GEEK TALK: An Ongoing Global Anarcho-Communist Revolution

Homar Murillo Technology is sowing the seeds of human liberation from centralized hierarchical government control. It is happening on a global scale but not in the way that political theorists and pundits have predicted. The political and economic power of governments and corporations are being eroded as more people become connected through digital means. We are at the threshold of a radical societal change facilitated by advanced innovations. These innovations are transcending cultural and geopolitical boundaries, facilitating global lateral cooperation among ordinary people on an unprecedented scale in the entire history of the world. This paradigm shift is unstoppable despite of some pockets of resistance. The world is changing for the better although the transition phase may seem chaotic. Nation-states will soon become obsolete or at least considerably become less relevant. A global anarcho-communist revolution is ongoing but even the great Karl Marx would probably be surprised how it is happening. Instead of the proletariat bearing arms, the revolution is being waged by techno geeks tweaking computer codes. The world is becoming more of a shared economy as the marginal costs of production approach zero. Many of these “revolutionaries” are not even ideological but simply trying to develop new and better software applications. The global techno-anarcho-communist revolution is happening in several stages but not necessarily in a strict linear pattern. Some stages or phases may overlap. Decentralization of information The first stage of the revolution is the digital information sharing stage. This stage is now almost complete with the development of Wikipedia, Web 2.0 platforms, P2P sharing, Wikileaks, torrents, open source software, and social media. Information on virtually all subjects is accessible with a few keywords. No library in the history of humanity could ever be comparable to the vastness and dynamics of the Internet as the decentralized repository of human knowledge. You can find information ranging from the mundane as how to tune a guitar to something highly technical as theories on how to construct a quantum computer. Free software applications such as open source office applications are being shared and continually being improved. Many profit-oriented corporations are also providing free services. For instance, Google provide free search engine, free email and free online collaboration platform through GDrive. Virtually anybody can become publishers online with various blogging platforms such as Wordpress and Blogspot. Other types of content like videos and podcasts can be freely published on YouTube. Ordinary people with smartphones can broadcast live videos using Facebook livestream or Periscope livestream. Decentralization of asset The second stage is digital asset decentralization through cryptocurrency, blockchain, and smart contracts. Many startup companies are now using cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. ICOs or initial coin offers are becoming more common among technology startups. This allows for borderless business transactions that are dodging government regulations. A startup company can create “tokens” that have special purpose or representation like proof of ownership of a real-world asset such as a rental condominium. These tokens can be bought or sold using cryptocurrency. The need for government-backed currency like paper money is being challenged by digital money. However, crypto money is vulnerable to high volatility because its value is mainly determined by the market forces or how people speculate about it. This may soon be solved by closely associating these digital assets with real-world assets and other useful goods and services. A widespread adoption of cryptocurrency will stabilize its value. Decentralization of energy production The third stage is the decentralization of energy production and distribution. This involves renewable energy micro power grids, high capacity battery storage, and community-based power cooperatives. Blockchain technology can be used in this area of power production. For instance, various houses with solar power systems can be interconnected. The distribution and billing can be automated by using blockchain software applications that automatically track and configure energy demand. Automation of the internet of things The fourth stage is the automation of the internet of things, which include self-driving cars, smart sensors, robotics, and artificial intelligence. This is currently happening in different countries but on very limited scale like in factory floors or small communities of technology developers. Wide adoption of automation will not only unburden humanity from menial labor but also will usher a new paradigm of universal order. Laws and law enforcers in the level of nation-states will become less relevant. For instance, human traffic enforcers will be pointless in a world with self-driving cars. Crime prevention will also become more efficient with smart alarms and public surveillance systems being managed by artificial intelligence. Democratization of the means of production The fifth and final stage is the democratization of the means of production. This can be achieved through 3D-printing, open source blueprints, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering. Imagine a post-scarcity world that is similar to the Star Trek universe where virtually anything that is needed by individuals can be printed or replicated using a replicator machine. It would be possible to 3D print simple musical instruments such as flute or even print human organs at very minimal cost in the near future. Nanotechnology and genetic engineering may lead to biological immortality for humans. We might achieve this even before we reach a level of civilization that is second in the Kardashev scale*. Doubts and fears Many critics would say that this is another utopian pipe dream, but the evidence says otherwise. We are heading to that future and capitalism is ironically or rather inevitably paving the way for an anarcho-communist global civilization. The technologies required to achieve that are now existing and continually being improved. The future of our world will be hardly recognizable from our current world. It will be a truly shared world facilitated by artificial intelligence and open source technology. Some may fear the rise of A.I. as our ultimate overlords but how about if we merge with A.I.? What about reengineering our biological evolution or even live as immortals in digital forms? Doubts and fears will always hinder us, but we can only move forward by overcoming these primitive emotions. [NOTE: *It is a civilization capable or harnessing 100% of the parent star through the use of Dyson sphere.]