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Towards Work 2.0? — Power, Data and the Exponential Thaw
We need to change the rules of the game — not just the tech involved
Could a decentralised system like blockchain be the solution to the question of data ownership, and ultimately be a type of universal basic income? When I read this question, proposed by Michael K. Spencer, I was intrigued as there are few subjects which I find more interesting than crypto technology, data sovereignty and UBI. However, after thinking about this question for a while, I’m inclined to think this is nonsense.
With three major components, thus there are three major legs on which this argument stands. Firstly, automation demands some response as jobs are lost, such as UBI. Secondly, the proliferation of Big Data raises questions about data sovereignty. Thirdly, blockchain, operating as a decentralised system capable of handling monetary transactions bridges both problems. Now, I have no problem with this logic per se (and is it very much A = B = C sort of logic); but often the solution to problems is not found in the future, but in the past. Why might prolific automation cause tremendous problems? Why is Big Data in the hands of Big Corporations increasingly problematic?
