Blurring the Distinction Between the Physical and the Virtual

An interesting essay by Portland-based Thomas Schreiber poses a variety of thoughts on the coming digital fabrication revolution. The highlights:

 

• The distance between idea (digital) and real (objects) is becoming very close, and soon will be almost zero as digital fabrication becomes widespread. 
• Marxism's definition of power, the means of production, was always relegated to the few that could afford to control them, still the case today - but this will begin to fade as the power to create becomes universal.
• Schreiber fears the possibility of people overly focusing on objects to the detriment of personal relationship as the means to create expands.
• The definition of intellectual property will become much more important, as anyone will be able to create things. Thus, ideas become more important than things.
• Piracy will rise to a new level, where no one knows what will truly happen. 
• The nature of sales will shift, since people will produce the items themselves rather than traditional shopping.
• Our conception of objects will change, such that the authenticity of an object becomes rather blurry. 

 

Take a read through this though-provoking piece. 

 

Via Ubiquill