the great thing about presenting a TEDx talk is you get to present your crazy
talk is you get to present your crazy
talk is you get to present your crazy ideas about how to solve all the world’s
ideas about how to solve all the world’s
ideas about how to solve all the world’s problems and in TEDx tradition I’ll
problems and in TEDx tradition I’ll
problems and in TEDx tradition I’ll start with a story
start with a story
start with a story so I was 10 years old at the time of the
so I was 10 years old at the time of the
so I was 10 years old at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and it
Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and it
Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and it terrified me because I thought that was
terrified me because I thought that was
terrified me because I thought that was really a chance that we would have a
really a chance that we would have a
really a chance that we would have a nuclear war and the world would come to
nuclear war and the world would come to
nuclear war and the world would come to an end in school we had air raid drills
an end in school we had air raid drills
an end in school we had air raid drills and siren would go off and you’d have to
and siren would go off and you’d have to
and siren would go off and you’d have to crawl under the desk they called the
crawl under the desk they called the
crawl under the desk they called the Duck and Cover you have to know that I
Duck and Cover you have to know that I
Duck and Cover you have to know that I grew up in New York and being the New
grew up in New York and being the New
grew up in New York and being the New York wiseguy that I am even a 10 years
York wiseguy that I am even a 10 years
York wiseguy that I am even a 10 years old I said to my teacher look if they
old I said to my teacher look if they
old I said to my teacher look if they drop even a single bomb on the Empire
drop even a single bomb on the Empire
drop even a single bomb on the Empire State Building
State Building
State Building we’ll be vaporized the air raid drills
we’ll be vaporized the air raid drills
we’ll be vaporized the air raid drills are useless and my teachers response was
are useless and my teachers response was
are useless and my teachers response was get under the desk kid at that moment I
get under the desk kid at that moment I
get under the desk kid at that moment I realized that adults didn’t know what
realized that adults didn’t know what
realized that adults didn’t know what they were doing
and when I look at the headlines today I
and when I look at the headlines today I have the same impression the discussion
have the same impression the discussion
have the same impression the discussion about the crisis on TV seemed insane to
about the crisis on TV seemed insane to
about the crisis on TV seemed insane to me nobody had any reasonable way out the
me nobody had any reasonable way out the
me nobody had any reasonable way out the behavior of political leaders is that
behavior of political leaders is that
behavior of political leaders is that once they perceive a threat they make a
once they perceive a threat they make a
once they perceive a threat they make a threat back and then once they make that
threat back and then once they make that
threat back and then once they make that threat back they feel like they’re
threat back they feel like they’re
threat back they feel like they’re obligated to at least be willing to
obligated to at least be willing to
obligated to at least be willing to carry out that threat to preserve their
carry out that threat to preserve their
carry out that threat to preserve their credibility so it seemed like they were
credibility so it seemed like they were
credibility so it seemed like they were marching lockstep into disaster nobody
marching lockstep into disaster nobody
marching lockstep into disaster nobody really thought American Russia really
really thought American Russia really
really thought American Russia really wanted to have a nuclear war we find
wanted to have a nuclear war we find
wanted to have a nuclear war we find this kind of paradox in a lot of
this kind of paradox in a lot of
this kind of paradox in a lot of problems in our society
problems in our society
problems in our society nobody says they want war but again and
nobody says they want war but again and
nobody says they want war but again and again we have Wars
again we have Wars
again we have Wars nobody advocates poverty but poverty
nobody advocates poverty but poverty
nobody advocates poverty but poverty endures we have this great democracy but
endures we have this great democracy but
endures we have this great democracy but the Democrats and the Republicans can’t
the Democrats and the Republicans can’t
the Democrats and the Republicans can’t agree on the best policy any more than
agree on the best policy any more than
agree on the best policy any more than the Yankees and the Red Sox can agree on
the Yankees and the Red Sox can agree on
the Yankees and the Red Sox can agree on who has the best baseball team I’m here
who has the best baseball team I’m here
who has the best baseball team I’m here to ask the same question that Rodney
to ask the same question that Rodney
to ask the same question that Rodney King who was a victim of police
King who was a victim of police
King who was a victim of police brutality in 1991 famously asked why
brutality in 1991 famously asked why
brutality in 1991 famously asked why can’t we all just get along that’s the
can’t we all just get along that’s the
can’t we all just get along that’s the fundamental question and that’s the
fundamental question and that’s the
fundamental question and that’s the title of a new book that I’m writing
title of a new book that I’m writing
title of a new book that I’m writing with my co-author christopher frey go –
with my co-author christopher frey go –
with my co-author christopher frey go – why can’t we dot o-r-g much later I was
why can’t we dot o-r-g much later I was
why can’t we dot o-r-g much later I was a math major at MIT and I learned that
a math major at MIT and I learned that
a math major at MIT and I learned that this particular trap had a name it was
this particular trap had a name it was
this particular trap had a name it was called the prisoner’s dilemma the
called the prisoner’s dilemma the
called the prisoner’s dilemma the prisoner’s dilemma is a mathematical
prisoner’s dilemma is a mathematical
prisoner’s dilemma is a mathematical model of the trade-off between
model of the trade-off between
model of the trade-off between cooperation and competition the dilemma
cooperation and competition the dilemma
cooperation and competition the dilemma comes in when you realize that there
comes in when you realize that there
comes in when you realize that there were certain situations where if you
were certain situations where if you
were certain situations where if you just look at your own narrow point of
just look at your own narrow point of
just look at your own narrow point of view you’ll make a decision to compete
view you’ll make a decision to compete
view you’ll make a decision to compete but if everybody makes that same
but if everybody makes that same
but if everybody makes that same decision everybody loses so what you
decision everybody loses so what you
decision everybody loses so what you have to do is you have to step back from
have to do is you have to step back from
have to do is you have to step back from the situation look at the bigger picture
the situation look at the bigger picture
the situation look at the bigger picture and then you can decide to cooperate
and then you can decide to cooperate
and then you can decide to cooperate that’s what happened during the Cuban
that’s what happened during the Cuban
that’s what happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis Kennedy and Khrushchev
Missile Crisis Kennedy and Khrushchev
Missile Crisis Kennedy and Khrushchev felt like they had to compete for who
felt like they had to compete for who
felt like they had to compete for who had the stereos threat and what they
had the stereos threat and what they
had the stereos threat and what they risked was the total loss of nuclear war
risked was the total loss of nuclear war
risked was the total loss of nuclear war now in science when we face these
now in science when we face these
now in science when we face these dilemmas we don’t get upset we ask the
dilemmas we don’t get upset we ask the
dilemmas we don’t get upset we ask the question what is the trade-off depend on
question what is the trade-off depend on
question what is the trade-off depend on and can we influence it in any way and I
and can we influence it in any way and I
and can we influence it in any way and I also studied evolutionary theory and I
also studied evolutionary theory and I
also studied evolutionary theory and I realized that one of the key factors in
realized that one of the key factors in
realized that one of the key factors in the trade-off is the relative scarcity
the trade-off is the relative scarcity
the trade-off is the relative scarcity and abundance of resources and here’s
and abundance of resources and here’s
and abundance of resources and here’s why if there’s not if you have scarcity
why if there’s not if you have scarcity
why if there’s not if you have scarcity there’s not enough to go around so
there’s not enough to go around so
there’s not enough to go around so people have to fight over what little
people have to fight over what little
people have to fight over what little there is but the problem is that fight
there is but the problem is that fight
there is but the problem is that fight itself uses up resources so there’s less
itself uses up resources so there’s less
itself uses up resources so there’s less for everybody and you get this vicious
for everybody and you get this vicious
for everybody and you get this vicious circle
circle
circle okay let’s consider the other side
okay let’s consider the other side
okay let’s consider the other side suppose people decide to cooperate well
suppose people decide to cooperate well
suppose people decide to cooperate well two heads are better than one you get
two heads are better than one you get
two heads are better than one you get synergy the whole is greater than the
synergy the whole is greater than the
synergy the whole is greater than the sum of its parts so that creates more
sum of its parts so that creates more
sum of its parts so that creates more abundance so we have a virtuous cycle so
abundance so we have a virtuous cycle so
abundance so we have a virtuous cycle so that’s where we are always on this knife
that’s where we are always on this knife
that’s where we are always on this knife edge between the vicious cycle and the
edge between the vicious cycle and the
edge between the vicious cycle and the virtuous cycle so it’s real simple if we
virtuous cycle so it’s real simple if we
virtuous cycle so it’s real simple if we want the world to be more cooperative we
want the world to be more cooperative we
want the world to be more cooperative we just end scarcity but that kind of
just end scarcity but that kind of
just end scarcity but that kind of sounds like a tall order doesn’t it or
sounds like a tall order doesn’t it or
sounds like a tall order doesn’t it or it does it my scientific workers and
it does it my scientific workers and
it does it my scientific workers and artificial intelligence and we’ve long
artificial intelligence and we’ve long
artificial intelligence and we’ve long had the dream that if people don’t want
had the dream that if people don’t want
had the dream that if people don’t want to do work do work for themselves we can
to do work do work for themselves we can
to do work do work for themselves we can have a robot do it so today you might be
have a robot do it so today you might be
have a robot do it so today you might be worried that you lose your job to a
worried that you lose your job to a
worried that you lose your job to a robot but tomorrow if that robot is
robot but tomorrow if that robot is
robot but tomorrow if that robot is working for you and what and that means
working for you and what and that means
working for you and what and that means that you don’t need a job well that
that you don’t need a job well that
that you don’t need a job well that might eliminate a lot of worry there’s
might eliminate a lot of worry there’s
might eliminate a lot of worry there’s another part of the picture
another part of the picture
another part of the picture my co-author Frey is an enthusiast for
my co-author Frey is an enthusiast for
my co-author Frey is an enthusiast for 3d printers and when he first started
3d printers and when he first started
3d printers and when he first started talking to me about 3d printers I
talking to me about 3d printers I
talking to me about 3d printers I thought ok they print out these cute
thought ok they print out these cute
thought ok they print out these cute little plastic tchotchkes
little plastic tchotchkes
little plastic tchotchkes so what but dances are very very fast in
so what but dances are very very fast in
so what but dances are very very fast in this and now you can imagine a 3d
this and now you can imagine a 3d
this and now you can imagine a 3d printer printing out a car or a house
printer printing out a car or a house
printer printing out a car or a house yesterday we heard a talk about a food
yesterday we heard a talk about a food
yesterday we heard a talk about a food computer a little hydroponic farm in a
computer a little hydroponic farm in a
computer a little hydroponic farm in a box and if we have those then anybody
box and if we have those then anybody
box and if we have those then anybody could make food anywhere in the world so
could make food anywhere in the world so
could make food anywhere in the world so we could print out the parts for a food
we could print out the parts for a food
we could print out the parts for a food computer but the most amazing thing that
computer but the most amazing thing that
computer but the most amazing thing that a 3d printer could print out would be a
a 3d printer could print out would be a
a 3d printer could print out would be a 3d printer so then if you have a 3d
3d printer so then if you have a 3d
3d printer so then if you have a 3d printer and your neighbor doesn’t have
printer and your neighbor doesn’t have
printer and your neighbor doesn’t have one well no big deal you just print out
one well no big deal you just print out
one well no big deal you just print out one so now we have the ingredients for a
one so now we have the ingredients for a
one so now we have the ingredients for a new economy ai is the software 3d
new economy ai is the software 3d
new economy ai is the software 3d printers are the hardware and that’s
printers are the hardware and that’s
printers are the hardware and that’s what it’s going to be in the future
what it’s going to be in the future
what it’s going to be in the future so in capitalism Capitol’s owns the
so in capitalism Capitol’s owns the
so in capitalism Capitol’s owns the means of production in communism the
means of production in communism the
means of production in communism the government owns the means of production
government owns the means of production
government owns the means of production in what we call maker ISM everybody owns
in what we call maker ISM everybody owns
in what we call maker ISM everybody owns the means of production and in that way
the means of production and in that way
the means of production and in that way we can get cutthroat competition out of
we can get cutthroat competition out of
we can get cutthroat competition out of the economy okay now we’ve solved the
the economy okay now we’ve solved the
the economy okay now we’ve solved the economy let’s start to think about
economy let’s start to think about
economy let’s start to think about government how do we get competition and
government how do we get competition and
government how do we get competition and power out of government okay well first
power out of government okay well first
power out of government okay well first we might look around and say do we have
we might look around and say do we have
we might look around and say do we have any examples in our society where a
any examples in our society where a
any examples in our society where a group successfully governs itself
group successfully governs itself
group successfully governs itself without hierarchies without power we
without hierarchies without power we
without hierarchies without power we have competition and I think we do now
have competition and I think we do now
have competition and I think we do now my tribe is the scientific community and
my tribe is the scientific community and
my tribe is the scientific community and if you think about it it’s really a
if you think about it it’s really a
if you think about it it’s really a marvel okay so scientists are smart but
marvel okay so scientists are smart but
marvel okay so scientists are smart but there’s only they’re only a small
there’s only they’re only a small
there’s only they’re only a small percentage of the population they don’t
percentage of the population they don’t
percentage of the population they don’t even spend that much money considering
even spend that much money considering
even spend that much money considering the magnitude of the problems that
the magnitude of the problems that
the magnitude of the problems that they’re dealing with and yet they
they’re dealing with and yet they
they’re dealing with and yet they produce breakthroughs that improve our
produce breakthroughs that improve our
produce breakthroughs that improve our lives on a regular basis and if you hang
lives on a regular basis and if you hang
lives on a regular basis and if you hang out with science
out with science
out with science like I do you know that they don’t
like I do you know that they don’t
like I do you know that they don’t always agree on everything so how do we
always agree on everything so how do we
always agree on everything so how do we do it
do it
do it and I think the key is scientists
and I think the key is scientists
and I think the key is scientists organize themselves for cooperation
organize themselves for cooperation
organize themselves for cooperation rather than competition now there are
rather than competition now there are
rather than competition now there are 10-year battles
10-year battles
10-year battles there’s battles for funding scientists
there’s battles for funding scientists
there’s battles for funding scientists have big egos it’s all true okay but to
have big egos it’s all true okay but to
have big egos it’s all true okay but to me that’s a sideshow that’s not science
me that’s a sideshow that’s not science
me that’s a sideshow that’s not science what that is is the business and
what that is is the business and
what that is is the business and politics of having jobs in science and
politics of having jobs in science and
politics of having jobs in science and it’s like not surprisingly it’s like the
it’s like not surprisingly it’s like the
it’s like not surprisingly it’s like the business and politics of having jobs
business and politics of having jobs
business and politics of having jobs anywhere okay but when all the
anywhere okay but when all the
anywhere okay but when all the bureaucrats are out of the room what a
bureaucrats are out of the room what a
bureaucrats are out of the room what a scientists do they make theories they
scientists do they make theories they
scientists do they make theories they make hypotheses they do analysis they do
make hypotheses they do analysis they do
make hypotheses they do analysis they do simulation and those are ideas we could
simulation and those are ideas we could
simulation and those are ideas we could bring into government right now our
bring into government right now our
bring into government right now our government is mostly about who gets to
government is mostly about who gets to
government is mostly about who gets to make a decision and what it should be
make a decision and what it should be
make a decision and what it should be about is what’s the best decision for
about is what’s the best decision for
about is what’s the best decision for everybody so FRA and I are working on a
everybody so FRA and I are working on a
everybody so FRA and I are working on a new proposal for government that we call
new proposal for government that we call
new proposal for government that we call reason aa cracy and I’ll just give you a
reason aa cracy and I’ll just give you a
reason aa cracy and I’ll just give you a little flavor of it okay so in America
little flavor of it okay so in America
little flavor of it okay so in America we hold the idea of voting to be sacred
we hold the idea of voting to be sacred
we hold the idea of voting to be sacred you know but like in the scientific
you know but like in the scientific
you know but like in the scientific community we don’t have any voting in
community we don’t have any voting in
community we don’t have any voting in fact we don’t really even have many of
fact we don’t really even have many of
fact we don’t really even have many of the trappings that business and
the trappings that business and
the trappings that business and government tell us is necessary to get
government tell us is necessary to get
government tell us is necessary to get things done okay
things done okay
things done okay there’s no president of science there’s
there’s no president of science there’s
there’s no president of science there’s no CEO of science there’s no there’s no
no CEO of science there’s no there’s no
no CEO of science there’s no there’s no stockholders no political parties and
stockholders no political parties and
stockholders no political parties and very little voted so suppose instead we
very little voted so suppose instead we
very little voted so suppose instead we chose people at random representatives
chose people at random representatives
chose people at random representatives at random like jury duty we right now we
at random like jury duty we right now we
at random like jury duty we right now we ask juries to make life-and-death
ask juries to make life-and-death
ask juries to make life-and-death decisions okay but that would get money
decisions okay but that would get money
decisions okay but that would get money out of the selection and but of course
out of the selection and but of course
out of the selection and but of course we’d have to couple that with some
we’d have to couple that with some
we’d have to couple that with some education to make sure the
education to make sure the
education to make sure the representatives knew what they were
representatives knew what they were
representatives knew what they were doing and I think the number one thing
doing and I think the number one thing
doing and I think the number one thing in the curricula
in the curricula
in the curricula should be learning how to cooperate
should be learning how to cooperate
should be learning how to cooperate teach the modern conflict resolution and
teach the modern conflict resolution and
teach the modern conflict resolution and consensus building methods and we don’t
consensus building methods and we don’t
consensus building methods and we don’t have to do it all just by people talking
have to do it all just by people talking
have to do it all just by people talking in a meeting we can have online tools
in a meeting we can have online tools
in a meeting we can have online tools they didn’t think of 200 years ago when
they didn’t think of 200 years ago when
they didn’t think of 200 years ago when they made the constitution we could have
they made the constitution we could have
they made the constitution we could have crowdsourcing for brainstorming we could
crowdsourcing for brainstorming we could
crowdsourcing for brainstorming we could have online tools that helped us keep
have online tools that helped us keep
have online tools that helped us keep track of the dependencies among ideas
track of the dependencies among ideas
track of the dependencies among ideas what’s pro and what’s con and we can do
what’s pro and what’s con and we can do
what’s pro and what’s con and we can do what if scenarios just like a
what if scenarios just like a
what if scenarios just like a spreadsheet and fry and I are working on
spreadsheet and fry and I are working on
spreadsheet and fry and I are working on some such tools in our research work so
some such tools in our research work so
some such tools in our research work so I’m a starry-eyed idealist and people
I’m a starry-eyed idealist and people
I’m a starry-eyed idealist and people say to me oh you scientists you think
say to me oh you scientists you think
say to me oh you scientists you think everything’s a technical problem but you
everything’s a technical problem but you
everything’s a technical problem but you couldn’t solve things like cooperation
couldn’t solve things like cooperation
couldn’t solve things like cooperation and competition which are timeless
and competition which are timeless
and competition which are timeless social problems but I think science can
social problems but I think science can
social problems but I think science can I think that science can help remove
I think that science can help remove
I think that science can help remove pressures like scarcity that make people
pressures like scarcity that make people
pressures like scarcity that make people act out of fear and fear is what
act out of fear and fear is what
act out of fear and fear is what prevents us from building the culture of
prevents us from building the culture of
prevents us from building the culture of empathy and compassion that we need so
empathy and compassion that we need so
empathy and compassion that we need so when frightened little ten-year-old
when frightened little ten-year-old
when frightened little ten-year-old Henry poked his head out from under the
Henry poked his head out from under the
Henry poked his head out from under the desk during the Cuban Missile Crisis his
desk during the Cuban Missile Crisis his
desk during the Cuban Missile Crisis his fourth-grade teacher couldn’t have
fourth-grade teacher couldn’t have
fourth-grade teacher couldn’t have taught him all this we didn’t have AI or
taught him all this we didn’t have AI or
taught him all this we didn’t have AI or 3d printers the book that popularized
3d printers the book that popularized
3d printers the book that popularized the prisoner’s dilemma wasn’t even
the prisoner’s dilemma wasn’t even
the prisoner’s dilemma wasn’t even published until the 1980s I don’t want
published until the 1980s I don’t want
published until the 1980s I don’t want there ever to be another air raid drill
there ever to be another air raid drill
there ever to be another air raid drill in a fourth-grade classroom
in a fourth-grade classroom
in a fourth-grade classroom I want fourth graders to learn about the
I want fourth graders to learn about the
I want fourth graders to learn about the fundamentals of computation the
fundamentals of computation the
fundamentals of computation the mathematics of cooperation so Rodney why
mathematics of cooperation so Rodney why
mathematics of cooperation so Rodney why can’t we all just get along
can’t we all just get along
can’t we all just get along it’s because society doesn’t understand
it’s because society doesn’t understand
it’s because society doesn’t understand the truth about the trade-off between
the truth about the trade-off between
the truth about the trade-off between cooperation and competition yes thank
cooperation and competition yes thank
cooperation and competition yes thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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