You will have noticed, I guess: it seems that things are not going so well on a global level. After the negative forecasts made at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, it is now the turn of the World Government Summit of Dubai open pandora's box. To represent the situation, the leader of the WEF himself, Klaus Schwab.
Schwab said that we are faced with issues so serious that the survival of humanity itself is at stake. In the dock, none other than the so-called fourth industrial revolution. What do you think, did he exaggerate or is he right?
Will we succumb to the fourth industrial revolution?
Schwab said it bluntly: the fourth industrial revolution, driven by innovations such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, quantum computing, could materialize the fusion of our physical, digital and biological identities, going beyond our check.
The antidote? Soon found: for Schwab we need to find a way to "re-globalize" the world. What if I told you I disagree?
The failure of the "first" globalization is not a cause but a consequence
Schwab believes that global cooperation is vital to ensure that humans "resist" the fourth industrial revolution, without losing control of society.
His main concern is that without global collaboration and rigorous policies, the technologies involved in the fourth industrial revolution could elude us entirely.
Aliud pro alio. Schwab says one right thing to justify one wrong. If by "reglobalizing" he intends to bring the planet back to a period of "positive" interdependence, I'm OK with that.
If, on the other hand, it is a way of saying that a "global order" must lead by setting rules (where by "global order" we mean the Western world), I would say that we already suffer enough consequences of this "cultural imposition". And in Schwab's speech I see some clues.
What's the real deal, Schwab?
In just 10 years, the technologies that are taking their first steps today will turn the world upside down. And so far I Schwab can also follow him, this is actually the context.
To deal with it, however, the leader of the World Economic Forum uses a little foil and a little saber. He begins by saying that governments have an important role in ensuring these technologies are used for good, but concludes by warning that in this race to lead the world, the winners will be those who master these technologies.
Share or compete, Klaus? A substantial difference on the eve of war, economic downturn and environmental catastrophe, and in between health crises.
Because of this "competition" we are seeing disasters every day. Globalization as you (re)want it is dead. The answer to the fourth industrial revolution can only come from greater protection of the rights of workers, the environment and communities. It is not with "reglobalization" that we will remedy the loss of jobs, the depletion of natural resources and the increase in social inequalities.
One last thing: when you ask yourself whether we will "survive," exactly which "we" are you talking about?
