Every week, we put together a list of our top 5 articles of the past week. Happy reading!
The meaning of life in a world without work The Guardian
Most jobs that exist today might disappear within decades. As artificial intelligence outperforms humans in more and more tasks, it will replace humans in more and more jobs. I’m a huge Yuval Noah Hariri fan having read Sapiens and Home Deus recently. This article in the Guardian explains how he thinks about the future of work and the rise of a ‘useless class’. Virtual reality will replace religion in the search for meaning. The end of work will not necessarily mean the end of meaning, because meaning is generated by imagining rather than by working.
The deployment age Jerry Newmann
This is an old article that I recently discovered. The theory demonstrates how each period of technological development is followed by quieter periods of development. The takeaway for me is that entering new markets is more important than expanding existing ones.
Why France Is Taking a Lesson in Culture From Silicon Valley NY Times
In an ode to the national holiday in France, I’ve included two articles that I found interesting. This Times piece discusses the new startup scene in France with a focus on a new startup incubator called Station F. There are more and more success stories in France and investment is pouring in. However, there are cultural challenges to overcome as well.
Minitel: The Online World France Built Before the Web ieee Spectrum
In depth read on how the Minitel in France came to be. It launched the country into the digital age a full decade before the United States. I learned a lot about the ecosystem of services that resemble what we have today (banking, groceries, sex chat rooms and the list goes on); all of this, in the 1980s.
Less Money, Mo’ Music & Lots of Problems: A Look at the Music Biz Redef
Great read on the seismic changes that the music industry has gone through. From the end of recorded sales to the ubiquity of online streaming, the entire business model of music has changed. Good perspective on what the future of music will look like as well.
