Digitalis

The Director of Google Belgium and Luxemburg argues for a stronger digital vision and makes a plea for the so-called knowledge society in response to the negative media coverage

Thierry Geerts makes a plea for the so-called knowledge society in response to the negative media coverage. The digital revolution both enables and forces us to reinvent the world we live in. Europe is in urgent need of ambitious and inspiring projects if it wants to catch the digital train. All too often the digital revolution is depicted as a global nightmare: companies are shut down, jobs are cut, and the future is looking grim. Others try to take action and are bracing themselves for the giant disruption that is looming around the corner. In his thought-provoking book, Thierry Geerts proposes to replace the word 'disruption' by 'reinvention'. Take the car, for instance. The way we have been driving around for the past 50 years no longer has a future: we are constantly stuck in traffic, thousands of people die each year as a result of road traffic accidents, and cars are major contributors to air pollution. Electric, self-driving cars offer a safer and more efficient solution. People can share them and park outside the city. Perhaps we don't even need a car of our own anymore? This book is a wake-up call. Europe has been at the forefront of the industrial and the computer revolution, so what stops us from becoming the capital of Digitalis?