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
