WhoOwnsTheFuture?isthenewmasterworkfromtheprophetofthedigitalage,JaronLanier,authorofYouAreNotAGadget.
Inthepast,arevolutioninproduction,suchastheindustrialrevolution,generallyincreasedthewealthandfreedomofpeople.Thedigitalrevolutionwearelivingthroughisdifferent.Insteadofleavingagreaternumberofusinexcellentfinancialhealth,theeffectofdigitaltechnologies-andthecompaniesbehindthem-istoconcentratewealth,reducegrowth,andchallengethelivelihoodsofanever-increasingnumberofpeople.Astheprotectionsofthemiddleclassdisappear,washedawaybycrisesincapitalism,whatisbeingleftintheirplace?Andwhatelsecouldreplacethem?
Whyisthishappening,andwhatmightwedoaboutit?InWhoOwnstheFuture?JaronLaniershowshowthenewpowerparadigmoperates,howitisconceivedandcontrolled,andwhyitisleadingtoacollapseinlivingstandards.Arguingthatthe'informationeconomy'ruinsmarkets,heremindsusthatmarketsshouldrewardmorepeople,notfewer.Heshowsuswhythedigitalrevolutionmeansmorecorporationsmakingmoneyandavoidingriskbyhidingvalueofftheirbooks,whichmeansmorefinancialriskfortherestofus.Fromtheinnerworkingsofthe'sirenicservers'attheheartofthenewpowersystem,toanexplorationofthemeaningofmassunemploymentevents,themisuseofbigdata,andthedeepandincreasingerasureofhumanendeavour,Lanierexplorestheeffectsofthissituationondemocracyandindividuals,andproposesamorehuman,humanereality,whereriskandrewardissharedequally,andthedigitalrevolutioncreatesopportunityforall.