In his epic 2016 book, “The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape the Future“, Kevin Kelly explains that “the wide, fast-moving system of technology bends the culture subtly, but steadily, so it amplifies the following forces: Becoming, Cognifying, Flowing, Screening, Accessing, Sharing, Filtering, Remixing, Interacting, Tracking, Questioning, and then Beginning.
Kelly uses these powerful (and spot-on) terms to define the way the future will play out. Each of them have far-reaching implications for how we will work, live and play, individually and collectively. And each will help us redefine and re-interpret what marketing is and could be in ten or fifteen years. In 2017, we’ve already seen the power of flowing, sharing, and filtering on the Web. But what about cognifying, remixing, and beginning? Exciting times truly beckon.
Kelly goes on to say that, “in the coming 30 years the tendency toward the dematerialized, the decentralized, the simultaneous, the platform enabled, and the cloud will continue unabated.” Again, a masterful and succinct way of categorizing what will be our new reality. We know about the platform and the cloud, but what about the rest? AOL cofounder Steve Case predicts that the “future Internet will be defined not by the Internet of Things; it will be defined by the Internet of Everything.” He sees the Internet becoming part of our life, our education, our health, our finances, our ways transporting ourselves, and even our daily meals.
Like Toffler, Case uses the metaphor of a “third wave,” one that threatens to disrupt the entire economy and the companies that presently lead it. Many of us will naturally rise to this challenge and adjust accordingly. And beyond the disruption lies a collective actualization and that rising consciousness I referred to earlier. The potential for all of us is simply breathtaking.
So if you’re looking for a really amazing book to dive into and you love the study of the future, pick up The Inevitable on Amazon. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.
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