First, let's consider a couple emerging technologies:
- Autonomous/Self-Driving Vehicles are getting closer and closer to reality.
- Electric Vehicles are already here and will only grow in market share over time, likely rapidly.
- Advances in the energy sector (I'm betting on solar, but there are several other technologies that could blindside me) will make the cost of driving said vehicles very cheap.
So pretty soon we will have vehicles you neither have to drive, nor conserve miles in. Now let's look at another trend:
- A growing number of jobs are becoming telecommute/work from "home". For many jobs, it is simply more efficient than an office.
- While manual labor will continue to shrink in the face of automation, we are still a ways off from all jobs requiring a physical presence being replaced. However, as it starts to become more specific types of labor that remain human, and those specific types change over time, it will become necessary for those wishing to work in the manual labor sector to "go where the money is". Even right now, many laborers are losing their jobs while others, those willing to apply for the "willing to travel" jobs, are making decent money.
So pretty soon we will have two pretty large groups of people: One with a weaker incentive to live in one specific location and one with a stronger incentive to frequently live in different locations.
That brings me to the title of this essay:
Will People Soon Return To A Nomadic Lifestyle?
Will they turn their apartments in for RVs? Autonomous Vehicles remove the work of driving all day. Cheap, eletrical vehicles remove the cost. And with employment no longer being a reason for remaining stationary, well employment is one of the main reasons people live where they do.
I've thought of some ideas on how this could affect society, and will write them out in a future post. But I wanted to get this initial post up to help me commit to writing it (I can be a little scattered with all the projects I think of working on). Plus, I'd like to see if I can get some initial comments. Both on whether or not you think a series on potential futures could be interesting, and if you have any ideas around this first concept. Do you have any cool ideas on how society may change with a large group of nomads? What would happen? And do you have any potential futures you would like me to explore in future posts?