path: root/computer/econtalk-future-cars.rst

EconTalk, Future of Cars and Telecommuting
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:date: 2017-08-31T14:50:41
:category: computer
:tags: blogComment, econtalk

(This has been comment on `the episode`_ of EconTalk)

It seems to me that however this interview was awesome (and it
was) it is still in the danger of being the same kind as the
prediction about colourful faxes.

I think we are standing on the edge of the end of the Industrial
(or Modern) age and something new is awaiting us. One particular
aspect which relates to the transportation and cars is in my
opinion that employees are moving back from their offices. With
the advancement of Internet and other higher forms of
communication it makes less and less sense to commute an hour or
so to some other building and work there, when everything
required for work can be at home. Why to build specialized
expensive buildings just for working?

The idea of “leaving home to work” was completely strange to
people before year approximately 1800 and I am not sure whether
we cannot be estranged to it again.

Of course, there is zillion problems with it, but it seems to me
that this could be as big revolution as was the Industrial
revolution. And yes, everything will have to change: our homes
(too small to spend most of our times there), our cities (too
many now useless office buildings), our way of life (socializing
won't be done primarily in the context of work). Perhaps we may
see again rise of deurbanization and people moving out of the
large metropolis to smaller communities. Who knows?

But certainly, such process would completely change our
expectations put on cars and transportation.

More on this here_.

.. _`the episode`:
    http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2017/08/benedict_evans.html

.. _here:
    {filename}third-wave-telecommuting.rst