FreedomLab Future Studies

Empowered by creativity

Redefining the amateur: The pro-am - September 17, 2008

"I would like to redefine the amateur because I think the amateurs have gotten a lot better. And I'm in good company in this. Charlie Leadbeater, who is at Demos, a think-tank in England, writes about the rise of the Pro-Am. A third designation, someone who is an amateur, in that they don't make their living by being a TV producer or a scientist, but they work to professional standards. So they are as good as a professional but for whatever reason, quite possibly choice, they choose not to make.
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/17/redefining-the-amateur-the-pro-am/

The inspired amateur - September 17, 2008

The development of the communications technology and especially the Internet and the Web 2.0 is causing a big disruption in the professional world. We see newspapers and tv in trouble, while the attention for blogs and YouTube is growing. One of the key factors in this development is the empowerment of the amateur, who seems to take over tasks from the professional. We recently interviewed both Andrew Keen and Jeff Howe about this trend, and both have a different perspective on the matter. But..
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/17/the-inspired-amateur/

Incapacity to vote - September 16, 2008

Some of the people around me voiced their opinions on 'capacity' to vote in the general election in the USA. But the sentiment expressed was not of democratic principle, but one of disagreement with differing opinions. Although I was highly surprised this view existed in our democratic and free country I was wondering if everyone has the same right. It turns out that in Holland people with a legal guardian (curatele) are not yet allowed to vote. But a law has been proposed to alter the...
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/16/incapacity-to-vote/

Who will have authority in a networked society - September 15, 2008

During the course 'The legitimacy of the State' we will dedicate our energy to the inquiry on the concept of authority and why and how the state is executing that authority on its civilians. My first thoughts on the subject is that it is an interactive dynamic, where there is a constitutive relationship from the subordinate to its reign, who's authority is created and accepted for the benefit of the community. My personal goal during the coming weeks will be to develop a view on the changing...
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/15/who-will-have-authority-in-a-networked-society/

RepRap: A New Industrial Revolution - September 12, 2008

The RepRap (= Replicating Rapid-prototyping) is like a 3 dimensional printer, instead of printing ink on paper it actually creates 3D objects. The current version of the RepRap is capable of creating objects out of plastics only (such as Polycarbonate or Polypropylene) but future versions are planned to be able to use multiple materials to print even more complex objects and assemble them into a finished product.
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/12/reprap-a-new-industrial-revolution/

The social value of networks forgotten - September 11, 2008

As we are studying networks these days at the Lab, Moore's Law, Sarnoff's Law, Metcalfe's Law and Reed's Law are mentioned quite a lot (if you're really interested, do read up on those Wikipedia-links). But it seems to me, all these 'laws' seem to miss out on what might be the most important feature of the network in our current era: the social. Or: that what is running over the network. Their descriptions have a systemic approach: they study 'things' or 'users', but not that what might be most.
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/11/the-social-value-of-networks-forgotten/

Multitasking: great, what about full attention - September 10, 2008

The world is trying to convince us that everything can be done anywhere, anytime. We're bombarded with information and triggers to act upon. Technology has acted as a funnel which delivers an ocean of information to one place. Computers on mobile phones flash at every incomming event. But where do you focus on Everyone knows that to get anything done, you have to pay full attention.
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/10/multitasking-great-what-about-full-attention/

Naming the Faces in your Social Network - September 9, 2008

Do you know Picasa Picasa Web Albums is Google's answer to Flickr. Lately I started to grow tired of the many features Flickr offers. I just want to share my images with anyone I want. So I experimented with Picasa for the last couple of months. Before this weekend I read on slashdot that Google added a new feature to Picasa, the call it name tags but it is facial recognition. And it is incredible...
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/09/naming-the-faces-in-your-social-network/

WE vs ME with Liberte, Egalite & Fraternite - September 8, 2008

Recently many books landed on my table about the ME vs WE-dilemma. Also inside the Lab this topic has been discussed over and over again varying from a debate on communities till spiral dynamics etc. This weekend I visited France and the motto the French Republic caught my attention: ever since the French revolution they have described the balancing act of WE vs ME with: Liberte, Egalite &38; Fraternite, The big question after the famous revolt was whether the revolutionists were to idealistic,.
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/08/we-vs-me-with-liberte-egalite-fraternite/

Contours of the World Economy 1-2030 AD: Essays in Macro-Economic History - September 8, 2008

Contours of the World Economy 1-2030 AD: Essays in Macro-Economic History by Angus Maddison Isbn-13: 9780199227204 This book seeks to identify the forces which explain how and why some parts of the world have grown rich and others have lagged behind. Encompassing 2000 years of history, Part 1begins with the Roman Empire and explores the key factors that have influenced economic development in Africa, Asia,the Americas and Europe. Part 2 covers the development of macroeconomic tools of.
http://www.freedomlab.org/2008/09/08/contours-of-the-world-economy-1-2030-ad-essays-in-mac...