Diamond Age becoming true?

Neal Stephenson, author of Snow Crash (the basis of Second Life), also wrote "The Diamond Age". Consider similarities to up-and-coming things in RL, as predicted in his work that he wrote about a decade ago.

1. Diamonds will become so cheap to synthesize that it will replace glass. (Hence the namesake) - There are already companies out there that can synthesize a 4 carat yellow diamond, approx 20-30k US$, for under $500. Perfect. Not Zirconium. Diamond in every respect. Other precious gems like rubies, sapphires, and emeralds are already being synthesized to create cheap diodes for... LEDs

2. Nanotech will be a pervasive technology. - There are publicly traded nanotech research companies.

3. A neo-Victorian society will evolve, rejecting technology and science and going for traditional values. - Bush's core supporters reject: stem-cell research, gay marriage, evolution and they embrace "traditional values".

Thats a really interesting obsrvation, I really should pick up this book some day. I think the diamond age had already been with us for some time now hiro, I guess its gone so common now that we didnt see the connection?

Nanotech for the masses, I'm really looking forward to the day that it becomes common for the public, heart problems, diseases and germs would definitely be a thing of the past.

Traditionalists would still be around, definitely. All in all, very interesting observations

Saw a programme about those yellow diamonds. They will never replace the real thing. They can also be made out of the ashes of dearly departed loved ones. Yuk

Lat

What is the difference between these diamonds, which are made from Carbon under extremely high pressure, and other diamonds, which are made from Carbon under extremely high pressure? There, of course, isn't any structural difference. In fact, the only difference is public perception of these so-called "fake" diamonds. For some reason, people seem to think that the "real thing" is somehow better, more natural. As if an oppressive global monopoly that resorts to murder and civil war in Africa to obtain little baubles for vain Westerners is somehow a natural thing...

Personally, I think the idea of creating diamonds from my ashes to be interesting, and certainly less macabre than the idea of burial.

Give them a little more years...
I am impressed by how many devices, ideated in science fiction or otherwise fantastic novels, have been built in real world. Starting with Jules Verne (and maybe even before, i should check...), it happened a lot of times, and this seems to be about to happen with nanotechnology and with VR (i am scared by SL... what will we have in 5 years?).

Um, setting aside your political broadside at the end, and while I loved the book, I'm not sure I agree with some of your interpretations.

Yes, damn good diamonds can be fabricated. But I thought the title was referring more to the use of carbon (sometimes in the forms of diamond) through nanotechnology. But their nanotech went well beyond carbon manipulation to food, textiles, whatever. Though I may be splitting hairs here.

Nanotech, on the level of the book, is not remotely close. Some companies do work on the level of nanometers, but no one is building nano-assemblers. Is it 50 years off, 100 years off? No idea. But it certainly isn't 5-10 years off. There will be nanotech-like things, protein engineering is nanotech of a sort, and perhaps some more baby steps soon, but we are far from the Feed creating all our needs.

I really disagree with your characterization of the neo-Victorians. They were absolutely not anti-technology, they owned some of the most advanced nanotech companies on the planet. Hell, they created an entire island with fantasy creatures for just one day to entertain the daughter of a powerful member and a bunch of other kids. The Neo-Victorians created the Yound Lady's Illustrated Primer (for those who haven't read the book, not as simple as it sounds). Now the Vickies do go for more traditional values, they are certainly Victorian in a sense. There are certainly some things they could be faulted for, but they are Neo-Victorian, not simple Victorian, and that's a longer discussion.

what other theories did the writer had about the future in this book? I'm very curious to know

My advice is to read it, rinaz. I loved that book. I also read the one with Neo-Victorians, and another on eco-terrorism (in an unusual but quite appropriate meaning of the word; actually that seems to be the right meaning... but i can't say anything more without ruining the book to ppl who didn't read it). Stephenson is a great writer, IMHO.

The one with the environmental "terrorist" is called Zodiac. A fun book, not really SF but science-based (current time). Sagiman's Law (however it's spelled) is a classic. Diamond Age may be my favorite, if only because I REALLY want the Primer, even though I'm not young or a lady.

> what other theories did the writer had about the future in this book? I'm very curious to know

Really heavily into nanotech. Concept of nanoassemblers that are something like a microwave-sized device that can create anything you like. A big fat pipe feeds into your home - like your water-main currently - that pumps nanos in. The products arent actually the same at the microscopic level as the "real" object - but they act the same in our macroscopic world to most extents and purposes.

The bits that stuck out in my mind were the guy being sentenced to die, walking along a pier thinking they looked familiar, and we sortof realize by clues in the text that they're funeral piers, and then he does too, and then he dies (nanobots in his body rip his flesh apart).

The other bit was two pages on hypocrisy. In a culture without an absolute morality, theres no longer such as a thing as Right or Wrong - so instead people criticize others not for doing something Good or Bad, but for not doing what they say they are doing. I found it pretty insightful.

Oh, and ink wars: microscopic wars going on between enemies via nanotech, leaving a layer of thick black dust over everything in the street, on you, in your house: which are dead nanos.

Azelda

I can imagine why there'd be a revolution that goes against technology if nanotechnology would be the norm placed in that situation. If these nanobots are able to kill someone just like that, what's to say about it in the situation where there is assasination for example, I mean, I could be happily watching television on my VR glasses and then have these intruders in my house?

Very interesting reading indeed Thanks everyone

We're a lot closer to nanotech than most people realize. Still some way off.... but it's definitely coming, and sooner than most people think. There's a lot of research out there that isn't getting a lot of attention.

I'm just waiting for it.

The synthetic diamonds are wonderous, I saw a show on TLC about them. They still say that a UV light will show them as fake (synthetics glow). Pretty cool nonetheless. As for the luddites out there, I think there is more to fear from the 'other' religious groups out there that seem to want to revert to 1200 A.D. - Ya know, the ones who think women should not be seen (and beaten if heard), think that a son can be accountable for the transgressions of his father, think that beheading is a fitting way to deal with a person who doesn't follow a certain religious point of view...

In Diamond Age, there are nano weapons (typically nano-explosives which were used in the pier execution) and there are nano counterweapons. Basically think of a nano immune system. One of the parts I found interesting is that the Neo-Victorians had reinstituted the "sitting room" concept in their homes. While this followed some victorian prim and proper traditions, the reason no one minded is because the sitting room was also kind of a quarantine area, people come in with all sorts of nano machines inside them. The house nano machines intereact with them and see if there is anything dangerous before the residents come and greet them.

Another funny thing is that given how nanotech can create most any material thing, where does the conspicuous consumption turn to? To hand made stuff, simple things like paper and wood furniture and such, and they have an economy dedicated to selling to the affluent. Not all that surprising really, but interesting.

I haven't read Diamond Age. Sounds like a great read. Another sci-fi book that has a strong emphasis on nano-tech is Greg Bear's "Slant." Highly recommended.

I'll have to read Diamond Age!

But as to real world diamonds, the De Beers Diamond Trading Company has warehouses full of the damn things. They own all the biggest diamond mines, and they control their release into the economy with a draconian hand. They keep the price as high as they can by being the largest source by far. Almost the only source. Even ignoring every political machination, human rights violation, or claim of outright murder, the monopoly and how they use it is unconscionable.

Carbon in all its forms is a damn usefull substance, from the organic to the purely synthetic. Buckyballs in medicine, carbon nanotubes in space exploration, diamond semiconductors taking computers to 81Ghz!!! With De Beers out to make profit selling baubles, it falls to the scientist to come up with an alternative. Enter Gemisis and Apollo, the two companies to watch in the diamond industry. Gemesis is already selling colored diamonds (yellow, as they hold a very high market price) to fund the company's growth. Apollo Diamond is using an even more advanced technique that would allow diamonds to be grown to almost unlimited size, and be indistinguishable from diamonds dug out of the dirt. And being able to make wafer-thin slices of crystalized carbon WILL cause a revolution in computing.

A true Diamond Age.

(Oh, and did you know that gold is an excellent conductor..?)

The DeBeers are evil incarnate. The idea that men are expected to spend a quarter to a half of their annual salary on a pretty piece of rock is just insane. Diamond wedding rings weren't even traditional until the the mid 1900's and only became "traditional" through brilliant marketing by DeBeers. "Here honey. Please accept this shiny piece of stone that I just wasted half my income on. It was mined just for you by indentured slaves working in appalling conditions. Feel the love!"

You wouldn't actually use VR glasses. You would have nanobots in your eyes, composing images.
Moreover, you could have security nanobots, ready to fight hostile ones... and other nanobots constantly repairing physical damages...

ok - trying not to panic here - should I sell all my (real) diamond jewellery?

No - because these synthetic ones are way off replacing 'real' ones.

Panic over.

Lat

There's no more difference between a diamond made in a metal pressure chamber and one dug out of dirt.

Is a beautiful orchid any less beautiful if it comes from a hothouse in California than from a jungle in South America?

Is an orange any better when picked from wild tree in a forest somewhere than if it comes from a Florida orchard?


That said... I won't INVEST in diamonds, if I were you. (Unless you want to invest in Gemisis or Apollo, which might be a wise move.)

I can live with 50. I may still be around to enjoy it for a good amount of time if it's first uses and precursors are used in the medical fields (likely).

Absolutely, I'm with you on the absurdity and vicious cycle of how this has perpetuated itself so deeply in our society. I'm not against jewelry, but I am for happy humans. It would be disturbing to discover a gemstone for your loved one happened to be a blood diamond. So, not only indentured slavery, but in addition, mutilation, amputation, and possibly death. Not to mention the sheer $$$ of it all which would be better practically invested in something else.

Similar to this BS (calling Penn & Teller!) is the price of funerals.

Penn & Teller's Bullshit is one of my favorite shows! They did an excellent episode on the funeral racket. I'd LOVE to seem them do an episode about diamond rings.

There was a special on diamonds on TV a while back and they pointed out that in Japan there was not a tradition of engagement rings, until the advertising was cranked up in the past few decades. Now it is expected. Poor, poor salaryman!

I recently listened to the audiobook of Diamond Age from Audible.com. It was fantastic. The narration was wonderful and made for a very entertaining presentation. It is a little expensive, but sometime they have $9.99 sales. I stock up when they do that. The Snow Crash (Stephenson) and Stranger in a Strange Land (Heinlein) audiobooks are great as well.

Audible currently has a promotion that allows you to buy any one audiobook for $9.95 without joining their monthly plan.

Fatwallet.com has a page with their current offers. The one at the bottom (Hear A Book For Just $9.95) allows you to buy Diamond Age (Unabridged 18 hours- normally $34.99), Snow Crash (unabridged 18 hours - normally $34.99) or any other book for $9.95.

This is not an affiliate ad of mine, I just really like the program and it beats subscribing for $20 a month.

No.... you'd be in a room filled with nanites all linked together into a 3d matrix, reconfiguring themselves into whatever shape, texture, temperature, and color required. It's called nanofog or utility fog. Extremely useful stuff. Think 'holodeck' without Star Trek's stupid mucking about with matter/energy conversions and amazingly energy intensive force fields. (Good godless.... what the hell was Rodenberry THINKING?!?!?!?!?)