The Future is Faster than You Think
The Future is Faster than you Think came up on my radar when Jackie and I were roaming around a Barnes and Noble earlier this year. Though I got the book a few months later, it has been nothing short of incredible. The book is the last in a three book series by authors Peter Diamondis and Steven Kotler. Though you can read this book on its own as the topics of the previous books are briefly explored here.
I purchased the hardcover version and thought it was going to be a longer read than what it actually is. I flipped through the pages and realized that the last third of the book is filled with tons of references to research that the authors conducted, effectively making this something you can read relatively quickly.
The book itself is divided into three parts with the first talking about how the rise of powerful technologies (i.e. machine learning, virtual reality, 3D printing and so on) are converging, resulting in rapid changes that will impact our lives within the next 10 years. The middle portion of the book is filled with colorful anecdotes that illustrate what life could be like in the not so distant future. It backs up these claims by showing how these technologies are already converging today to bring affordable housing, automated transportation, sustainable energy and more.
The last section of the book acknowledges, however, that the future is at risk from different factors affecting us today such as climate change and the decline of biodiversity. Also in this section, the authors mention how they envision several great migrations that will impact our society and our dependence on and development of technology.
All in all, I think this book was both entertaining and informative drawing me in right from the start. Also the information presented was not overly technical, so it was easy to get through and comprehend. If you consider yourself as someone who loves technology or are a futurist, then this book is right for you.