Reading Week 1: Megatrends

In Klaus Schwab’s on the changing nature of the world, he explains the possibility of a fourth industrial revolution for the planet that’s happening right under our noses; basically categorizing them into four ‘main physical manifestations of the technological megatrends’:

  • Autonomous vehicles
  • 3D Printing
  • Advanced robotics
  • New Materials

Although that’s only scratching the surface of world technological advancements, with the rise and expansion of networking and connecting with each other as a species through highly advancing technological aspects such as the internet – it’s evident that new media and new technology go hand in hand as it has bolstered our advancement rate substantially.

With this however, Schwab points out that ‘The fourth industrial revolution is not only changing what we do but also who we are’. This highlights the risks as well as gains in exploring this uncharted territory known as new media. Schwab mentions our notions of ownership, consumption and privacy are subject to drastic change as technology continues to further advance.

By the time the fourth industrial revolution is over we as a society and a species may hold different values and ethics depending on the technology that we now use. This raises questions as to whether or not we can control the shaping of society or whether we can only sit back and observe the changes according to constant changing public interests.

Hence why there’s a demand for workers, willing to grasp and embrace new media and willing to face change, after all, it’s in our nature to adapt when the situation requires us to.

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