A few days ago I lamented the disappearance of the inventive, emancipatory ethos of “let’s free all housewives from drudgery by putting an automatic washing machine in every home”. Some readers argue that technology has already reached such a level that there is nothing left to liberate us from. There are no great tasks left.
Are there really none? Only things that would dramatically improve the lives of millions or even billions of people.
- Easily available weight loss drugs. Some are already available, but they are so expensive that most people cannot afford them, and they have quite a few side effects.
- An energy source that would make heat and electricity available to everyone for free (or for a minimal fee).
- Contraception (for both women and men) that works instantly and is as accessible and harmless as ordinary chewing gum. This would finally put an end to the endless arguments about abortion.
- Protection against drugs, for example, where a patient would receive an injection and their body would not respond to fentanyl for the next two months.
- Technology that would allow a house to be built in a matter of hours at a price affordable to someone on a normal wage.
The list goes on and on. But in 2025, most inventors have a different question: What will investors say?