Rise of the Robots – by Martin Ford

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Rise of the Robots

by –  Martin Ford, 286 pgs.

What I found most amazing about this book

The most amazing thing about this book is the stark realization that many forms of human labor as we know it is on the tail end of its very existence.  It’s no accident that corporations have seized on both the efficiency and profitability that robots – when built and operated properly – can offer them.  Unlike humans, there are no sick days, vacations, health insurance, etc. that otherwise “inconvenience” the 24/7/365 profit machine mindset. 

That may seem fine in a money-making sense, but it far from solves every potential problem.  In fact, it may prove to create some brand new ones.  Unless new methods are derived to figure out how all of the millions (up to even tens of millions) of displaced workers are going to miraculously afford to buy those state-of –the-art, robotically-built products and services, then we may come to regret outsmarting ourselves in our technological prowess. 

It is something to keep in mind in our quest for perfection.  In fact, the author proposes a few interesting options with respect to how we could compensate those of us who may pay the ultimate price in this process – that of losing our careers to robots.  As one pretty insightful scientist (Isaac Newton) once put it, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  Let’s hope that we’re mindful of our actions as we move to the next generation.

What I DIDN’T like about this book

I thought this book was the most eye-opening I’ve read in several years.  As advanced as the concepts are, the author did a fantastic job in wording it in a way that even a very young person could relate to.  It is a game changer, a disrupter, and it will most certainly be cited often in the coming years.

Whom would I recommend to read this book

This book is (like it or not) a “must-read” for all working adults who may not even realize how close they are to being replaced in their occupation.  Yes, yours!  I would also strongly recommend it to all college students who are at the point of declaring majors and career-planning for the next stage of their lives.

Any thoughts?

-A.N.

Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War – by Fred Kaplan

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What I liked about this book

I thought the book did an incredible job enlightening us about how easily our “inter-connected cyber world” can turn from convenience and ease to inconvenience and horror.  One of the prominent themes was “anything we can do, they can do back to us.”  It’s a defining indication of how far we’ve come in technology – but also, the price we should expect to pay for our gains.

What was most challenging about this book
The most challenging issue is understanding that many of our “complaints” about international spying, hacking, etc. online is often a practice that originated domestically.  It will be more difficult, after digesting the contents of this book, to simply point the finger at the rest of the cyber world for some of the ideas we may have started right here at home. Whether this is good or bad is to be determined, but the facts are laid out in this book and are arguable.

Why and to whom would I recommend this book

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an online business (or plans to create one), or simply has a genuine interest in cyber security as either a hobby or potential profession.  I also think it is a great read for anyone who is interested in learning HOW we have gotten to the “point of no return” in our knowledge of the cyber world and all of the amazing details involved.