(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Decentralization. Many of us know the term, and in Germany it has become a buzzword. With the help of new technology you can now do things on your own that were previously the task of the authorities. It is not only public services that are transmitted to most people – in more and more areas of life, the intermediary is cut out. The DIY Wave (do it yourself) changes both how we consume and earn a living.
So – what is decentralization really? Inventor and thinker Ray Kurzweil writes in his book The Singularity is Near that decentralization is "the movement from centralized technologies to distributed, and from the real to the virtual world". To put it simply: Using the internet, you can now do many things yourself, unlike before.
Kurzweil also claims that decentralization will continue to increase, as centralized services are expensive and vulnerable: When we get nano-based fuel cells and solar energy, energy resources will be widely distributed and integrated into our infrastructure. ”Even office buildings and cities, and indeed centralized power plants, will be outdated – thanks to virtual reality:“ The ability to do almost anything Anyone from anywhere and in any virtual real-world environment will make the centralized technologies of office buildings and cities old-fashioned, ”Kurzweil writes.
New technologies. We are already seeing the decentralization of the mains. Affordable solar panels allow people to create electricity themselves, and even sell the profits to power suppliers. An important contribution is the financial support from the government, which makes it easier for people to install solar panels. Also, of course, the prospect of lower electricity bills at the end of the month helps.
More and more public and private services can be performed by people themselves – often from the couch.
The electricity suppliers themselves are also open to the benefits of decentralized energy. The electricity and gas company E.ON lists some advantages on its website: lower carbon emissions, lower energy prices in the long run, increased stability and national security.
The most important trend towards decentralization is the digital world itself that provides, in the form of so-called blockchain. Blockchain technology is described by The Economist as the "trust machine". Blockchain "decentralizes trust," says Shermin Voshmgir, founder of BlockchainHub. For her, this means that we are moving from an "information and data monarchy to a new paradigm of data democracy through peer-to-peer systems".
On the Internet, there has always been an important rule of thumb: that one can never be sure that the person at the other end is who he or she pretends to be, or keeps what he or she promises. Blockchain is still under development, but has the potential to change all that. Basically, this means that many services that require trust will probably be able to be performed online in the future. Banking and notarial services are highly dependent on the legitimacy of the institution in question. When legitimacy can now also be secured online, it is possible, for example, to operate with signed contracts and make money online.
The sectors that used to trust, such as notarial and banking services, are slowly being replaced by digital alternatives that offer the same. Smart contracts entered into by automated procedures online can eliminate the need for an expensive notary to transfer a deed or sell a house. And crypto-currency makes it possible for the first time to make money without the participation of central banks.
Entire organizations can be run without centralized localization or formal structure. Decentralized independent organizations such as Open Bazaar work just fine online without a management team running the site. The software is open source, payment is made with Bitcoin, and there are no fees. This is a good example of technologies and trends that collide and create something completely new and exciting.
It is now possible to print weapons using a blueprint.
Collaborative economics. In recent years, decentralization has been a clear trend. Thanks to new technologies and initiatives, we can do things that previously could only be offered by institutions or companies. More and more public and private services can be performed by people themselves – preferably from the couch.
3D printing is an example of technology that makes consumers more independent as the production of goods can be transferred to your own home. We can simply buy or make a design of a cup or a chair, and make the end product ourselves. When 3D printers become cheaper, the price of goods production will fall considerably since you avoid transport and wages for workers.
Damaged items can be repaired with a 3D printer. There is a widespread trend to lower consumption and streamline the use of the products we already own. In this way, decentralization is closely linked to the cooperative economy, where people share what they own. The most common example of peer-to-peer platforms is of course Uber and Airbnb.
In the book Peers Inc. Robin Chase (founder of Zipcar) writes that "utilizing surplus capacity will be much cheaper than buying new raw materials". This seems to be a trend that is here to stay. For example, the European Commission encourages cooperation on production and consumption, and to stimulate the economy by "designing and leading online platforms that can create awareness about sustainability".
But we must not forget the side effects of increased home production, whether it happens online or offline. It is now possible to print weapons using a blueprint released by Defense Distributed. US legislation, which will take effect from 1 July 2018, requires that all 3D-printed weapons have a serial number given by the Ministry of Justice. Until then, it is not a criminal offense in the United States to make or carry a 3D-printed weapon if it has a metal component that allows it to be identified by metal detectors.
Another possible problem is that DIY products have not been safety tested. Therefore, DIY probably also means "at your own risk", and some rules must be in place to avoid easy production of illegal and potentially dangerous products.
Colliding trends. The simultaneous emergence of collaborative economics, decentralization and technologies such as 3D printing has changed many services. Government and banking, as well as the hotel, taxi and industrial industries, have all lost their monopoly position in their respective sectors, and become DIY activities instead. Now we can drive a taxi, rent a room and make money and electricity as easily as painting a wall.
There are several ways to do it yourself on than ever, and we see no end to it. As these trends mature, we will notice the impact of them in even more services and products. The question is whether there are any aspects of our lives that will not be affected by this trend. I do not think so.
