Nothing has been more influential on the history of human beings on this planet than the Industrial revolution of the 19th century. Besides birthing the profession of “Industrial Designer” the Industrial Revolution remains today, an unparalleled and monumental example of human capability and innovation. From Henry Ford’s ground breaking method of assembly line manufacturing to the chemistry which produced the title wave of bright and cheery plastic everything that washed over the planet during the 1950’s. These key events in human history undeniably shifted the way in which we live on the planet and are very much still in play today.
These revolutions redefined how almost everything on the planet is made and motivated a flood of new cultural ideologies around personal ownership, property, comfort, class and caste. It changed how we eat, how we move, and how we power our lives. Since its inception, the coal and gas powered industrial revolutions fueled new heights of luxury and and ease of living that got literally everyone onboard.
In this book, Jeremy Rifkin brings us to the sobering and mildly terrifying consequences of these unfortunately unchecked actions. Despite the enormity and existentially detrimental nature of his subject matter, Rifkin’s delivery is calm and direct without the forcefulness or aggressive tone of most environmental activists. As an economic theorist and political advisor to some of the world’s highest ranking politicians Rifkin highlights a number countries around the globe who are taking action. He’s keen to what’s hot with the youth and accurately forecasts something many of us over 40 have missed, a laterally distributed internet of things based sharing economy which define the Third Industrial Revolution. Based around 5 pillars of revolution, Rifkin lays out a “guardedly optimistic” roadmap for how to latch onto this up and coming disruptive phenomenon and move society into the future.
As an industrial designer, I feel very much tied to the negative effects of the industrial revolution. The relationship between design, manufacturing, and fossil fuel is undeniable. What I like best about this book is its ability to refocus our attention towards future technologies that allow for real world wide impact. I also enjoy how the tactics for moving forward are never presented in too daunting of a way that it feels impossible but instead Rifkin is optimistic showing how change is already underway, all we need to do it get onboard.
I think that one of the most unique characteristics of industrial designers is our drive to solve problems and make the world a better place. We use innovation and empathy to achieve this and these traits are needed now more than ever. Rifkin’s ideas shine a light on the path towards undoing the missteps of our past and building a better future for everyone living on the planet but the also the planet itself, something every designer around the world would agree is a goal we share.
