What is *The Zero Marginal Cost Society* by Jeremy Rifkin about?

*The Zero Marginal Cost Society* explores how advancing technologies like 3D printing, renewable energy, and the Internet of Things (IoT) drive production costs to near zero, undermining traditional capitalism. Rifkin argues this will spur a "Collaborative Commons" economy where access and shared resources surpass private ownership, prioritizing sustainability and democratized innovation over profit-driven markets.

Who should read *The Zero Marginal Cost Society*?

Economists, policymakers, and technology enthusiasts interested in socioeconomic shifts will benefit. It appeals to those analyzing post-capitalist models, sustainable energy transitions, or IoT’s societal impact. Critics of Rifkin’s earlier work and advocates for sharing economies will also find provocative insights.

Is *The Zero Marginal Cost Society* worth reading?

Yes, for its bold analysis of capitalism’s decline and the rise of collaborative systems. While some critics dismiss Rifkin’s timelines as overly optimistic, the book offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how near-zero marginal costs could reshape industries like energy, manufacturing, and digital services.

What is the "Collaborative Commons" in Rifkin’s theory?

The Collaborative Commons refers to a decentralized economic model where individuals and communities share goods/services via IoT-connected platforms. Rifkin contrasts this with capitalism, predicting it will dominate as profits dwindle from near-free production of renewable energy, 3D-printed goods, and digital content.

How does Rifkin explain the "paradox of capitalism"?

Rifkin argues capitalism’s pursuit of lower marginal costs (to maximize profits) ultimately leads to technologies that reduce costs to near zero, eroding profitability. Examples include digital music (replaced by streaming) and renewable energy outpricing fossil fuels—trends he claims will expand to physical goods via 3D printing.

What role does the Internet of Things (IoT) play in Rifkin’s vision?

IoT enables the Collaborative Commons by connecting renewable energy grids, automated factories, and global supply chains into a seamless network. Rifkin claims this "smart infrastructure" will let "prosumers" (producer-consumers) share energy, goods, and data laterally, bypassing corporate intermediaries.

What are the main criticisms of *The Zero Marginal Cost Society*?

Critics argue Rifkin underestimates capitalism’s adaptability and overstates human willingness to abandon ownership. Others question his dismissal of freeloading risks in sharing economies and note his timelines for systemic change are implausibly short.

How does Rifkin address renewable energy in the book?

He posits that solar/wind energy’s near-zero marginal costs (after initial infrastructure) will disrupt fossil fuels, enabling decentralized "energy democracies." Households and businesses could generate and share surplus energy via IoT-connected grids, reducing reliance on utilities.

La società a costo marginale zero

L'Internet delle Cose, i Commons Collaborativi e l'Eclissi del Capitalismo

Jeremy Rifkin

3.92(2060 Reviews)

Panoramica di La società a costo marginale zero

E se il capitalismo stesse progettando la propria fine? La provocatoria tesi di Jeremy Rifkin mostra come i costi marginali vicini allo zero potrebbero creare un'era post-capitalista in cui i beni diventano virtualmente gratuiti. Discusso ai Google Talks, questo paradosso economico sta riscrivendo il nostro modo di concepire la scarsità stessa.

Scegli come raccontarlo

Un libro. Tanti modi per ascoltarlo.

Le stesse idee di La società a costo marginale zero. Scegli la voce, la profondità e il ritmo adatti a te. Cambia in qualsiasi momento.

Capitolo 1

The Dawn of a New Economic Era

What if everything you thought you knew about capitalism was about to be turned upside down? Imagine waking up to discover that the economic system powering our world for over two centuries is gradually giving way to something entirely different. This isn't science fiction-it's the central premise of Jeremy Rifkin's groundbreaking work. As Bill Gates once remarked, "This is a book that truly changes how you see the future unfolding," while The Guardian called it "the most significant economic treatise of our time." Rifkin's vision has captured the attention of world leaders from China to Europe, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel personally consulting with him on economic transformation. The Zero Marginal Cost Society doesn't just predict incremental change-it forecasts the most profound economic transformation since the Industrial Revolution, one that's already underway in the emerging collaborative commons where goods and services are increasingly shared rather than owned.

Capitolo 2

Capitalism's Fundamental Contradiction

At the heart of Rifkin's analysis lies a startling paradox: capitalism contains the seeds of its own transformation. The relentless drive for efficiency and productivity that defines competitive markets is pushing marginal costs toward zero, undermining the very profit mechanism that sustains the system. Marginal cost-what it costs to produce an additional unit after fixed costs are covered-approaches zero as technology advances, creating an abundance that capitalism struggles to monetize. This phenomenon first emerged in the digital realm, where information could be reproduced and shared at virtually no cost. Music, publishing, and entertainment industries were the first casualties, as billions began sharing content for free. Now, this near-zero marginal cost revolution is expanding beyond the virtual world into the physical economy through renewable energy, 3D printing, and online education. Consider solar and wind energy, where the initial infrastructure requires investment, but the marginal cost of producing each additional unit of energy is nearly zero-the sun and wind don't send monthly bills. Once the fixed costs of installation are covered, these systems can generate virtually free energy for decades. Similarly, 3D printing allows anyone with access to the technology to manufacture products at a fraction of traditional costs, while online education platforms deliver world-class instruction to millions at negligible marginal cost. The implications are profound. As Rifkin explains, "When marginal costs approach zero, profits evaporate, property rights become meaningless, and the market economy begins to implode." Yet rather than seeing this as catastrophic, Rifkin views it as transformative-the emergence of a hybrid economy where a diminishing capitalist market operates alongside an expanding Collaborative Commons. This isn't merely theoretical. The sharing economy has already disrupted industries from hospitality (Airbnb) to transportation (Zipcar, RelayRides), with millions participating in collaborative consumption networks that prioritize access over ownership. These platforms enable people to share underutilized resources-from spare rooms to idle vehicles-at near-zero marginal cost, creating abundance from what was previously wasted. What makes this transition inevitable isn't ideology but thermodynamics. The Internet of Things-a seamless network connecting everything from household appliances to factory production lines-is driving unprecedented efficiency gains by optimizing resource use in real-time. As this infrastructure spreads, it's enabling a lateral, distributed economy that fundamentally challenges the vertical integration of traditional capitalism.

Vedi ogni parola mentre la ascolti

Segui la lettura senza sforzo mentre ogni parola di La società a costo marginale zero si illumina in tempo reale.

Capitolo 3

The Internet of Things: A New Economic Platform

The Internet of Things represents the first smart infrastructure revolution in history, connecting billions of sensors across three critical networks: a Communications Internet, an Energy Internet, and a Logistics Internet. Together, these form an operating system that continuously monitors, analyzes, and optimizes economic activity with unprecedented efficiency. Unlike previous industrial revolutions built around centralized command structures, the IoT is inherently distributed and collaborative. It connects prosumers (producer-consumers) in lateral networks where they can bypass traditional middlemen and share directly with each other at near-zero marginal cost. This technological platform isn't just changing how we produce and distribute goods-it's transforming the very nature of economic organization. The scale of this transformation is staggering. Cisco projects the IoT will generate $14.4 trillion in cost savings and revenue by 2022, while General Electric estimates efficiency gains could impact half the global economy by 2025. Even small improvements yield enormous benefits-a mere 1% efficiency increase in aviation would save $30 billion over 15 years. What makes the IoT revolutionary is how it integrates humanity back into the biosphere's natural rhythms while dramatically increasing productivity. Sensors monitoring everything from energy use to traffic patterns to agricultural conditions create feedback loops that optimize resource allocation in real-time. This continuous data flow enables a level of coordination previously impossible, allowing communities to manage resources collaboratively rather than through centralized control. The IoT's distributed architecture perfectly complements renewable energy systems, which are similarly distributed and collaborative. Unlike fossil fuels that require massive centralized infrastructure, renewable energy can be generated locally and shared peer-to-peer through an Energy Internet. This alignment between energy production and communication technology represents a fundamental break from previous industrial revolutions, where communication advances were always paired with centralized energy systems. As Rifkin notes, "The distributed nature of renewable energy requires collaborative rather than hierarchical management and scales laterally, in networks, rather than vertically." This structural compatibility between the IoT and renewable energy is accelerating the transition to a post-carbon economy where power generation is democratized and energy becomes abundant rather than scarce.

Capitolo 4

From Ownership to Access: The Sharing Economy

The millennial generation is pioneering a profound shift from ownership to access, fundamentally altering our relationship with material goods. For them, freedom isn't found in private property but in the ability to connect with others and access diverse experiences. This cultural transformation is most visible in changing attitudes toward the automobile-once capitalism's signature possession. Car ownership among young people has plummeted, with 46% of drivers aged 18-24 preferring Internet access over owning a car. Instead, they're embracing car-sharing networks like Zipcar and RelayRides, which allow members to access vehicles when needed without the burdens of ownership. The impact is substantial: each shared car eliminates approximately 15 personally owned vehicles while reducing carbon emissions as members drive 31% less. This shift extends far beyond transportation. Airbnb has rapidly grown to offer more rooms than major hotel chains, with over 600,000 listings across 192 countries. Clothing exchange platforms like thredUP facilitate garment sharing, while services like Freecycle and yerdle enable sharing of general goods. Even backyards are becoming part of the Commons through platforms like SharedEarth, which connects landowners with gardeners to grow food on unused land. The sharing economy creates abundance from underutilized resources. As Adam Werbach, former Sierra Club president and yerdle co-founder, notes: "The average power drill is used for a total of just 48 minutes over its entire lifetime." By enabling access rather than ownership, sharing platforms extract maximum value from existing resources while reducing waste and environmental impact. This transformation threatens traditional retailers who rely on continuous consumption. When people can borrow items through laterally scaled networks at near-zero marginal costs, high-fixed-cost businesses struggle to compete. The fundamental question becomes whether the Commons represents merely a new commercial opportunity or an entirely new economic paradigm that will eventually eclipse capitalism. For younger generations, the answer seems increasingly clear. Studies show 62 percent of Gen Xers and millennials are attracted to sharing goods, services, and experiences in Collaborative Commons. When ranking benefits, they list saving money first, followed by environmental impact, lifestyle flexibility, and practicality. Emotionally, they value generosity, community belonging, intelligence, and being part of a movement.

Ottieni di più da La società a costo marginale zero

Ricevi spunti ogni giorno da oltre 100.000 lezioni
Le parole si illuminano in sincronia con l'audio
La tua libreria salvata su ogni dispositivo

Capitolo 5

The Democratization of Manufacturing

3D printing is revolutionizing manufacturing by transforming bits into atoms, enabling distributed production with minimal resources. Unlike traditional manufacturing that subtracts material through cutting and shaping, 3D printing builds objects layer by layer, using only the necessary materials without waste. This additive approach reduces material requirements by up to 90% while eliminating the need for assembly lines. The technology is advancing rapidly from expensive industrial applications to affordable consumer devices. MakerBot's Replicator, priced under $2,000, allows anyone to become a manufacturer. Meanwhile, community fabrication spaces like MIT's Fab Labs provide access to more sophisticated equipment, democratizing innovation capabilities previously confined to elite institutions. What makes 3D printing revolutionary is how it aligns with the Internet of Things infrastructure. Just as the Communications Internet enabled peer-to-peer content sharing, 3D printing allows peer-to-peer manufacturing of physical goods. Open-source design repositories like Thingiverse host millions of freely available designs that can be downloaded and printed anywhere, creating a global commons for physical production. The implications for global supply chains are profound. Instead of manufacturing products centrally and shipping them worldwide, designs can be transmitted digitally and produced locally using minimal materials and energy. This distributed model eliminates transportation costs, reduces carbon emissions, and enables customization without additional expense-the marginal cost of producing unique items is the same as mass production. For developing regions, this technology offers unprecedented opportunities. Marcin Jakubowski's Open Source Ecology network has identified 50 essential machines for modern civilization and created freely available designs for eight so far, including a bulldozer and drill press. Their "global village construction kit" allows communities to build a modern economy from "scratch and scrap," potentially leapfrogging traditional industrial development. As Neil Gershenfeld, director of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, observes: "The real strength of 3D printing is not making what you can make with conventional manufacturing. It's making what you can't make-objects with complex internal structures that would be impossible to create in any other way." This capability is already transforming industries from aerospace to healthcare, where customized medical implants can be printed to exact specifications for individual patients.

Capitolo 6

The End of Work as We Know It

The same technologies driving communications, energy, and manufacturing to near-zero marginal cost are eliminating human labor across all economic sectors. Big Data, advanced analytics, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and robotics are replacing workers everywhere, potentially liberating hundreds of millions from market economy work in the coming decades. This transformation began in manufacturing, where automation has dramatically increased productivity while reducing employment. Between 1997-2005, U.S. manufacturing output increased 60% while 3.9 million jobs vanished. By 2012, the economy had recovered to 2.2% above pre-recession output levels but with 3.84 million fewer workers. This pattern extends globally-between 1995-2002, 22 million manufacturing jobs disappeared worldwide while production increased 30%. The automation revolution has now reached white-collar professions long considered immune to technological displacement. Software like eDiscovery can analyze millions of legal documents faster and more accurately than human lawyers-at a fraction of the cost. One lawyer using this technology can do the work of 500, with greater precision than human review. Similar disruption is occurring in fields from journalism, where algorithms write basic news stories, to medicine, where IBM's Watson diagnoses conditions with remarkable accuracy. Even creative professions aren't immune. Music Xray uses algorithms to identify potential hit songs, while Epagogix predicts box office success from movie scripts. Translation-perhaps the most complex cognitive task-is being automated by services like Lionbridge's GeoFluent, threatening to eliminate many of the world's professional translators. This technological unemployment isn't necessarily catastrophic. As Rifkin argues, "We're witnessing an epic transformation in the nature of work itself." While machines replace human labor in the market economy, new opportunities are emerging in the social Commons, where deep human engagement and building social capital remain inherently human enterprises. The nonprofit sector is already the fastest-growing employment sector in many advanced economies, with countries like the Netherlands (15.9%), Belgium (13.1%), and the United Kingdom (11%) seeing significant workforce percentages in nonprofits. By midcentury, a majority of the employed worldwide will likely work in the nonprofit sector advancing the social economy while purchasing some goods from the conventional marketplace. This transition requires retraining existing workers and developing appropriate skills for students entering the labor market-a challenge similar to the shift from agricultural to industrial life between 1890 and 1940.

Vedi ogni parola mentre la ascolti

Segui la lettura senza sforzo mentre ogni parola di La società a costo marginale zero si illumina in tempo reale.

Capitolo 7

The Rise of Social Capital

As economic activity shifts from the market to the Commons, social capital is becoming as important as financial capital. In the sharing economy, reputation systems rank members' trustworthiness similar to how credit ratings function in market economies. Services like ThredUP rate quality, style, and punctuality, while TrustCloud assigns members scores based on consistency, generosity, and transparency. These reputation metrics create the trust necessary for peer-to-peer exchanges to function without traditional intermediaries. When strangers share homes, cars, or personal items, they rely on community verification rather than institutional guarantees. This social trust enables collaborative consumption at near-zero marginal cost, creating economic relationships fundamentally different from market transactions. The social economy extends beyond material sharing to knowledge and skills. Patient-driven healthcare networks like PatientsLikeMe connect 220,000 patients who share detailed health information, creating a vast repository of real-world data that complements traditional clinical trials. This collaborative approach has already challenged published research, as when ALS patients using lithium showed no benefits despite earlier positive studies. Alternative currencies further distinguish Commons transactions from market exchanges. Over 4,000 microcurrencies exist worldwide, many based on labor time stored in time banks. Some, like Hour Exchange Portland, facilitate healthcare payments, while others like BerkShares encourage local spending. Digital currencies like Bitcoin bypass national boundaries and traditional financial institutions entirely, creating truly global peer-to-peer payment systems. Social entrepreneurship represents another hybrid between market and Commons approaches. Legal innovations like B Corporations and L3Cs formalize blended missions that prioritize social and environmental impact alongside financial returns. This sector has experienced spectacular growth, with several hundred thousand social enterprises in the U.S. employing over 10 million people and generating $500 billion annually (3.5% of GDP). The rise of social capital challenges conventional economic wisdom that humans are purely self-interested. Recent evolutionary biology and neurocognitive science suggests we're inherently social beings with neural circuitry for empathy. The "mirror neurons" discovered in the 1990s show how humans physiologically experience others' feelings as our own, creating the foundation for collaborative rather than competitive economic systems.

Capitolo 8

Biosphere Consciousness and the New Empathic Civilization

The transition to a Collaborative Commons isn't merely economic-it represents a profound shift in human consciousness. Throughout history, major economic paradigm shifts have combined communication revolutions with new energy regimes, transforming how humans perceive themselves and their relationship to the world. Early forager/hunter societies used oral language to coordinate activities, with empathy extending only to blood ties and tribal bonds. Hydraulic civilizations brought writing and grain storage, shifting consciousness from mythological to theological and extending empathy to religious identity. The nineteenth century's coal-powered steam printing created "ideological consciousness" where citizens saw themselves as national families. The twentieth century's electrification developed "psychological consciousness" that extended empathy across professional and cultural affiliations. Now, the Internet of Things is creating a vast global neural network connecting everything with everyone, enabling "biosphere consciousness"-an awareness of our fundamental interconnectedness with all life on Earth. This distributed, collaborative infrastructure allows our species to empathize as a single extended human family for the first time, recognizing our shared dependence on the planet's ecological systems. The younger generation is already operating in this new paradigm-studying in global classrooms via Skype, socializing worldwide on Facebook, sharing homes and resources online, generating green electricity across continents, and shifting from unlimited material growth to sustainable development. They judge institutions not by traditional right-left politics but by whether they're centralized and proprietary or distributed, transparent, and peer-to-peer. This emerging consciousness recognizes that true happiness comes not from material accumulation but from empathic engagement with others. Studies consistently show that beyond meeting basic needs, increased wealth brings diminishing returns to wellbeing. What truly makes us happy is affection, companionship, and belonging-qualities that are infinitely abundant rather than scarce. The advertising industry exploits these deeper drives by suggesting material consumption can fulfill social needs, though this only distances us from genuine community. In a world of abundance rather than scarcity, the fear of going without vanishes, diminishing the impulse to hoard and overindulge. As Rifkin observes, "When material needs are universally met, the desperate drive to overconsume diminishes."

Ottieni di più da La società a costo marginale zero

Ricevi spunti ogni giorno da oltre 100.000 lezioni
Le parole si illuminano in sincronia con l'audio
La tua libreria salvata su ogni dispositivo

Capitolo 9

Challenges to the Collaborative Future

Despite its transformative potential, the transition to a Collaborative Commons faces formidable challenges that threaten to derail progress toward a sustainable, shared economy. Two existential threats loom particularly large: accelerating climate change and the rising specter of cyberterrorism - both capable of disrupting or destroying critical infrastructure systems. Climate change presents perhaps the most immediate and widespread threat. Climate scientists report atmospheric carbon has risen from pre-industrial levels of 280 parts per million to over 400 ppm today, with catastrophic consequences already manifesting globally. Extreme weather events have increased in both frequency and intensity, with devastating hurricanes, unprecedented flooding, and record-breaking heatwaves becoming commonplace. Agricultural systems face particular vulnerability - South Asia projects devastating declines by 2050 of 50% in wheat yields and 17% in rice production. Even in technologically advanced nations like the United States, climate models predict corn and soy yields could plummet 30-46% in a low-emissions scenario and 63-82% in a high-emissions scenario by century's end. These agricultural disruptions threaten not just food security but the entire economic foundation of many regions. Infrastructure vulnerability compounds these challenges. Power grids face a double threat from both climate impacts and deliberate attacks. Nuclear facilities require consistent cooling water supplies - a resource increasingly threatened by prolonged droughts and shifting precipitation patterns. Coastal infrastructure faces multiple challenges from rising sea levels, intensifying storm surges, and saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers. The 2011 Fukushima disaster serves as a stark reminder of how quickly energy infrastructure can fail under environmental stress, rendering 62 square miles uninhabitable and causing long-term economic and social disruption across an entire region. Cyberterrorism represents an equally critical vulnerability as society becomes increasingly dependent on interconnected digital networks. Attacks have evolved from simple disruptions and pranks to sophisticated operations capable of crippling vital services. Recent attacks on colonial pipeline systems, healthcare networks, and municipal water treatment facilities demonstrate the potential for cascading failures. Without reliable electricity, essential systems including water distribution, transportation networks, communications infrastructure, and government services would begin to fail within days or weeks, potentially triggering widespread social instability. The battle over control of the Internet of Things infrastructure further complicates this transition. While Commons advocates push for open access and collaborative governance models, powerful commercial interests actively work to enclose these networks for profit maximization. Major Internet platforms have consolidated into dominant monopolies across virtually every sector - Google controls search with over 90% market share in many European countries, while Facebook dominates social networking with 1.1 billion active users. Amazon's control of online retail continues to expand, while Microsoft maintains its grip on enterprise computing. These monopolies raise fundamental questions about power distribution in the digital age. What are the implications when Google effectively controls humanity's collective knowledge access, Facebook oversees a billion-person virtual public square, or Amazon increasingly dominates global commerce? As digital media scholar Tarleton Gillespie warns, the algorithms that organize our information "are not neutral...they encode political choices and frame information in a particular way." This concentration of power in private hands potentially threatens the democratic and egalitarian promise of the Collaborative Commons.

Capitolo 10

The Path Forward: A Neo-Gandhian World

Despite these challenges, the transition to a Collaborative Commons offers our best hope for creating a sustainable and equitable future. The Internet of Things infrastructure provides the technological foundation for a distributed, lateral economy that can lift hundreds of millions out of poverty while reducing humanity's ecological footprint. This vision echoes Mahatma Gandhi's economic philosophy from 70 years ago. Gandhi advocated "not mass production but production by the masses" in people's own homes. He foresaw the dangers of centralized industrial production, warning it would place "limitless power in one human agency" making people dependent on distant authorities for basic necessities. Gandhi understood capitalism's contradiction-that the drive for efficiency would eventually replace human labor with automation, leaving people without purchasing power. His alternative was Swadeshi-bringing "work to the people and not people to the work." He believed in reuniting production and consumption through local production while fostering community values over individual self-interest. What Gandhi couldn't foresee was that capitalism itself would create technologies driving marginal costs toward zero, making abundance possible through distributed, collaborative production. The Internet of Things now provides the means to advance this vision, connecting local production in global networks that optimize resource use while preserving community autonomy. The cooperative model offers a proven governance structure for this emerging economy. Unlike private companies, cooperatives operate as Commons rather than profit-making ventures. They follow seven principles established by the Rochdale Society in 1844: open membership regardless of background; democratic governance with one member, one vote; equitable capital contribution; autonomy and self-help; education for members; collaboration across networks; and commitment to sustainable community development. Despite media neglect, cooperatives are enormously significant globally. Over 1 billion people-one in seven humans-belong to cooperatives, employing 100 million people (20% more than multinational companies). In the U.S., 29,000 cooperatives with 120 million members operate across sectors from agriculture to banking, generating $3 trillion in assets and $500 billion in annual revenue. As we navigate this historic transition, we must recognize that neither capitalism nor the Collaborative Commons alone can address our complex challenges. We need a hybrid system that preserves innovation while ensuring the benefits of near-zero marginal cost are widely shared. By embracing cooperation alongside competition, abundance alongside efficiency, and biosphere consciousness alongside technological advancement, we can create an economy that serves humanity's highest aspirations rather than merely its material needs.

★★★★★

Hai raggiunto la fine di La società a costo marginale zero

Amato da oltre 1 milione di persone

“Sono passati 23 giorni e l'ho usata ogni giorno. Ora fa parte della mia routine quotidiana.”

jayallen

Temi chiave in La società a costo marginale zero

collaborative commons
near-zero marginal cost
internet of things
sharing economy
distributed manufacturing

Citazioni da La società a costo marginale zero

We are entering a new economic system—the Collaborative Commons—that is disrupting markets and re-imagining our way of life.
The Internet of Things is giving rise to a Third Industrial Revolution.
The capitalist era is passing—not quickly, but inevitably.
In the coming era, social capital is going to matter far more than financial capital.
The democratization of innovation is paving the way for a sustainable, post-scarcity world.

Personaggi di La società a costo marginale zero

Jeremy RifkinAuthor and economic theorist
Angela MerkelGerman Chancellor who consulted on transformation

Sull'autore

Jeremy Rifkin, autore bestseller de La società a costo marginale zero, è un rinomato teorico economico statunitense e sostenitore della sostenibilità, il cui lavoro esplora l'intersezione tra tecnologia, economia e tutela dell'ambiente.

Laureato alla Wharton School e presidente del TIR Consulting Group, Rifkin ha plasmato la politica globale come consulente dell'Unione Europea, guidando iniziative come il quadro della Terza Rivoluzione Industriale per le infrastrutture sostenibili.

I suoi 23 libri, tra cui La civiltà dell'empatia e La terza rivoluzione industriale, analizzano i mutamenti sociali guidati dai progressi del digitale e delle energie rinnovabili, consolidando la sua reputazione di visionario dell'economia post-carbonio. Le idee di Rifkin hanno influenzato i leader aziendali attraverso le sue lezioni per dirigenti alla Wharton e i governi di tutto il mondo, con le sue opere tradotte in oltre 35 lingue.

La società a costo marginale zero (2014), un pilastro della sua eredità, prevede l'ascesa delle economie collaborative — un concetto oggi integrato nella pianificazione urbana e nei quadri politici verdi. Il suo fondamentale bestseller del 1995, La fine del lavoro, rimane centrale nei dibattiti sull'impatto sociale dell'automazione.

Scarica il riassunto di La società a costo marginale zero

Ottieni il riassunto di La società a costo marginale zero in formato PDF o EPUB gratuito. Stampalo o leggilo offline quando vuoi.

Agli utenti è piaciuto anche

The Industries of the Future

Alec Ross

The Power of Zero, Revised and Updated

David McKnight

Less Is More

Jason Hickel

Zero

Charles Seife

Inventing the Future

Nick Srnicek

The Rational Optimist

Matt Ridley

Too Smart

Jathan Sadowski

Capitalism Without Capital

Jonathan Haskel

FAQ su questo libro

Scopri di più

PIANO DI APPRENDIMENTO

Capitalism destroys humanity and society

This learning plan provides a critical framework for understanding how modern economic structures impact social stability and planetary health. It is essential for activists, students, and citizens seeking to move beyond profit-driven models toward a sustainable and equitable future.

5 h 14 m•4 Sezioni

PIANO DI APPRENDIMENTO

Anarchy Unbound: The Economics of Self-Governance

This course is essential for anyone interested in how order emerges from chaos, providing a deep dive into the economic incentives that drive cooperation without government. It is ideal for students of political economy, institutional design, and strategic management who want to understand the limits of formal law.

2 h 8 m•3 Sezioni

PIANO DI APPRENDIMENTO

Zero to One for Young Founders

This plan is essential for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to build companies that create something entirely new rather than just iterating on existing ideas. It is designed for young founders seeking to master the strategic mechanics of vertical progress and long-term planning.

1 h 30 m•3 Sezioni

PIANO DI APPRENDIMENTO

Detroit and the Mechanics of Scarcity

This learning plan provides a critical autopsy of Detroit’s economic rise and fall, offering essential lessons on urban resilience and systemic risk. It is ideal for urban planners, economists, and historians looking to understand the intersection of industrial policy, racial segregation, and municipal insolvency.

2 h•4 Sezioni

PIANO DI APPRENDIMENTO

The Management Shadow: Taleb/Kahneman/Greene

In an era of radical uncertainty, traditional management frameworks often fail because they ignore human irrationality and the impact of rare events. This plan is designed for leaders and strategists who want to master the hidden psychological and systemic forces that govern success and power.

4 h 43 m•4 Sezioni

PIANO DI APPRENDIMENTO

Books on production-consumption disconnect

This learning plan reveals how our separation from production processes drives mindless overconsumption and environmental harm. It's ideal for conscious consumers, sustainability advocates, and anyone seeking to develop more intentional relationships with material goods.

5 h 11 m•4 Sezioni

PIANO DI APPRENDIMENTO

The Existentialist Roadmap to Freedom

This plan is essential for individuals feeling trapped by societal expectations or existential dread, offering a path to radical self-ownership. It is designed for deep thinkers and aspiring leaders who want to build a life of authenticity and purpose beyond conventional norms.

2 h•4 Sezioni

PIANO DI APPRENDIMENTO

Think like Nassim taleb

In an increasingly volatile world, traditional linear thinking often leads to catastrophic failure. This plan is essential for decision-makers, investors, and strategists who want to move beyond mere resilience and learn to profit from uncertainty.

5 h 30 m•4 Sezioni

Creato da alumni della Columbia University a San Francisco

LOVED BY

1,000,000+ curious minds.

4.7

avg rating

1M+ learners

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

Scopri di piu su come si parla di BeFreed nel web

Creato da alumni della Columbia University a San Francisco

LOVED BY

1,000,000+ curious minds.

4.7

avg rating

1M+ learners

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

Scopri di piu su come si parla di BeFreed nel web

Inizia il tuo percorso di apprendimento, ora

Capitolo 9

La società a costo marginale zero

PanoramicaPanoramica di La società a costo marginale zero

Un libro. Tanti modi per ascoltarlo.

The Dawn of a New Economic Era

Capitalism's Fundamental Contradiction

Vedi ogni parola mentre la ascolti

The Internet of Things: A New Economic Platform

From Ownership to Access: The Sharing Economy

Ottieni di più da La società a costo marginale zero

The Democratization of Manufacturing

The End of Work as We Know It

Vedi ogni parola mentre la ascolti

The Rise of Social Capital

Biosphere Consciousness and the New Empathic Civilization

Ottieni di più da La società a costo marginale zero

Challenges to the Collaborative Future

The Path Forward: A Neo-Gandhian World

Hai raggiunto la fine di La società a costo marginale zero

Temi chiave in La società a costo marginale zero

Citazioni da La società a costo marginale zero

Personaggi di La società a costo marginale zero

Sull'autore

Scarica il riassunto di La società a costo marginale zero

Agli utenti è piaciuto anche

FAQ su questo libro

What is The Zero Marginal Cost Society by Jeremy Rifkin about?

Who should read The Zero Marginal Cost Society?

Is The Zero Marginal Cost Society worth reading?

What is the "Collaborative Commons" in Rifkin’s theory?

Scopri di più

1,000,000+ curious minds.

1,000,000+ curious minds.

Un libro. Tanti modi per ascoltarlo.

The Dawn of a New Economic Era

Capitalism's Fundamental Contradiction

Vedi ogni parola mentre la ascolti

The Internet of Things: A New Economic Platform

From Ownership to Access: The Sharing Economy

Ottieni di più da La società a costo marginale zero

The Democratization of Manufacturing

The End of Work as We Know It

Vedi ogni parola mentre la ascolti

The Rise of Social Capital

Biosphere Consciousness and the New Empathic Civilization

Ottieni di più da La società a costo marginale zero

Challenges to the Collaborative Future

The Path Forward: A Neo-Gandhian World

Hai raggiunto la fine di La società a costo marginale zero

Agli utenti è piaciuto anche

Scopri di più

Panoramica di La società a costo marginale zero