Four Principles for the Open World

A new genaration is reaching maturity around the world now (you guys!) which is the first to grow up with the Internet as part of their lives. This generation is so comfortable with using the Internet that it is finding powerful ways to use it for change.  At the same time, we have seen that the old institutions, such as Wall Street, are not serving us well anymore (having caused the recent GFC), and people are dissatisfied with the situation. The Internet is a huge tool that allows humans to create new ideas and share knowledge like never before.  As a result, the world is starting to become more open and full of possibilities.  This is happening in four ways:

1. Collaboration- The boundaries of institutions are becoming more porous and fluid.  As an example, the speaker mentioned a manager of a gold mine who created an online contest (1st prize $500,000) to help him find gold, when his own team of geologists couldn't.  He published the geological data, and after many interesting suggestions were received, one from a company in a different field provided the necessary breakthrough.  He made a huge profit as a result, even after paying the $500,000.  In other words, social media can mean social production- not just chatting.
2. Transparency- We've all heard of scandals such as Enron, but now with more public scrutiny possible (similar to what Wikileaks did, but many people are capable of doing the same), companies have to be careful about how they behave.  They are being forced to behave ethically. 
3. Sharing- Companies are going to have to get used to giving up assets (intellectual property) to create good for all, not just themselves.  The example given about pharmaceutical companies showed how they will soon be in financial trouble when a number of their patents become out of date.  Only through sharing research data etc can they hope to build up large profits again (and help humanity with new medicines in the process).
4. Empowerment- There's an old saying that knowledge is power.  Dictators have been able to keep their populations suppressed by blocking their access to information.  Social media now allow the wider distribution of information to the average person, so power is becoming decentralized. The Arab Spring, which started in Tunisia, is an example of this happening recently. Vital information in dangerous situations in cities in revolt can be shared quickly, thereby making the overthrow of cruel governments more possible.




The speaker sees the history of the world as a continuous positive progression towards more freedom and openness, from the time feudal societies were liberated by the development of the printing press, to now, when the Internet is creating an "Age of Networked Intelligence".  This era gives humans the chance to work together, and form a shared global consciousness that will enable us to tackle the many problems humanity faces.