Peer2Politics

The renown futurist Jeremy Rifkin took note of an emerging economic model： the sharing economy. He predicts the ″near－zero marginal costs″ of companies like Uber and Airbnb will not only disrupt traditional companies， but propel the new system to surpass capitalism by 2050. It′s certainly being helped by the ubiquity of smartphones and social networks. How can we prepare for what′s to come？

The "Internet of Things" may be much more than just a buzzword for the tech industry.

For people who care about socially engaged, commons-minded tech innovation, there are few institutions in the world as bold and courageous as Medialab Prado, in Madrid. For the past 10 years, it has been a technology lab, an interdisciplinary forum, a space that welcomes public participation, a hub for citizen activism, and a host of provocative workshops and conferences. And, yes, the Medialab Prado has also been deeply engaged with the commons paradigm as an important way of shaping a better, more socially constructive future.

Historians may look back on these current days with fascination.  We may be living through the beginning of one of the biggest paradigm shifts in modern human history. The way the world actually thinks about money and stored value might be changing in a tidal wave of recognition. This article will define what a paradigm is and what a paradigm shift looks like.  Perhaps we may understand how to prepare and perhaps benefit from the embryonic beginnings of what may one day be seen as a titanic shift. The idea sparking this sea of change came from humble beginnings but has spread like wildfire accompanied by the necessary controversy one might expect from a monumental paradigm shift of understanding. One may seek learning opportunities from a rich history of previous major paradigm shifts and ponder the reasons for why some people flourished while others withered. As the cycles of paradigm shifts are recognizable and repeatable, this article intends to bring new understanding and context to the events now taking place. Those with the early grasp may draw from the lessons in history to prepare and anticipate the events as they unfold and perhaps discover an opportunity for profit.