In this episode of the Innovation Book Club, Alex Drago and Wais Pirzad discuss a Vice documentary based on Jeremy Rifkin’s book The Third Industrial Revolution. The book blurb: “The Industrial Revolution, powered by oil and other fossil fuels, is spiralling into a dangerous endgame. The price of gas and food are climbing, unemployment remains high, the housing market has tanked, consumer and government debt is soaring, and the recovery is slowing. Facing the prospect of a second collapse of the global economy, humanity is desperate for a sustainable economic game plan to take us into the future. Here, Jeremy Rifkin explores how Internet technology and renewable energy are merging to create a powerful "Third Industrial Revolution." He asks us to imagine hundreds of millions of people producing their own green energy in their homes, offices, and factories, and sharing it with each other in an "energy internet," just like we now create and share information online. Rifkin describes how the five-pillars of the Third Industrial Revolution will create thousands of businesses, millions of jobs, and usher in a fundamental reordering of human relationships, from hierarchical to lateral power, that will impact the way we conduct commerce, govern society, educate our children, and engage in civic life. Rifkin's vision is already gaining traction in the international community. The European Union Parliament has issued a formal declaration calling for its implementation, and other nations in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, are quickly preparing their own initiatives for transitioning into the new economic paradigm. The Third Industrial Revolution is an insider's account of the next great economic era, including a look into the personalities and players — heads of state, global CEOs, social entrepreneurs, and NGOs — who are pioneering its implementation around the world.” You can watch this here: shorturl.at/rxV01 Here’s three questions to help you reflect on what you’ve just heard: 1, Rifkin makes the case that the synergies created by innovations in energy, connectivity and transport systems powered previous industrial revolutions, created economic development and generated jobs. How convinced are you by his arguments? 2, Rifkin’s ideas about a green revolution and a distributed economy powered by renewable energy, the internet of things and connected transport networks are presented as the key way to generate economic growth. What else would need to change for his ideas to succeed? 3, What areas of your work could be improved by Rifkin’s ideas if they were adopted by your company? Contact us: [email protected] or [email protected] If you want to buy the book then consider supporting your local booksellers with Bookshop.org: shorturl.at/loxP4 Alternatively, if you want to give Jeff Bezos more of your hard-earned cash: Amazon.co.uk: shorturl.at/cgjmB Amazon.com: shorturl.at/yCORU