Vending Machines of the Apocalypse
Pic from New York Times
I’m convinced that the world is either going to hell in a handbasket, or is pivoting toward the exponential growth of a technological singularity.
What’s the source of this paradox?
I recently looked at the creation of synthetic life that could, on one hand be used to create fuel sources and medicine, or unleash an uncontrollable disease.
Then, as if I needed a more perfect example, there’s this story in the New York Times about the latest types of vending machines.
In Tokyo, you can find vending machines that use electronic eyes to evaluate skin to determine if the customer is old enough to buy tobacco. In Canada, you can apparently find vending machines with flat irons for hair.
Now, in a luxury hotel, you can shell out $1,000 for gold bars and coins.
Here are some other examples:
Now that those fears have been alleviated and the economy appears to be on the road to recovery, the pressure to shop is at an all time high. The internet is an outstanding source of information, and sales and shopping information is no exception. Sites like 
According to scientists, when you buy something, chemicals secrete through your brain that make you feel good.
When people aren’t shopping, they’re watching TV and learning about the financial crisis around the world. The automakers are complaining about the credit markets. The retailers are complaining about the housing market. The shoppers are worried about the economy. But there is one company that is not complaining about anything.
is one of my favorite financial books of all time. It's an allegory about a guy who has a terrible job, and how he overcomes challenges to achieve his dreams.
