In the tech space, critics of influencers (often other influencers!) accuse many us of "yapping" - basically just talking to take up space and add noise. This is not our fault, it's the algorithm.
Your "Better, Faster, Cheaper, Safer" line is literally quoted in all my municipal presentations. I thoroughly enjoy reading everything you post on PLE. I always think back to the Will Smith movie "iRobot" when the screen opens to "2035" with robots and people rushing off to work or where ever. I always wondered where the people were rushing to in such large masses with the availability of such advanced robots. I have had a long standing question on PLE that keeps getting lost in the weeds, so I'll continue bringing it up until I get your take on it. How does a PLE future immunize itself against the corruption that is always inherent in politics? Pork lines the pockets and is plainly visible with every politician regardless of the side.
The absolute shortest answer is "radical transparency."
The longer answer is:
A Post-Labor Economy leverages blockchain technology and decentralized systems to create radical transparency that makes corruption much harder to hide. Public, tamper-proof ledgers would expose all government spending, contracts, and resource allocation in real-time, allowing citizens and oversight bodies to continuously monitor for anomalies. This "social audit" capability means any attempt to divert funds or engage in backroom deals becomes immediately visible, creating powerful deterrents against corrupt behavior. Additionally, algorithmic systems for resource allocation would use open-source, explainable code to prevent biased or unfair distributions that favor elites.
The governance structure itself becomes corruption-resistant through decentralized autonomous organizations and on-chain voting systems that remove centralized gatekeepers. Smart contracts automatically execute community decisions without human discretion, while Constitutional DAOs encode fundamental principles that all other systems must follow. To prevent wealthy elites from simply buying political power, the system employs mechanisms like quadratic voting that makes it prohibitively expensive for any single actor to dominate, and Soulbound Tokens that grant voting weight based on proven contributions rather than capital. The ability to "fork" the system gives communities a credible threat against unresponsive leadership.
Economic incentives are redesigned to prevent the wealth concentration that typically drives elite capture. Programmable currencies can include anti-hoarding features like holding fees, while automated progressive taxation and redistribution mechanisms are built directly into the monetary system. Social wealth funds capture returns from high-productivity technologies like AI and robotics, distributing them as universal dividends so that automation benefits everyone rather than just capital owners. This turns every citizen into a stakeholder and breaks the cycle where wealth begets power which begets more wealth.
The system combines technological enforcement with traditional legal frameworks, using smart contracts to make rules genuinely binding while maintaining human oversight through circuit-breakers for emergencies. Individual data sovereignty prevents the kind of mass surveillance and manipulation that enables modern forms of elite control. Together, these interlocking mechanisms create negative feedback loops that continuously resist the natural tendency toward power concentration, aiming to secure liberty and prosperity through systematic empowerment of the many rather than relying on the benevolence of elites.
Yikes I hope you don't move to a think tank too soon. You will be missed. Your content actually makes me smarter and more informed unlike a lot of content out there. Hope you are taking care of your health and taking it easy.
A better estimate for the human population is a settling (no collapse) to a sustainable number over 200 years. The currently estimate for that number is about 2.5 b. This is the best news there is on our climate crisis.
References: Catton, "Overshoot" and Druga, "Empty Earth". The measure is whether children per Woman is below 2.1. It is and is trending to stay that way. This number has a powerful effect on economics because of the aging of the population. You will have to make a statement on this number for your book to be taken seriously. Thanks.
Yeah I've heard those kinds of numbers, however, I think that makes too many assumptions about technology (just an agricultural revolution tripled global carrying capacity). Fusion, solar, and quantum will certainly unlock even more boosts.
It is a question of timing. Will AI generate improvements faster than the environment goes downhill? A definite Maybe. From post-Labor standpoint, a slowly falling population is a good thing. The population gets older. Older people have more investments and will stay healthy longer. Win, Win
there's this cliche i really like and believe: "people are going to talk shit regardless of what you do or don't do so you might as well do whatever the fuck you want"
ive really appreciated your sharing over the years without having to agree with everything you say. you represent a minority contingent to me of "smart adults in the room" on AI discussions without caving to campy trendy or extreme positions. i find your stuff smart and fair.
Dave - your focus on PLE is very welcome. I am working on something about which I will DM you that could be a useful piece of the jigsaw here in the UK. I allude to it here in these comments just to notify you but also for others reading these comments that others are working on real world applications right now.
I have engaged with your content for years now and have recently been struck with the hope that you participate and document in a DAO or DAO-esque project where some of your theories can come to life in a small local project. Maybe a fun pivot when boredom sets in and your energy stores are replenished!
There are plenty of successful DAO and blockchain projects out there. I don't need to get bogged down in that. Unless I cofounded a think tank or research institute.
Your "Better, Faster, Cheaper, Safer" line is literally quoted in all my municipal presentations. I thoroughly enjoy reading everything you post on PLE. I always think back to the Will Smith movie "iRobot" when the screen opens to "2035" with robots and people rushing off to work or where ever. I always wondered where the people were rushing to in such large masses with the availability of such advanced robots. I have had a long standing question on PLE that keeps getting lost in the weeds, so I'll continue bringing it up until I get your take on it. How does a PLE future immunize itself against the corruption that is always inherent in politics? Pork lines the pockets and is plainly visible with every politician regardless of the side.
Also feel free to connect on LinkedIn or send a DM here.
The absolute shortest answer is "radical transparency."
The longer answer is:
A Post-Labor Economy leverages blockchain technology and decentralized systems to create radical transparency that makes corruption much harder to hide. Public, tamper-proof ledgers would expose all government spending, contracts, and resource allocation in real-time, allowing citizens and oversight bodies to continuously monitor for anomalies. This "social audit" capability means any attempt to divert funds or engage in backroom deals becomes immediately visible, creating powerful deterrents against corrupt behavior. Additionally, algorithmic systems for resource allocation would use open-source, explainable code to prevent biased or unfair distributions that favor elites.
The governance structure itself becomes corruption-resistant through decentralized autonomous organizations and on-chain voting systems that remove centralized gatekeepers. Smart contracts automatically execute community decisions without human discretion, while Constitutional DAOs encode fundamental principles that all other systems must follow. To prevent wealthy elites from simply buying political power, the system employs mechanisms like quadratic voting that makes it prohibitively expensive for any single actor to dominate, and Soulbound Tokens that grant voting weight based on proven contributions rather than capital. The ability to "fork" the system gives communities a credible threat against unresponsive leadership.
Economic incentives are redesigned to prevent the wealth concentration that typically drives elite capture. Programmable currencies can include anti-hoarding features like holding fees, while automated progressive taxation and redistribution mechanisms are built directly into the monetary system. Social wealth funds capture returns from high-productivity technologies like AI and robotics, distributing them as universal dividends so that automation benefits everyone rather than just capital owners. This turns every citizen into a stakeholder and breaks the cycle where wealth begets power which begets more wealth.
The system combines technological enforcement with traditional legal frameworks, using smart contracts to make rules genuinely binding while maintaining human oversight through circuit-breakers for emergencies. Individual data sovereignty prevents the kind of mass surveillance and manipulation that enables modern forms of elite control. Together, these interlocking mechanisms create negative feedback loops that continuously resist the natural tendency toward power concentration, aiming to secure liberty and prosperity through systematic empowerment of the many rather than relying on the benevolence of elites.
This was great, thanks 😊
Yikes I hope you don't move to a think tank too soon. You will be missed. Your content actually makes me smarter and more informed unlike a lot of content out there. Hope you are taking care of your health and taking it easy.
A better estimate for the human population is a settling (no collapse) to a sustainable number over 200 years. The currently estimate for that number is about 2.5 b. This is the best news there is on our climate crisis.
References: Catton, "Overshoot" and Druga, "Empty Earth". The measure is whether children per Woman is below 2.1. It is and is trending to stay that way. This number has a powerful effect on economics because of the aging of the population. You will have to make a statement on this number for your book to be taken seriously. Thanks.
Yeah I've heard those kinds of numbers, however, I think that makes too many assumptions about technology (just an agricultural revolution tripled global carrying capacity). Fusion, solar, and quantum will certainly unlock even more boosts.
It is a question of timing. Will AI generate improvements faster than the environment goes downhill? A definite Maybe. From post-Labor standpoint, a slowly falling population is a good thing. The population gets older. Older people have more investments and will stay healthy longer. Win, Win
You need your Engles. (Rich guy to pay the bills).
there's this cliche i really like and believe: "people are going to talk shit regardless of what you do or don't do so you might as well do whatever the fuck you want"
ive really appreciated your sharing over the years without having to agree with everything you say. you represent a minority contingent to me of "smart adults in the room" on AI discussions without caving to campy trendy or extreme positions. i find your stuff smart and fair.
Dave - your focus on PLE is very welcome. I am working on something about which I will DM you that could be a useful piece of the jigsaw here in the UK. I allude to it here in these comments just to notify you but also for others reading these comments that others are working on real world applications right now.
I have engaged with your content for years now and have recently been struck with the hope that you participate and document in a DAO or DAO-esque project where some of your theories can come to life in a small local project. Maybe a fun pivot when boredom sets in and your energy stores are replenished!
True. I incorrectly inferred something like that was already brewing or on your near term personal radar. It was a self serving hope :)
There are plenty of successful DAO and blockchain projects out there. I don't need to get bogged down in that. Unless I cofounded a think tank or research institute.