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Stellar, a very convincing vision of how we can move towards a Solar Punk world. (stellarworld.com)

submitted 1 day ago by Ruigaard@slrpnk.net to c/solarpunk@slrpnk.net

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Just finished the stellarbook, by James Arbib and Tony Seba (from RethinkX). They make a very interesting case on how we can move from our current extractive societies to one of abundance. It touches on many themes that are well known in the solar punk community, still it brought together a clear overview and model of where we are now and how to get to a better world.

I was wondering if anyone here has read it as well. And what your take is.

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[–] Ruigaard@slrpnk.net 1 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

Hahaha, thanks for the reading tip.

The interesting thing in their book is, they acknowledge the end of the road for capitalism/extraction. Technologies like solar, wind, batteries (and recycling thereof) offer a great alternative with near zero marginal costs, they apply the same logic to labor in the form of robotics and AI (of AI I'm still skeptical). If these technologies will be further implemented will undermine incumbent industries. And can replace them entirely with almost free energy and labor. But they do caution that there needs to be a shift from the capitalistic outrol of this tech (as is happening now) to a communal benefit of them. As well a change of private ownership to a new communal model. The potential abundance can make this happen, starting in tech-eco hubs and spread from there. It's definitly about a techno, system and societal "fix".

Honestly I get your skepticism and that of other commenters, but as someone who works (and plays) in the sustainability field for a long time now, this book made a lot of sense.

That being said, I will keep on reading a lot of different sources on the subject as well and refine my opinion further.

[–] solo@slrpnk.net 5 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

If I understand you correctly in the part you talk about labor, robotics and AI, it reminds me of what was said by capitalists when automations started being employed in factories, meaning many, many decades ago.

At the time the capitalist narrative was saying to workers stuff like "we know you work hard, but thanks to the technological advancements in automations your children will work less and have a better life". We very well know this never happened, only the rich got richer, to the detriment of everybody else and the planet as a whole.

So, allow me to say, this approach is not new.

[–] Ruigaard@slrpnk.net 3 points 15 hours ago

Fair point