Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus

I've heard the author of this book, Douglas Rushkoff, referred to as a futurist. I think that means someone who can see trends and extrapolate them to create a vision of the future. He's a professor of something that sounds like liberal arts but he clearly understands a lot about technology -- both the specifics of how it works and it's implications for our lives.

His premise is that corporations exist for growth. They must grown infinitely. Now, however, they have reached maximum growth. There is nowhere else to grow. No new markets, no extra planet. Even if that isn't true, he says the corporate model is broken because it does not serve humans. I think he'd say that the corporate model has more responsibility for the decline of the American worker than automation.

He suggests that we create businesses for reasons other than growth, and that growth as a strategy is already failing. Oddly, his solutions sound idyllic. We could live in a world where people are not overworked and anxious about their jobs. They are paid a good wage and have time to enjoy their lives because business will serve human interests.

I liked his ideas so much I joined his email list.

The title refers to the futility that most people in our economic system feel. He claims even CEOs do not like running a business with only the next quarterly investor call setting their priorities.  Maybe but we all perpetuate the system because we don't have a lot of choices.. CEOs could lead the way but they don't.