chapter+2+Living+on+Thin+Air

CH 2: Living on Thin Air

 * Charles Leadbeater


 * toc

There are 3 forces driving and shaping our modern economy according to //Leadbeater// (The Information Society Reader):

**1. Finance Capitalism:**
· Where Global financial markets pursue shareholder value · Force of downsizing, restructuring, re-engineering · Banks and brokerage firms hire the brightest people money can buy · Banks and brokerage firms also buy high-tech gadgets (the best money can buy) for their brightest employees.

**2. Knowledge Capitalism:**
· Modern Economy’s ability to create streams of new products and services · Improvements in medicine, pharmaceuticals, robotics, engineering etc. = HUMAN INTELLIGENCE · Innovation in design, branding, computer software, etc. · //Downside//: robots do human jobs better and faster = downsizing in companies occur. Robots replace your job.

**3. Social Capitalism:**
·Collaboration is the driving force behind creativity · ***the more you can depend on ppl you trust, the less risk you take*** · Networks and social relationships create social capital