Globalization is not a recent phenomenon; it began in the 1870s when international trade and investment expanded to sell mass-produced products worldwide, driven by technologies such as steam engines and electricity. The peak of globalization occurred in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The economy advances primarily through improvements in productivity. The technological advancements mentioned have significantly influenced this productivity growth. For example, a smartphone, which combines the functionality of a computer with that of a mobile device, exemplifies technological progress that has brought convenience to mankind. However, smartphone technology and network effects haven’t contributed to the expected boost in human productivity. Technology can be categorized into those that enhance productivity and those that do not. Although today’s technology development exceeds that of the past, it doesn’t automatically lead to greater productivity. To build wealth, incre...
In the 18th century, when the sun went down, people slept except for the rich man who could afford a candle. Humans lived in harmony with the natural rhythm. When machines created an industrial society and replaced human labor, people did not reduce their work but instead operated according to the machine’s working cycle. Charlie Chaplin criticized this phenomenon in his movie “Modern Times,” highlighting how mechanization forces humans to work with unprecedented intensity. Now, humans are concerned that artificial intelligence and robotic automation will diminish labor and lead to unemployment. What a contradiction! Rest is not an automatic benefit; it is a holy declaration of war that I must strive to achieve, not to disturb my rest on purpose. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”