer base does not pay him a dime for that! He is a millionaire. Promoters pay him. He also makes money from selling the fact he has a huge customer base [different business]. He is already living in the world I am talking about above.
By the way, I have never said I can - and no one can - predict all the new technologies and jobs of tomorrow. But I have inducted that INEVITABLY there MUST be new jobs, and this has ALWAYS taken place! There MUST be new jobs BECAUSE :
1. There are virtually infinite problems. Wherever there are problems there are those offering solutions. This means value. This means jobs and customers (who purchase the solution to their problem).
2. Those who solve problems get richer [MR. A]. But that develops COMPETITION [MR.B]. Therefore for MR.A to keep ahead of the curve he must use his profits to hire and produce more solutions [more problem solving]. In order for MR.B to get ahead he too must do that and/or do it cheaper than MR.A and/or loan a lot of money to be as big as MR. A in one leap, and then pay back the loan by selling the product-or-service cheaper OR BETTER (e.g. Apple) than Mr. A .
In sum total, whatever the state of change in an economy:
VALUE CREATION is INEVITABLE. This is capitalism and laissez-faire. This means every man is equal with the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Man must use this mind properly to create value, communicate this value and add value to others in return for a value in return (e.g. money) where there is a meeting of minds (i.e. contract between traders or in employment). This is free and fair.