Time to get started…

Time to get started…

Sometimes it’s hard for me to get straight to the point, so if you want to get to the meat and potatoes, here it is: http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/008642.html. It’s a speech by Charles Stross about the social implication of Moore’s Law and the impact of networking on the future of humankind. It’s pretty long. If you’re not the patient type, about 1/3 of the way down, look for “Putting it all together.” That’s where he takes his discourse places that will twist your brain…and should get you thinking about the life insurance and the technology implications for a company that sells life insurance. If you have a few minutes…

Charles Stross is a Science Fiction writer. I don’t know much about him. Sadly, I cannot say that I was familiar with the man until now. I used to be a Sci-Fi fiend, devouring books at a gluttonous pace. Then, I got a “real” job, had kids…that kind of thing. These days, I read more about Winnie the Pooh’s take on the principles of Taoism and how to build a better me with the help of Marcus Buckingham. Still, I occasionally sneak off to some secluded corner to indulge myself in some Sci-Fi book. Why? Because I enjoy them and because I find that they are relevant to life.

I have always loved technology and the implications of technology on human culture. Why? Because I am a big, huge geek. A nerd. A dork. Always have been, always will be. I am a nerd who has an undergraduate degree in anthropology. Yes, a BA in anthropology. There, I said it. I’m out. Tell everyone you know. They won’t care. So, now that YOU know, I will unleash the geek.

There’s more to my fascination with Sci-Fi than robots, space travel, and alien worlds. There’s the tech. Technology, by it’s anthropological definition, is the suite of tools humans use to survive. Modern technology, things that run on batteries and have chips and processors, is no different: stuff to help us survive. And technology is one of the key components of culture. So, as a culture experiences changes in technology, the very culture itself transforms. That’s where Charlie’s speech comes in. It’s about the social implications of Moore’s law.

It’s a fascinating speech. He meanders and gets nerdy-technical at times, but it’s awesome. Awesome. Worth the read, if I do say so myself. I’m warning you: it’s long. However, he paints a picture that’s compelling. And it has implications for IS, specifically, IDP: can we anticipate how changes in technology will impact the business of insurance, and, in turn, how those changes in our business will impact the technology we will need to offer?

It’s a circular, Moebius strip of a question, but searching for those implications will make all the difference in the world.