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Transition Point: From Steam to the Singularity
REVOLUTION, EVOLUTION OR ENDGAME?
The world is an uncertain and unnerving place right now. Technological advancement is creating a perfect storm of disruption, changing the way we shop, eat, work and communicate. The population is becoming increasingly polarised, and the traditional structures that underpin Western society are all unravelling.
These seem like unparalleled times – or are they?
Sean Culey’s new book, Transition Point, begins with an examination into why human progress suddenly exploded in 18th Century Britain, rather than in larger or more culturally advanced civilisations. He explains why the societal structures and individual freedoms that developed in Britain allowed the population’s innovative capabilities to flourish while the political structures that existed elsewhere held them back. Culey investigates the form and structure of this technologically driven progress, and why it is cyclical, not linear.
Culey then explains why we are now in the transition point between the fifth and sixth technological waves, in a time the old and new co-exist, creating a society with one foot in the past and one in the future. This is a time of winners and losers, of people with capital and those with just labour. People with desired new wave skills and mindsets, and those with redundant old-wave ones.
In Part Two of the book, Culey details the technological advancements contained in this new wave, showing exactly how they are going to combine to automate every aspect of the global workplace, from manual labour to office jobs. Innovations capable of not just replacing jobs, but also capabilities such as vision, hearing and speech, creating a future where humans are no longer the cheapest or smartest workers around.
In the third and most substantial part of the book, Transition Point examines the impact this new wave is going to have on the nature of business practices, on our scientific and technological advancement, on the economy and, most controversially, on the future of our society. Culey explains what actions are needed to prevent the economy from transforming into a nightmare of uncaring corporatism; a world where the wealth flows into the technocrats, establishment and capital owners, and the modern-day John Henry’s are left behind, outperformed by AI systems, robots and algorithms that work for electricity and never take a break.
Culey explains why, during this disruptive period, control is likely to be retained via the rolling back of the freedoms and liberties that made this period of progress possible in the first place. As China increasingly utilises technology to gamify life, creating a surveillance society designed to ensure its citizens comply with the rules passed down by their omnipresent government, the West will do likewise, only without the same level of openness and honesty. As western society continues to self-implode through a lack of belief in itself, its heritage or its traditions, these new wave technologies will become instruments of control and much as convenience. Once the citizens realise that their hard-fought freedoms no longer exist there will be resistance, but it will be too late, for once installed there is no going back. New generations will be born into a world of basic income bread and virtual circuses; a life of entertainment, enhancements and limited responsibilities. And knowing no different, they will just accept it, mourning not for that which they never experienced.
Finally, Culey explains why the collapse of the sixth wave may tear away the last threads holding together society, creating social disruption on a global scale. By the middle of the century, we may see the human race divided by their opinions on whether some humans should become gods - a society split into those who embrace a future of technological and genetic enhancement, and those who strive to retain our human traditions and lifestyle. This is unlikely to be a civilised divorce, and if care is not taken and conscious effort made, the end of the century may well see Homo sapiens go the way of the Neanderthals.
Transition Point was a finalist in the Independent Book of the Year Awards, 2019
The world is an uncertain and unnerving place right now. Technological advancement is creating a perfect storm of disruption, changing the way we shop, eat, work and communicate. The population is becoming increasingly polarised, and the traditional structures that underpin Western society are all unravelling.
These seem like unparalleled times – or are they?
Sean Culey’s new book, Transition Point, begins with an examination into why human progress suddenly exploded in 18th Century Britain, rather than in larger or more culturally advanced civilisations. He explains why the societal structures and individual freedoms that developed in Britain allowed the population’s innovative capabilities to flourish while the political structures that existed elsewhere held them back. Culey investigates the form and structure of this technologically driven progress, and why it is cyclical, not linear.
Culey then explains why we are now in the transition point between the fifth and sixth technological waves, in a time the old and new co-exist, creating a society with one foot in the past and one in the future. This is a time of winners and losers, of people with capital and those with just labour. People with desired new wave skills and mindsets, and those with redundant old-wave ones.
In Part Two of the book, Culey details the technological advancements contained in this new wave, showing exactly how they are going to combine to automate every aspect of the global workplace, from manual labour to office jobs. Innovations capable of not just replacing jobs, but also capabilities such as vision, hearing and speech, creating a future where humans are no longer the cheapest or smartest workers around.
In the third and most substantial part of the book, Transition Point examines the impact this new wave is going to have on the nature of business practices, on our scientific and technological advancement, on the economy and, most controversially, on the future of our society. Culey explains what actions are needed to prevent the economy from transforming into a nightmare of uncaring corporatism; a world where the wealth flows into the technocrats, establishment and capital owners, and the modern-day John Henry’s are left behind, outperformed by AI systems, robots and algorithms that work for electricity and never take a break.
Culey explains why, during this disruptive period, control is likely to be retained via the rolling back of the freedoms and liberties that made this period of progress possible in the first place. As China increasingly utilises technology to gamify life, creating a surveillance society designed to ensure its citizens comply with the rules passed down by their omnipresent government, the West will do likewise, only without the same level of openness and honesty. As western society continues to self-implode through a lack of belief in itself, its heritage or its traditions, these new wave technologies will become instruments of control and much as convenience. Once the citizens realise that their hard-fought freedoms no longer exist there will be resistance, but it will be too late, for once installed there is no going back. New generations will be born into a world of basic income bread and virtual circuses; a life of entertainment, enhancements and limited responsibilities. And knowing no different, they will just accept it, mourning not for that which they never experienced.
Finally, Culey explains why the collapse of the sixth wave may tear away the last threads holding together society, creating social disruption on a global scale. By the middle of the century, we may see the human race divided by their opinions on whether some humans should become gods - a society split into those who embrace a future of technological and genetic enhancement, and those who strive to retain our human traditions and lifestyle. This is unlikely to be a civilised divorce, and if care is not taken and conscious effort made, the end of the century may well see Homo sapiens go the way of the Neanderthals.
Transition Point was a finalist in the Independent Book of the Year Awards, 2019
- GenresNonfiction
686 pages, Hardcover
Published November 6, 2018
9 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Sean A. Culey
1 book9 followersSean Culey is a global keynote speaker on the topic of disruptive technologies and their impact on businesses, the economy and society. He is the author of 'Transition Point', a detailed look at the causes of technological disruption and the impact it has had on our society, and how the current wave of technological change - from robotics to AI - will completely disrupt our business models, economy and society at large.
Sean is also the author of numerous articles published in magazines such as Forbes, The World Financial Review and The European Business Review.
He is also Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University and a Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT) and has worked in the field of decision intelligence with a leading Silicon Valley tech company. He is also the UK’s only certified SCOR Master Instructor.
Sean is also the author of numerous articles published in magazines such as Forbes, The World Financial Review and The European Business Review.
He is also Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University and a Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT) and has worked in the field of decision intelligence with a leading Silicon Valley tech company. He is also the UK’s only certified SCOR Master Instructor.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 8, 2019
In this very well researched book, the author explains the history and our current position in technological development.
We're in the 6th wave of technological development, where new technology is converging in a way not seen before in history, to become a massive force of both creative innovation and creative destruction.
The author gives many social and economic ideas and suggestions on where we could or should go during and after this 6th wave, but leaves you with a final question; will we use technology to create a brighter future, or will we let technology destroy us?
We're in the 6th wave of technological development, where new technology is converging in a way not seen before in history, to become a massive force of both creative innovation and creative destruction.
The author gives many social and economic ideas and suggestions on where we could or should go during and after this 6th wave, but leaves you with a final question; will we use technology to create a brighter future, or will we let technology destroy us?
December 31, 2019
This is an excellent book and one of the most important I have read this year. It puts some very thought provoking scenarios forward of where we are headed as a society. I urge everyone to read this book as we are now at a point where our future like never before will be influenced by the technology that we are developing today. We are responsible for our actions and we will not be able to claim we had not been warned!
March 21, 2021
What an excellent read! Very well researched and thought provoking. Worth the page count. My 5-star rating doesn’t mean that I am in 100% agreement with all interpretations and the futuristic projections offered, but is to indicate how well researched and rationally derived is this excursion to the future of mankind. This has been very important read to me.
May 24, 2021
This book is incredibly well written and well researched. I defined recommend to everyone in the SCM industry and who is willing to be thought-provoked by the ideas shared by Sean Culey.
October 27, 2021
This book is written with the western world in mind. Some good points and arguments in the book. He put in a lot of research for the book. There are however a lot of references with a lot of information worth checking up on. After all non fiction books are what you make out of them and the information in them. I don't agree about all his opinions as to where we may end up after all they are his opinions not fact. Decent read but certainly not a standout
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews