Topic: Technology

Economic Education, Government, Technology

The Great Semiconductor Shortage

– July 11, 2021

“An appreciation of modern commerce requires recognizing the ease with which the critical but commonplace can be sabotaged by seemingly innocuous measures. The backbone of all modern technology is currently scarce owing to a medley of state interventions, geopolitical wrangling, and income redistribution colliding with natural forces and short-sightedness.” ~ Peter C. Earle

Economic Education, Free Markets, Technology

Market Competition Is the Best Solution for Big Tech Power

– July 6, 2021

“We have no right to post our opinions on another’s private property. The only real monopoly is the government itself or a business given a special privilege by the government. Government is the only entity that can legally use force and it is Big Government that is the real threat to liberty.” ~

Currency, Government, Technology

To CBDC or Not to CBDC?

– July 5, 2021

“The risks of building a US or Canadian CBDC are all worth taking on if the problems that they solve are significant. Unfortunately, some of the problems that CBDC advocates want to target, like the threat of China, aren’t really problems. Others, like the stimulus payments problem, can’t be solved by a CBDC.” ~ J.P. Koning

Art and Culture, Financial Markets, Technology

Amazon’s Reward For Lifting Its Vendors In Unimaginable Ways? Demonization

– July 2, 2021

“Once the butt of jokes of the ‘Amazon.org’ variety, the formerly fledgling business presently meets the needs of billions of customers in ways they never imagined. Put another way, we couldn’t live without Amazon today. Seemingly neither can reporters seeking – and getting – A1 newspaper real estate through reports that are long on innuendo, while short on reason.” ~ John Tamny

Economic Education, Property Rights, Technology

Understanding Big Tech Dominance Requires Economics, Not Conspiracy Theories

– May 17, 2021

“Intellectual property laws, not childish conspiracy theories, explain the persistent dominance of Big Tech and social media.” ~ Peter C. Earle

Economic Education, Government, Technology

From AI to UBI?

– May 4, 2021

“AI cannot credibly justify a radical policy like UBI at this point. Misunderstanding AI adds to a natural fear of the unknown though we know that technological change always proves beneficial to the economy and that society will have ample resources to aid anyone who might be displaced by AI in the future. People should concentrate on how AI can automate mundane tasks and stop technological fear mongering. Your job, like the world, will still be here tomorrow.” ~ Robert E. Wright & Aleksandra Przegalinska

Books, Cryptocurrency, Technology

The Blockchain and the Future of Everything

– April 30, 2021

“The current apparatus of centralized data processing and storage is not only incapable of adequately handling the prerequisite needs of this digital society, but it might also turn it into a dystopia. What we need is a highly decentralized and efficient infrastructure that is impervious to manipulation. Blockchain technology seems to be the essential component to make the digitized society of the future a foundation for empowerment and growth rather than an Orwellian nightmare.” ~ Ethan Yang

Cryptocurrency, Technology

Why Do Cryptocurrencies Use So Much Energy?

– April 30, 2021

“Critics are upset about the energy consumption of cryptocurrencies. But it’s not the energy needs of these products that is the problem. Let niche communities enjoy their strange energy-intensive activities. Rather, what is disturbing is that most consumers of cryptocurrencies don’t perceive the true cost of the services they are using. And so these very, very expensive products have, by accident, gone mainstream.” ~ J.P. Koning

Free Markets, Government, Technology

Consumers Who Want Privacy Are Finally Getting Their Way

– April 28, 2021

“The Internet and the app economy might someday live up to their promise. Rather than invading our personal autonomy, collecting data, and monetizing every aspect of our lives, they might start showing some respect for people. In contrast, if there is one thing that we should have discovered about governments in the last year, it is their lack of responsiveness to evidence, public opinion, science, or anything but their own power over people and their pride in always being right.” ~ Jeffrey Tucker

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Technology

New York’s Vaccine Passport Program Is Already Failing

– April 6, 2021

“Vaccine passports are inhumane, discriminatory, and will lead America on a direct path to a China-like social credit score system that restricts our unalienable rights. The good news for you New Yorkers is that the Cuomo Administration and IBM are the dream team of incompetence. Excelsior Pass will almost certainly fail, because a legacy governor and a legacy tech outfit are not sophisticated enough to produce a working totalitarian product for their COVID Safety Regime.” ~ Jordan Schatchel

Government, Regulation, Technology

Gift Cards: When Good Products Do Bad Things

– April 2, 2021

“For now, Apple is free to keep providing gift cards as before. Which means that scammers will probably not face additional hurdles to coopting gift cards for extortion payments. As for the rest of us, that means we get to keep enjoying a hassle-free gift card experience.” ~ J.P. Koning

Authoritarianism, Policy, Technology

The Right Not to Get Matched

– March 31, 2021

“We all need and deserve tools that we understand and can control. That is why I think we should be really vocal about it and resist technologies that instead of supporting and collaborating with humans, take over and make decisions on their behalf. Pop culture feeds us these scenarios as inevitable. Let’s write different ones in our real lives.” ~ Aleksandra Przegalinska