Archive for category: Tech & Society

In the wake of some of the wealthiest tech company leaders standing directly behind the new President during his inauguration we pause for thought on the implications of this image. America is all about business as has been said. Yet this blatant show of force implies an even greater co-option of government by the elites reminding us of the days of Henry George who argued against such excesses during the Gilded Age of the 19th century. This blog post considers how these two periods mirror each other and what makes our current experience different from legal support to technology influence to a leadership mentality at odds with democratic principles.

The development of AI has been centuries in the making. We notice it’s seeming instantaneous emergence in recent years as if it landed in a flash of light. Yet this lightning strike has been glowing within the computing world for over 75 years and much longer with philosophers and mathematicians. In most cases with the emergence of new technologies there have been some growing pains. However, science, engineering, and policy have acted to improve the solutions at each step. In this blog entry we will turn our attention to the history of AI, some of its key building blocks, and how its maturation may impact the types of social interests which Henry George discussed at length.

When we hear the word “Technology” we tend to think of electronics, flying cars, and the like. Since most of us live our lives as urbanites or suburbanites and few of us make a living farming, the Tech of Agriculture may seldom cross our minds. In this entry of the Tech & Society blog we will turn that around by asking how civilization even exists without the Agriculture Tech we rely on every day to stay alive. We will also look at how new and emerging technology including AI and robotics are shaping the future of Digital Agriculture and what this means on a global scale for Equity and economic fairness in light of the teachings of Henry George.

There is the Rule of Threes which states that: “Humans can survive three weeks without food, three days without water…” and so on. I was reminded of this recently when being suddenly forced to find emergency shelter. So much goes into providing housing including construction methods, fuel sources, safety systems, and more. This also led me to think about housing as a right and how some people are lacking in this essential service and why. In this post we delve into the thinking of Henry George on providing equitably for land use and housing access.

When I wake up each morning, I like to make myself a cup of coffee and a bite to eat. I normally do not think twice about where I start my day. My handy and cozy kitchen.