Skip to content
U.S. Transhumanist Party – Official Website
  • Home
  • Posts
  • Values
  • Platform
  • Leadership
  • Advisors
  • Candidates
  • Highlights
  • FAQ
  • States & Allies
  • Free Membership
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Search Icon

U.S. Transhumanist Party – Official Website

U.S. Transhumanist Party – PUTTING SCIENCE, HEALTH, & TECHNOLOGY AT THE FOREFRONT OF AMERICAN POLITICS

The U.S. Transhumanist Party Responds to Jeremy Rifkin’s Plan for a Third Industrial Revolution

The U.S. Transhumanist Party Responds to Jeremy Rifkin’s Plan for a Third Industrial Revolution

March 11, 2018 Gennady Stolyarov II Comments 1 comment

Gennady Stolyarov II


Photograph of Jeremy Rifkin by Stephan Röhl

Editor’s Note: Below is a response to Jeremy Rifkin’s plan for a Third Industrial Revolution: A Radical New Sharing Economy by Gennady Stolyarov II, Chairman of the U.S. Transhumanist Party. The original post of this documentary can be found here.

    ~ Dinorah Delfin, Director of Admissions and Public Relations, U.S. Transhumanist Party, March 10, 2018

When it comes to Jeremy Rifkin’s thoughts on the future, and what humankind will and will not be able to accomplish, Arthur C. Clarke’s famous First Law encapsulates my reaction: “When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.”

I think that Rifkin has many ideas that would be aligned with transhumanism, although his general worldview is not transhumanist in itself. I wholly support the concepts of the sharing economy, the goal of production at zero marginal cost, and the smart infrastructure that he describes would support the Third Industrial Revolution. A redesign of our infrastructure – especially in such a way that would facilitate modular upgrades at a local and even individual level – is essential for overcoming some of the current bottlenecks to technological progress and rising standards of living. I also think that Rifkin is correct that, in the short term, building this new infrastructure will require humans and will mean jobs for those humans. This is probably a good thing, although it is dependent on whether the systems for financing the new projects and appropriately recruiting and treating the workers (e.g., giving them high-quality jobs with good pay, safety precautions, and ample assistance from machines and narrow AIs where possible) can come together in time.

Where I think Rifkin falls short of the transhumanist vision is in his rejection of the goal of a society where basic human problems – including mortality and many of the other key causes of suffering – can be eliminated or at least greatly reduced. He characterizes this as “utopian” thinking, but at every stage of the way, the approach toward these goals would not be utopia, but rather steady improvement. It would be a shame to reject the goals especially as the technologies for making them possible are becoming available. As I have often stated, it is not a matter of if we will have indefinite life extension, but when – and this matters a lot from the standpoint of how many people alive today could be saved.

Where I also differ from Rifkin is that, instead of his focus on the negative (“humans are destroying the Earth”), I and the Transhumanist Party prefer to focus on the positive potentials (humans can improve both our own lives and the Earth through emerging technologies). Many of the solutions may look quite similar – e.g., smart infrastructure, greater energy-efficiency, and renewable energy sources that would move humankind away from fossil fuels (although, unlike Rifkin, I also strongly support the next generation of nuclear reactors, which would use thorium, would be meltdown-proof, and would not be subject to the need for cooling via massive amounts of water that Rifkin criticizes). I think that the way forward is through technological advancement; Rifkin is halfway there – certainly much better than the Neo-Luddite thinkers who have often dominated the environmental movement. But his goals are not in conflict with life extension, massive economic growth, and super-abundance of material prosperity for everyone. In fact, humans need to move along all of these avenues simultaneously and in parallel, as their achievements will reinforce one another and enable progress to occur more readily.

Article III, Section IX of our Platform – https://transhumanist-party.org/constitution/#Article3 – actually summarizes this sentiment quite nicely: “The United States Transhumanist Party supports all emerging technologies that have the potential to improve the human condition – including but not limited to autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, economical solar power, safe nuclear power, hydroelectricity, geothermal power, applications for the sharing of durable goods, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, nanotechnology, robotics, rapid transit, 3D printing, vertical farming, electronic devices to detect and respond to trauma, and beneficial genetic modification of plants, animals, and human beings.”

Again, Clarke’s First Law comes to mind. To the extent that Rifkin sees potential in any of the above technologies and others, he is correct. To the extent that he does not see it or considers those technologies to be detrimental, he is mistaken.


Statements
3D Printing, Artificial Intelligence, automation, autonomous vehicles, biotechnology, electric vehicles, genetic modification, Gennady Stolyarov II, geothermal power, hydroelectricity, Jeremy Rifkin, life extension, nanotechnology, nuclear power, rapid transit, renewable energy, robotics, smart infrastructure, solar power, Third Industrial Revolution:, Thorium, Transhumanism, vertical farming, zero marginal cost

Post navigation

PREVIOUS
Beginners’ Explanation of Transhumanism – Bobby Ridge and Gennady Stolyarov II
NEXT
Announcement of California Transhumanist Party 2nd Leadership Meeting on Sunday, April 22, 2018

One thought on “The U.S. Transhumanist Party Responds to Jeremy Rifkin’s Plan for a Third Industrial Revolution”

  1. john hall says:
    August 7, 2018 at 9:15 pm

    Back in the 1980’s,you couldn’t pick up a newspaper without reading about Rifkin attacking
    Biotechnology.He filed a ton of lawsuits against it.
    His main complaint was that scientists were rushing to use this technology without having a formal discussion on the safety of it and it’s impact on society and the enviorment.He raised concerns and issues and warned of unforeseen
    consequences.But now,with his Third Industrial
    Revolution,Rifkin’s doing the exact opposite.
    He’s getting people all excited and anxious to
    make the switch to renewable energy.The problem here is that Rifkin’s not raising concerns and issues with renewable energy like
    he did with Biotechnology.He’s not questioning
    the cost and safety of hydrogen storage and the
    reliability of solar panels and wind generators
    and their impact on society and the enviorment.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Social Media

Constitution of the U.S. Transhumanist Party

Transhumanist Bill of Rights – Version 3.0

U.S. Transhumanist Party Facebook Feed

Victor Run Virtual Race – June 4-6, 2021

Free Transhumanist Symbols

Guidelines for Community Conduct

SUBMIT A POST

Recent Posts

  • Universal Sign Language – Transhuman / Transhumanism / Transhumanist – Post by Art Ramon Garcia, Jr.
  • The Anti-Aging Manifesto by Mat Alex Richards
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Makiko Yoshioka – June 5, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Mark Hamalainen – June 12, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Sharif Uddin Ahmed Rana – June 19, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Kai Micah Mills – June 26, 2022
  • Transhuman Club Launch – U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon – July 3, 2022
  • Debate: Should US/NATO Support Immediate Negotiated Peace in Ukraine? – Nathan Boyd & Maty Aksenton – July 10, 2022
  • Transhumanist Party / World Talent Economy Forum Debates: AI and Space Colonization – December 24 and 31, 2021
  • The First 3 Transhumanist Party Enlightenment Salons – Highlights (2017-2018)
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Fred Zhang of LongevityDAO – July 31, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Enlightenment Salon on CureDAO: Lukas Vogel, Andreas Melhede, Mike P. Sinn – August 7, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Enlightenment Salon with James Strole – Pursuing Immortality – August 14, 2022
  • “Break the Rules” / U.S. Transhumanist Party Discussion on Artificial Intelligence & Transhumanism – July 1, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Jules Hamilton – August 28, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Mati Roy – September 4, 2022
  • The Fourth and Fifth Transhumanist Party Enlightenment Salons – Highlights
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Report from Longevity Summit Dublin – Day 1 – September 18, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Daniel Twedt – September 25, 2022
  • U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with Sophie Jones – October 2, 2022

Recent Comments

  • Miriam on U.S. Transhumanist Party Action Items for New Members
  • Daniel Twedt on Declaration of the Chairman of the United States Transhumanist Party on the Re-Formation of the New York Transhumanist Party
  • Dan Kilian on Benefit for U.S. Transhumanist Party Members: Discounts Offered for Treatments from AmpliCell Medical
  • Cheryl Knepper on The U.S. Transhumanist Party Endorses Daniel E. Twedt for City Council in Thousand Oaks, California
  • Carlos on U.S. Transhumanist Party Vote on the Question of Endorsing Daniel E. Twedt for City Council in Thousand Oaks, California

Archives

  • March 2023 (2)
  • February 2023 (12)
  • January 2023 (24)
  • December 2022 (2)
  • November 2022 (2)
  • October 2022 (3)
  • August 2022 (3)
  • July 2022 (2)
  • May 2022 (6)
  • March 2022 (3)
  • February 2022 (4)
  • January 2022 (7)
  • December 2021 (11)
  • November 2021 (4)
  • October 2021 (5)
  • September 2021 (2)
  • August 2021 (2)
  • July 2021 (4)
  • June 2021 (2)
  • May 2021 (6)
  • April 2021 (7)
  • March 2021 (4)
  • February 2021 (5)
  • January 2021 (6)
  • December 2020 (10)
  • November 2020 (4)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • August 2020 (4)
  • July 2020 (5)
  • June 2020 (6)
  • May 2020 (3)
  • April 2020 (3)
  • March 2020 (6)
  • February 2020 (1)
  • January 2020 (6)
  • December 2019 (3)
  • November 2019 (2)
  • October 2019 (9)
  • September 2019 (10)
  • August 2019 (12)
  • July 2019 (18)
  • June 2019 (17)
  • May 2019 (12)
  • April 2019 (8)
  • March 2019 (12)
  • February 2019 (7)
  • January 2019 (13)
  • December 2018 (9)
  • November 2018 (5)
  • October 2018 (9)
  • September 2018 (5)
  • August 2018 (10)
  • July 2018 (13)
  • June 2018 (14)
  • May 2018 (8)
  • April 2018 (8)
  • March 2018 (10)
  • February 2018 (15)
  • January 2018 (17)
  • December 2017 (8)
  • November 2017 (17)
  • October 2017 (19)
  • September 2017 (11)
  • August 2017 (11)
  • July 2017 (16)
  • June 2017 (15)
  • May 2017 (10)
  • April 2017 (7)
  • March 2017 (8)
  • February 2017 (16)
  • January 2017 (8)
  • December 2016 (6)
  • November 2016 (5)

Categories

  • Allied Projects
  • Announcements
  • Art
  • Candidates
  • Discussion Panels
  • Distributed Computing
  • Exposure Periods
  • Foreign Ambassadors
  • General Discussion
  • Guest Articles
  • Inclusion
  • Interviews
  • Official Ballots
  • Petitions
  • Platform
  • Presentations
  • Press Releases
  • Research
  • Sample Ballots
  • Science Fiction
  • Statements
  • Tolerance
  • Virtual Enlightenment Salons
  • Vote Results
  • Working Groups
© 2023   Copyright - U.S. Transhumanist Party - All Rights Reserved | WordPress design: Art Ramon Paintings