At the risk of sounding like an Luddite or technophobe, I have a question for you people still working. So, one of the newest technologies to hit the mainstream industry sectors is the 3D printer. Okay, so it's going to revolutionize the world and bring everyone together and we can all sing in harmony and move the world towards greatness and progress. People will be able to make EVERYTHING in their homes and not worry about ever traveling anywhere to buy anything. Everyone will be able to afford the raw materials to print anything at home and life will become much better for everyone.
Okay, so I got all that out of the way. Now, I currently work in an industry that isn't quite going to feel the effects of this technology for a while. Other industries are going to probably feel the effects quite quickly and with greater impact. Now I know that my ignorance is going to show through on this topic. If industries are going to be destroyed by this technology (not just my opinion), what is going to remain? People are talking about intellectual property management and the copyright infringements that will be taking place left and right. The people that could benefit most from this technology would be in a field that won't quite be affected negatively by it. I know that this is going to be unstoppable and we are all going to have to give in, but I'm getting SO MUCH anxiety over this stuff. I'm most confused at how economies (local and global) are going to be affected by this. I can't fathom how people will be able to afford to by the raw materials needed to print items if they have been laid off due to the 3D printer displacing their job. It seems like only the SUPER creative CAD people (artists and engineers) will be the people to benefit the most. I'm neither. How can I compete with those people?
Please understand that I don't want any really snappy comments on my perception of the impact of 3D printing on my life. I know that no one will really know the true effects of something until a while after the beginning, but I invite realistic opinions. Thanks everyone!