This chapter covers
- The incredible potential for positive change related to our data that mostly benefits us
- The possibility for data solutions to be very simple or quite profound, depending on our viewpoint
- New business sectors, products, and services related to the new world of individualized control and monetization of data
- The relationship and activities you will manage through a data intermediary (DI)
- What is a data dividend, and how much money will you make from your data
- What you can do with your data settings today to be ready for the new future data ecosystem
Agathism: The doctrine that, in the end, all things tend toward good. . . . An optimist would say that everything is for the best. An agathist, on the other hand, would say that what’s happening right now may be unfortunate or evil, but, ultimately, it will all end well.1
In the previous chapters we discussed what the world of data looks like, how we got to where we are, and what the world looks like today. Now it is time to discuss what lies ahead.
As with most changes in the world, data won’t change in a big bang. Not all factors will change in an instant. The world at large—laws, regulations, enforcement, business operations, attitudes, and compliance—will not change in the blink of an eye. All of the changes that I am about to describe will come in waves and will be enforced and reinforced over time.