The Zero Marginal Cost Society by Jeremy Rifkin

[Edward theurj Berge]

After reading the Intro and first chapter a few comments. On p. 6 he discusses how monopolies intentionally thwart competition and innovation so as to maintain their stranglehold. But he claims entrepreneurs find a way around it and end up forcing competition with their better tech and price reductions. Yet he discusses on pp. 7-9 Larry Summers 2001 paper, wherein Summers acknowledges the emerging information economy was indeed moving to near marginal cost. Summers though didn't propose something like Rifkin but instead recommended "short-term natural monopolies" (8).

Recall Summers was Obama's pick for Director of the National Economic Council. His policy suggestions were well in line with the earlier promotion of "natural monopolies," and his resume attests. And we're seeing exactly this economic philosophy at play with the FCC Chairman Wheeler's proposed pay-to-play rules, where the ISP monopolies will destroy internet neutrality. Recall that Wheeler was another Obama pick, and was a former, and will return to being, a cable and wireless lobbyist. While Obama claims to back income equality and net neutrality he appoints the likes of Summers and Wheeler who make no bones about their support of monopolies. And without net neutrality good bye to Rifkin's entire plan, which requires it to succeed.

If you haven't yet, please take action to preserve it. Here's one place and you can find several others if you but look.

[Edward theurj Berge]

In this article CA powered 6 millions homes with solar power on a good day recently. And that was from large solar plants, without counting the solar energy generated from over 500,000 private home units. CA's renewable energy initiative in leading the US.

[Edward theurj Berge]

The P2P Foundation here takes a look at a Ph.D. thesis: Making Sense of Rifkin’s Third Industrial Revolution: Towards a Collaborative Age. McAllum, Michael J C. Thesis submitted to The University of the Sunshine Coast. Under the supervision of Dr. Sohail Inayatullah & Dr. Marcus Bussey. Submitted: June 7, 2016. The article is an in-depth look at the thesis, which is an in-depth look at Rifkin's work.

[Edward theurj Berge]

Here's Rifkin on investing and connecting before the recent 7th European Summit of Regions and Cities in Bratislava:

[Edward theurj Berge]

According to this article solar power is now cheaper than wind power. This is in large part due to China rapidly deploying the tech and helping to finance it in other countries. Solar is also undercutting fossil fuel prices. Besides China, other emerging markets are leading the way, like Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, South Africa, and India. The OECD countries meanwhile are still mostly tied to fossil fuels. And the US, with its new government administration, will set back alternative energy production in the US for decades, as it's now completely controlled by the fossil fuel industry.

Speaking of the latter, see our new Environmental Protection Agency's agenda.

[Edward theurj Berge]

Excellent article by Monbiot. He's right to assert that one's worldview narrative trumps all other considerations, like facts. Such stories organize how we see everything through their lenses. Monbiot notes that the two major narratives of our time are social democracy and neoliberalism. While having different means and goals they both have the same narrative structure: 

"Disorder afflicts the land, caused by powerful and nefarious forces working against the interests of humanity. The hero – who might be one person or a group of people – revolts against this disorder, fights the nefarious forces, overcomes them despite great odds and restores order." This notion of a hero has to go; we the people collectively and collaboratively become the initiators and maintainers of the story, not some special class of enlightened ones. We work together to enlighten each other, and it is in that collaborative interaction where the enlightenment resides, not some special individual achievement.

He explains why we can't simply go back to the earlier story of social democracy to overcome the current story of neoliberalism. Among other reasons, the earlier story assumes continual economic growth with the same consumer lifestyle, devastating to the environment and more fuel for climate chaos. 

So we must create a new story ASAP. This story must be based on our evolutionary capacity for mutual collaboration and aid. It's one that rejects the narrative told by neoliberalism of  "extreme individualism and competition." Instead we share ownership and stewardship in community, respecting and honoring each other and the environment. 

"We will develop a new economics that treats both people and planet with respect. We will build it around a great, neglected economic sphere: the commons. Local resources will be owned and managed by communities, ensuring that wealth is widely shared. Using common riches to fund universal benefits will supplement state provision, granting everyone security and resilience."

Monbiot shows how this story has already been taking shape and having positive effects. Sanders's campaign was one huge water mark. It organized numerous small networks via the internet and got most of its spending money from a large number of small donors. Such tactics were used successfully by Corbin in the UK. The Indivisible Guide grew out of this learning process. 

So in also keeping with Lakoff it's the Big Picture Story around which everything else revolves. Rifkin would wholehearted agree. The collaborative commons narrative is here to stay, gaining ground by the day. The more we feed it the more it becomes a reality. Keep up the good work citizens.

PS: It's up to syntegralists to functionally fit themselves within this narrative, not the other way around.