Is Code the New Global Currency?
As the world becomes more dependent on our electronic fabric of networks for communication, does this mean coding is the new world power? David Cushman wrote a compelling depiction of how the progression of publishing has put coders in a centralized position of control. The Evolution of Control: Coding is Power goes on to describe programmers as the new press barons.
His post was so compelling, what I thought would be a short response turned into my own take on how first world economic models are shifting from manufacturing-based to code and network-maintenance based:
Well done David. I think what you’re describing, as in more coding becoming mainstream, is the waterfall effect of technological capabilities playing a mainstream role in our global economy.
Anytime technology has evolved, lower-level connection agents have been replaced by automation, and higher skill sets are required to manage a more complex network. Take the telephone: first we had operators at local exchanges connecting calls.
Over the past 40 years, we’ve seen the elimination for much of those positions starting with the very local operator, to the regional operator, to the long-distance operator, to what are now customer service representatives. At each stage, the technology has only become more complex.
Due to Moore’s law, these changes in communication are happening faster and faster, making people with complex coding skills more important, but this hasn’t eliminated the need for people with coding skills — it’s created a far wider market for all levels of this work. When talking about first world economies shifting away from manufacturing, these jobs are becoming coding and network infrastructure positions.
So I completely agree that coding is becoming more important for all industries every day, and as it does, more tasks that used to require coding will be accessible to the mainstream of society while at the same time creating the need for a new upper-level of coding and creative ability.
Thanks David, for getting this song stuck in my mind all day.
What do you think?
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