The Inevitable

Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future

By: Kevin Kelly

Narrated by: George Newbern

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times Best Seller

From one of our leading technology thinkers and writers, a guide through the 12 technological imperatives that will shape the next 30 years and transform our lives.

Much of what will happen in the next 30 years is inevitable, driven by technological trends that are already in motion. In this fascinating, provocative new book, Kevin Kelly provides an optimistic road map for the future, showing how the coming changes in our lives - from virtual reality in the home to an on-demand economy to artificial intelligence embedded in everything we manufacture - can be understood as the result of a few long-term, accelerating forces. Kelly both describes these deep trends - interacting, cognifying, flowing, screening, accessing, sharing, filtering, remixing, tracking, and questioning - and demonstrates how they overlap and are codependent on one another.

These larger forces will completely revolutionize the way we buy, work, learn, and communicate with each other. By understanding and embracing them, says Kelly, it will be easier for us to remain on top of the coming wave of changes and to arrange our day-to-day relationships with technology in ways that bring forth maximum benefits. Kelly’s bright, hopeful book will be indispensable to anyone who seeks guidance on where their business, industry, or life is heading - what to invent, where to work, in what to invest, how to better reach customers, and what to begin to put into place - as this new world emerges.

©2016 Kevin Kelly (P)2016 Penguin Audio

12 trends thought of in new ways

I really liked this book. It introduced a lot of good ideas and brings a lot of new ways of looking at things, for example, have you ever thought of gross domestic mass? and how that number had been changing, and what that might mean? Kevin has and gives an interesting analysis in a small part of the book.

at times, the book felt to technical, but it moves pay it in every case.

I recommend it, our new world of 2046 will need need ways to think and see it, better start now.

great for those unaware

not so much new for those that have been paying attention inside the it business

Mind opening

great thoughts and ideas about the future and what is to come a good read for anyone that thinks about what's next

it was average

I just didn't like this book this much I find it a bit annoying the author to me seemed to pick up on a soapbox quite often. He was very good at stating the obvious and at the same time was just not that informational in a way that impressed me. I still listen to entire book I did get a few things out of it but would not recommend it.

Some excellent concepts, but drags a little

For tech fans and those interested in how technology will shape the future, this book is excellent, although some of what is described as “the impending future” is already my daily life in Shenzhen, China (online sales, delivery, automation, peer reviews...) I think the book could have been an hour shorter and still been just as good. Happy to recommend it to others. Thanks!

He has the VISION

Would you consider the audio edition of The Inevitable to be better than the print version?

I don't know, I'll have to get the print version for my second reading.

What other book might you compare The Inevitable to and why?

His vision sent chills up and down my spine...took all my fragments of understanding and fused them into a cohesive picture. I've yet to read anything to compare.

What does George Newbern bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I'll have to read the print version first but Mr. Newbern is a complement to the story and helped make it real. You cannot ask more of a narrator than that for this type of book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, luckily I was on a long road trip so he kept my attention for hours at a time.

Any additional comments?

Only rarely do you get to experience a vision so in sync with your own that it's almost scary. He's had opportunities that I have not and brought those experiences to his readers to help bring their shared vision into better focus.

Just Great.

A very well written and documented vision of the near future and how it will affect everyone's life and the whole society. Promotes reflexion and guides to preparation for the children and parents who will rise them.

Fascinating book

Great book exploring how tech has and will transform our world and beyond our world. This book forces you to think 30 years + into the future. Highly recommend.

one of my favorite books on futurism

easy to get through. fascinating reflection on the changes we are living through now and what is to come.

expected great, got good

the book is pretty much the author just talking about technology the whole time. from the title I expected more structure on what the 12 forces were (you can't really tell, he just starts talking about various things) and perhaps more about why's and how's and intermingling.

don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, it's just that I expected to have my mind blown about implications of things, and instead was just taken down a path of "yeah, that's interesting, but I kind of know that."