The Zero Marginal Cost Society

The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of Capitalism

The Zero Marginal Society

We are seeing what was looted from the Global Commons, transferred back to the Global Commons. Slowly, slowly we are moving towards a Gift Economy.

• Giving directions
• Sharing, Stories and Gifting

A basic tenet of The Zero Marginal Cost Society is that we are moving towards zero marginal costs.

This is certainly true of digital music and e-books. We see it implemented on sites like bandcamp (music) and leanpub (e-books).

A pity then, the message we are getting from Jeremy Rifkin is heed what I say, not heed what I do.

• hardback — £16.19
• e-book — £13.07

Contrast with Paulo Coelho who made his back catalogue available at a book for the price of a song. Or Steve Lawson who has made his music available at very low price.

• A book for the price of a song
• “Steve, Why Is Your Music So Cheap?”
• 10 albums for £10 — Fill In The Gaps, Give The Rest To Friends

Contrast with Sacred Economics, covering more or less the same subject. You can buy the paperback, download an e-book and name your price or download the e-book for free.

Jeremy Rifkin would have more credibility were he to lead by example.

• Sacred Economics
• The End of the Capitalist Era, and What Comes Next
• The Zero Marginal Cost Society
• The Rise of Anti-Capitalism
• Capitalism is making way for the age of free

Reposted from Medium, where there are more notes.

Tags: Gift Economy, Jeremy Rifkin, marginal costs, Sacred Economics, The Zero Marginal Cost Society, zero marginal costs