I like Ric, but he ain’t a technologist

The first part of the book is devoted to futuristic visions based on exponential extrapolations of trends from prior years. To make an educated guess about technologies, the guesser must have some idea of technological limitations. Moore’s Law (transistor density doubles about every two years) stops at atomic dimensions, which in 2019 we are not far from. Sorry Ric, but Deep Blue ain’t never going to be the size of a grain of sand because transistors can’t be smaller than an atom. Might happen in 100 years but we will have long since gone off the rails of Moore’s Law. This is one of a handful of extrapolations that Ric makes with great enthusiasm that simply are not going to happen anytime soon.

The financial predictions seem sounder, and were worth listening to. Here, I think the predictions were on the mark.

The last bit about breathing and nature walks was self-evident and new age-y. Not so useful for me.

1 person found this helpful

Most interesting book I've read in years.

I have read Edelman's other books and found each one informative and helpful. His approach to money and wealth is balanced...he doesn't advocate that happiness is derived from wealth but he makes judgements on how to grow individual wealth. This book was a complete surprise to me. Over the course of my working career I have attended numerous seminars and retreats where futurists try to prepare companies and individuals for what is coming. Not an easy task. In this book Ric tackles the future in a way that is amazing, almost startling in scope and yet understandable. I give this book my highest recommendation and in fact have sent it to many of my contacts as a must read.

1 person found this helpful

this is must read

I love this because it so educational for the cycle we are going through now.

Good, but not without its harrowing parts

Let me start this review by saying that if you’re not someone who wants to go down the rabbit hole of future exponential technologies such as that of robotics and AI, I’d steer well clear of this one. There are several sections and passages in it that talk about such concepts in a pretty harrowing fashion, so for that reason, I urge that you tread lightly here.

As an aside, I guess that’s the problem with exponential technologies in general — there are both really good and really bad potential outcomes associated with each one, and because of that, it’s very hard to know how each one will shake out in the end.

Here, the author doesn’t shy away from talking about both the positive and the negatives of such technologies, and that’s both what makes the book interesting and what brings it down; the optimistic looks into how future technologies will improve our lives are really interesting and fun to think about, while the dark and negative ones are rather depressing.

Now with all of that said, the book is still pretty good, and the dark parts of it are easily avoidable. Just about every single one of those harrowing parts starts with “The Dark Side of X,” making it clear that the pessimism is about to begin. This gives readers an opportunity to page forward, which is something I really recommend.

The reason I recommend such a thing is that, in the end, the book is actually fairly optimistic. Moreover, it helps readers reevaluate their financial futures and plan for the road ahead. So, if you can get through or avoid those scary parts, I think you’ll definitely enjoy what this one has to offer.

-Brian Sachetta
Author of “Get Out of Your Head”

Gets a little slow at times but awesome

Changed the way I look at my future, especially getting older and retiring for the positive!

Where’s the beef? Too much fluff.

Listened to several chapters of statistical chatter before I gave up. It was like reading the Farmer’s Almanac or Encycl. Brit.

Just what I’ve been looking for

This book is not only prepares the reader for some changes to long standing careers, but it’s very insightful to the upcoming changes to the daily lifestyle adjustments coming our way, like it or not. I personally don’t think that vehicle sharing will easily transition in the USA. Many of us are defined by our automobiles. They identify us. Vehicle sharing will be more readily transformed into our society at a much slower rate than nations like China and even England. Ric truly wants to help us whether he benefits from it or not

must read!!! invaluable!!!!!!!

invaluble information for all generations, particularly applying to the youngest among us. But its never too late for anyone to open their mind and embrace the amazing future.

Good practical insight into what the future holds

This was a good practical glimpse into what the future holds.

the author breaks it down into nice understandable chunks.

Exponential technology

It was a great read a lot of positive information about our future and also helped so that way we could make wiser decisions and be more positive