Where is my Flying Car
Status: Abandoned in December 2021, read through chapter 8
Rating: 1/5
Summary (of what I read)
Note: I’m describing the author’s viewpoint
In the 1960s, futurists envisioned lots of transformative technologies being introduced in the second-half of the 20th century. With respect to computers and the internet, we did end up getting pretty cool stuff. But in many domains, the future under-delivered. This was most-true for energy-intensive things like transportation. Part of this is a consequence of our prioritization of energy efficiency over capacity. We had overblown concerns about climate change, yet paradoxically turned our backs on nuclear energy. Our society excessively empowers snobbish academics and bureaucrats, who prioritize staying on-top over technological advancement.
Reaction
- Unconvincing, speculative, and disorganized
- The author envisions an alternative history with amazing progression in flying cars, nanotechnology, and cold fusion. We could have had these technologies, but we just lacked the will.
- How does the author know these technologies would have worked out?
- If those technologies were so promising…
- I find it surprising we wouldn’t get more start-ups in those areas; and
- I find it surprising other countries would not have made more progress.
- I have a very strong prior that those technologies either have big downside or are more difficult than the author lets on. I didn’t find that prior changing much as I read this book.
- The author is clear that he is not representing a consensus view. I don’t feel familiar enough with the relevant subject matter to reject a consensus viewpoint in favor of his speculative/theoretical musings.
- If this was written by Elon Musk, I might take it more seriously. Someone who is shown that the “impossible” is sometimes possible. But from what I can tell, this author is a total rando.
- Also, I found the chapters pretty random, as he jumped back-and-forth between flying cars, other topics (e.g. nanotech), and his libertarian political theory. I had no idea where he was going with it all, which led me to get bored and eventually stop reading.
- Reading this positive review gives you an idea for how disjointed the book is.
- I found this Morgan Stanley report on flying cars more interesting than the book.