Biotechnology and the rise of AI may split humankind into a small class of ‘superhumans’ and a huge underclass of ‘useless’ people. Once the masses lose their economic and political power, inequality levels could spiral alarmingly
Inequality goes back to the Stone Age. Thirty thousand years ago, bands of hunter-gatherers in Russia buried some members in sumptuous graves replete with thousands of ivory beads, bracelets, jewels and art objects, while other members had to settle for a bare hole in the ground.
Nevertheless, ancient hunter-gatherer groups were still more egalitarian than any subsequent human society, because they had very little property. Property is a pre-requisite for long-term inequality.
As some groups increasingly monopolise the fruits of globalisation, billions are left behind
Related: Humans are most atrocious when we live under the weight of great inequalities | Danny Dorling
The grandchildren of Silicon Valley tycoons might become a superior biological caste
It’s very dangerous to be redundant. Your future depends on the goodwill of a small elite
Related: The Inequality Project: the Guardian’s in-depth look at our unequal world
May 24, 2017 at 02:11PM
from Yuval Noah Harari
No comments:
Post a Comment