Blurring the Distinction Between the Physical and the Virtual

By on September 3rd, 2010 in Ideas

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An interesting essay by Portland-based Thomas Schreiber poses a variety of thoughts on the coming digital fabrication revolution. The highlights:
 
  • The distance between idea (digital) and real (objects) is becoming very close, and soon will be almost zero as digital fabrication becomes widespread. 
  • Marxism’s definition of power, the means of production, was always relegated to the few that could afford to control them, still the case today – but this will begin to fade as the power to create becomes universal.
  • Schreiber fears the possibility of people overly focusing on objects to the detriment of personal relationship as the means to create expands.
  • The definition of intellectual property will become much more important, as anyone will be able to create things. Thus, ideas become more important than things.
  • Piracy will rise to a new level, where no one knows what will truly happen. 
  • The nature of sales will shift, since people will produce the items themselves rather than traditional shopping.
  • Our conception of objects will change, such that the authenticity of an object becomes rather blurry. 
 
Take a read through this though-provoking piece. 
 

By Kerry Stevenson

Kerry Stevenson, aka "General Fabb" has written over 8,000 stories on 3D printing at Fabbaloo since he launched the venture in 2007, with an intention to promote and grow the incredible technology of 3D printing across the world. So far, it seems to be working!

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