Jeremy Rifkin

[Edward theurj Berge]

This dude also deserves a thread, a postmetaphysical visionary of an integral paradigm different from the trademarked variety. And quite "spiritual" to boot, if by that we mean creating a more equitable and humane lifeworld in which all can thrive and aspire to their highest potentials. From the integral capitalism thread:

Balder:

Have you discussed Jeremy Rifkin's notion of "distributed capitalism," based on emergent peer-to-peer technological models, which he discussed in his book, The Empathic Civilization?  I skimmed the thread and didn't see mention of it, so I thought I'd add it to the mix.  Here's a brief article on it.

(An interesting notion of his, which is not directly relevant to this thread but possibly relevant to this forum, is Rifkin's notion of an emergent "dramaturgical self" as a stage of self-making beyond the "existential postmodern self."  I haven't explored it in depth -- I've just been reviewing his book for a class -- but I'll look into it more and will comment further if it's relevant.)

theurj:

Thanks for these links. I've heard of Rifkin but have yet to read him. I agree with most of what he's saying but he is stretching the definition of the term capitalism beyond its intended meaning. Recall its meaning from the beginning of the thread. Private ownership of the means of production with profit flowing to the top is antithetical to shared, open and distributed ownership of resources and information and P2P relationships, much like selfish concern and cosmocentric morality are so in a moral hierarchy. Rifkin is right to make the connection between the worldview and economic-communication systems, and that the internet correlates with an empathatic, biospheric view necessary for such shared resources and environmental consciousness. But again, capitalism was all about the exploitation of natural resources as if they were infinite with little to no regard for the environmental consequences. Rifkin laments this destruction and rightly analyzes the consciousness and systems that created it, capitalism, yet by keeping that name in his new view of P2P distribution is a functional misfit.

One can also view him speak on his new book at YouTube. Just watching the first couple minutes it seems to be the same info in the text linked above.

Balder:

I also had posted this video on his work here on IPS awhile back.

theurj:

Now I understand hybrid systems during transition phases. For example we have hybrid gas-electric cars which are better than just gas-driven. But we know that it is a transition to a full electric car when we develop the technology and infrastructure to make it feasible. That is, we know we must completely leave behind using a limited resource like petrol for a more sustainable energy source. So with economic systems. There are hybrids of capitalism with open source and of course it is a step in the right direction. But like with petrol we know that at some point we will leave capitalism behind in a more equitable, humane and environmental consciousness with correlative political economy.

 

So for me it says something about our consciousness to which economic system we attach. Given the I-I agenda of a kinder, gentler capitalism it appears to be on the transition of rational-pluralistic and it calls that integral. Hence you get no language or values about open source, distributed networks or P2P. Whereas I think what Rifkin is describing, that ecologic empathy that is growing out of the informational-pluralistic into the internet P2P network, is what we might call integral. And it is open source, not private property. But again, it is currently a hybrid in transition but we know where it is going and what must be left behind.*

 

*As to worldview and moral level replacement, see the previous thread on ladder-climber-view. Like I said, I don't think it's a strict or clean dividing line between one level and the next, with transitions containing mixes and hybrids. But we see the trajectory of where it's going and what it will eventually leave behind.

You can find Rifkin's website here. Following is an excerpt from the synopsis on his lecture "The age of access":

"The new information and telecommunications technologies, e-commerce and globalization are making possible a new economic era as different from market capitalism as the latter is dissimilar from mercantilism. In the new century, markets are slowly giving way to network ways of conducting business, with far-reaching implications for the future of society....The notion of exchanging and holding on to fixed property becomes an anachronism in a society where everything is continually evolving."

[Edward theurj Berge]

This home is cool. And only cost $22,000. I put it here because it's on the general theme of a Commons-living lifestyle, i.e., simpler, more cost-effective and less wasteful energy and resource consumption.

[DavidM58]

What a beautiful hOMe, and I love the name. A few months ago I helped co-sponsor a talk at our local bookstore by Dee Williams, author of The Big Tiny.  One of the first to spearhead the tiny house movement (that I found anyway) was the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

Peak Moment TV did a show with Dee Williams: Portable House, Simple Life

[Ambo Suno]

Hi DM and t - this is a fun topic for me, as well, though maybe without quite as advanced thinking and motivation about benefits for economy and world. But I may be moving in that direction.

A friend is now free-forming a little house on the back of a trailer - he's a pretty good craftsman and I'm curious what he will come up with - I haven't seen any of it yet.

For close to a year (and for shorter trips and events over decades as a mobile hang out) I lived in a 53 chevy van. I'll post some photos of it on the photo page, along with the cargo shipping container I lived predominantly in for a few years, until about a year ago.

I'm imagining the van experience isn't totally new to some of you. Space decisions and planning is big. By comparison the 160 sq' steel box is capacious, only a bit smaller than the studio apt that I live in now.

Two van pics will show a camping/surfing trip with friends and family. Another at a dying as a rite of passage retreat in Death Valley. The ability to cocoon as needed, while in great or daunting situations feels like a luxury, when one thinks about many people without homes or in families jammed into tiny places. There have been times in my past when I needed to log a lot of alone and closed-down-and-safe-feeling time. The van was a blessing.

To place the cargo shipping container into the mountainside, I had a hydraulic excavator dig a notch in the dirt and then insert the 20' box into it. Since I wanted it under the radar, it was outwardly simply a storage unit. Open the metal doors and I had built a wall half wood and half strong "hardware cloth", overlain with no-see-um mosquito netting. I hung a security screen door to give an initial barrier to bears, other wild animals, and potential rude humans. It was off grid even for cell phones. The refrigerator you'll see was used as storage and very slightly effective cool box.

You won't see in the photos, but later I made a storage loft by hanging tie-down straps above the bed and placing a hollow-core door on it, with small space-gaining outrigger boards beside it.

I could simply step out of the door and be on a ledge that overlooked some hillsides. Every season had its beauty, and the price was right. You'll see, if you like, some typical early morning, daytime, and moonlit views. In one, after a creek-exploration hike and camping jaunt, is a friend doing some yoga-like stretches in the clear-aired space.

There will be one photo of another container that makes good car storage.

Living small is good, especially if one doesn't have a family, eh. Some variations on the theme aren't always easy, eh. And, often, perfect, eh.

I'll try to post the photos in some order. ambo

DavidM58 said:

What a beautiful hOMe, and I love the name. A few months ago I helped co-sponsor a talk at our local bookstore by Dee Williams, author of The Big Tiny.  One of the first to spearhead the tiny house movement (that I found anyway) was the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

Peak Moment TV did a show with Dee Williams: Portable House, Simple Life

[DavidM58]

I love it Ambo, thanks for sharing!

[Ambo Suno]

Thanks, David - it's good to hear that.

I trust you are well.

DavidM58 said:

I love it Ambo, thanks for sharing!

[DavidM58]

Rifkin isn't mentioned in this article, but it is congruent with his ideas if not directly inspired by him (and it includes "5 pillars").

Utility 3.0: How to Democratize Energy in the U.S. 

[andrew]

Rifkin's hydrogen hypothesis isn't completely dead: 

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2015/01/15/122518-toyota-mirai-h...

[Edward theurj Berge]

China's five-year plan embraces the Third Industrial Revolution. Germany and and the European Parliament have as well. Talk about impact. And all without kennilingus...

[andrew]

And this technological soteriological state endeavour will be concomitant with new democratic voting laws, basic human rights for LGBT, for theistic groups like Falon Gong, for women, etc? Implementing one spectrum or green pluralism isn't good enough . But that aside, India and China coming on board to our levels of consumption in the next 50 years is a recipe for disaster , imo. They could pay their rural communities to grow pot for bio-diesal . Of course where they can implement high tech green systems it should be done, but this isn't going to be affordable to the masses, therefore my continued assertion of a two economy solution . 

[Edward theurj Berge]

I admit it seems contradictory, that while the concern is with "sustainable development" and the
"move from quantity of growth to quality," nonetheless they want "expanding domestic consumption." 

[andrew]

Well China isn't the only place that is negligent in developing into a full green spectrum society. We have a relatively  decent plurality of people here (not without its problems) but consider it our human right to pollute and put money and profit before the earth : 

http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/buddhismjudaism/

Capitalism under neoliberalism outsources pollution to future generations while enabling us to consume every imaginable type of porn! Your country seems to love the porn of war! 

[Edward theurj Berge]

Rifkin came out with a new book today: The Green New Deal.