The Zero Marginal Cost Society - Revision history

Marcin at 16:41, 17 January 2026

2026-01-17T16:41:22Z

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			=About=
			In the OSE paradigm, the Zero Marginal Cost Society is an inevitable outcome of civilization engineering in a collaboratively literate society. To understand both the desirability and inevitability of this in a post-scarcity economy - one must understand the theoretical basis of [[Civilization Systems Engineering]].


	=Video=		=Video=

Eric: Added some thoughts of mine

2025-12-24T16:57:50Z

Added some thoughts of mine

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:57, 24 December 2025
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	MJ sez - at present, the zero marginal cost society concept is an utter failure. While specif tech becomes cheaper, and indeed comes close to zero marginal cost (microprocessors, PV cells, solar electricity at 1 cent per kwhr if used locally, many materials (wheat costs 13 cents per pound, crude oil at 25 cents per pound) - the [[Cost of Living]] is constantly increasing. Savings from powerful technology do not translate to reduced cost of living, in general. The culprit is [[Aggregate Productivity]] and [[Centralization]]. As a result, [[Wealth Distribution]] and [[War]] persist as issues related to the [[Artificial Scarcity]] of zero marginal cost - ie, lack of good execution in delivering [[Integrated Zero Marginal Cost]].		MJ sez - at present, the zero marginal cost society concept is an utter failure. While specif tech becomes cheaper, and indeed comes close to zero marginal cost (microprocessors, PV cells, solar electricity at 1 cent per kwhr if used locally, many materials (wheat costs 13 cents per pound, crude oil at 25 cents per pound) - the [[Cost of Living]] is constantly increasing. Savings from powerful technology do not translate to reduced cost of living, in general. The culprit is [[Aggregate Productivity]] and [[Centralization]]. As a result, [[Wealth Distribution]] and [[War]] persist as issues related to the [[Artificial Scarcity]] of zero marginal cost - ie, lack of good execution in delivering [[Integrated Zero Marginal Cost]].

			==By User: Eric==
			*I think mainly:
			**Some materials are always going to have a certain amount of “cost”, especially if non-local materials etc
			**Many things are already quite “cheap”, but all the “savings” are transmuted into “profit”
			***So record Productivity/Efficiency (like the “we made the can x% thinner, saving is x USD per can making us millions of profit per year” etc)
			***I think the failure of Regulation / [[Reganonomics]] / [[Trickle Down Economics]] is moreso at fault than the ability to engineer/produce cheaper things
			*ALTHOUGH I THINK
			**Having a [[Parallel Society]] / [[Parallel Economy]] gradually form, where you can get Higher Quality (In Immediate Quality, in [[R2R Friendliness]] / [[Documentation]], in [[BIFL]] - ness (ie no [[Planned Obsolescence]] / short supported [[Product Lifespans]] etc) for less and less money
			***In the early phases this may be roughly the same cost/slightly more, but this is not HORRIBLE at least early on for “what you get for that cost”
			***As the parallel economy grows though this would become closer to equal pricing or the savings would kick in (Due to designs being finished, networks already formed/workers trained up etc)
			***In leu of some great change perhaps too, the products may never be “cheaper than the alternative”, just in the same range
			****This is not a failure, but just the result of “Not being able to compete against [[Modern Day Slavery]]” / Ecological Destruction or [[Extractivism]] etc
			****To reiterate, we don’t want to be a Whole Foods/Whole Paycheck situation, but to think we can in any short/near term be the $1 Bananna Republic Banananas made by (Non-Union due to State Sponsored Terrorism) Poor Workers, or Subsidized+Supply Chain Optimized Commodity Grains etc is a bit of an unrealistic goal in my opinion
			*****Being a “nicer” option of some fruit that is in season locally and makes sense there is what OSE should shoot for, to stretch the metaphor a bit
			*****NOT THAT long term moonshot goals / having Prasad from [[Pantheon (TV Series) ]] type “vision” is bad, but unconstrained vision/[[Scope Creep]] and successful projects don’t overlap too well short of Superpower level Defense Fund projects etc
			******And the irony of ME saying “scope creep is bad” is not lost on me lol
			*All in all, i think this is a neat concept/goal, but “[[Capitalism didn’t Replace Feudalism in a Year]]” is my main counterpoint/qualifier
			**That and the “certain things will never be hyper local/require scale or location specific materials etc”
	=Evolution=		=Evolution=

Marcin: /* Contact */

2025-12-20T16:38:50Z

Contact

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	Today, our build cost is approximately $100k ($60k materials / $40k labor), compared to an industry standard near $180k, and our next target is [[$50k]] through open, industrial-grade materials production. This is not theoretical work—we are building real homes while openly publishing replicable enterprise models to make zero-marginal-cost housing genuinely attainable. We believe authentic open innovation is essential to realizing ZMCS in practice.		Today, our build cost is approximately $100k ($60k materials / $40k labor), compared to an industry standard near $180k, and our next target is [[$50k]] through open, industrial-grade materials production. This is not theoretical work—we are building real homes while openly publishing replicable enterprise models to make zero-marginal-cost housing genuinely attainable. We believe authentic open innovation is essential to realizing ZMCS in practice.

	We are also establishing the Future Builders Academy to train teams in these methods and systems: https://learn.opensourceecology.org/Would your team be interested in discussing collaboration on zero-marginal-cost housing and infrastructure development? I would welcome a video conversation or guidance on how best to engage with your initiatives.Thank you for your time and consideration.Sincerely,		We are also establishing the Future Builders Academy to train teams in these methods and systems: https://learn.opensourceecology.org/

			Would your team be interested in discussing collaboration on zero-marginal-cost housing and infrastructure development? I would welcome a video conversation or guidance on how best to engage with your initiatives.Thank you for your time and consideration.Sincerely,

	Marcin Jakubowski		Marcin Jakubowski

Marcin: /* Contact */

2025-12-20T16:38:34Z

Contact

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	Hi Jeremy and Michael,		Hi Jeremy and Michael,

	Our work was mentioned in The Zero Marginal Cost Society (excerpt attached), and I wanted to reach out to explore whether advancing practical zero-marginal-cost economic systems remains a strategic priority for your team.		Our work was mentioned in The Zero Marginal Cost Society (excerpt attached), and I wanted to reach out to explore whether advancing practical zero-marginal-cost economic systems remains a strategic priority for your team. Thank you for sending us a copy of the book back in 2014.

	We have been deeply inspired by ~~Dr. Rifkin’s~~ theory and are now executing it concretely in the housing sector. Our work focuses on taking housing toward zero marginal cost through open-source, production-grade machines that manufacture key building materials using solar photovoltaic energy.		We have been deeply inspired by your theory and are now executing it concretely in the housing sector. Our work focuses on taking housing toward zero marginal cost through open-source, production-grade machines that manufacture key building materials using solar photovoltaic energy.We have already productized a simple, production-ready home model and are now scaling the machinery required to reduce materials cost from about $60,000 to roughly $10,000 for a 3-bed/2-bath home. This effort builds on two decades of R&D in open-source machine design and enterprise innovation. Our goal is to achieve our “Freehouse” milestone by 2028 as a meaningful contribution toward the Zero Marginal Cost Society.

	We have already productized a simple, production-ready home model and are now scaling the machinery required to reduce materials cost from about $60,000 to roughly $10,000 for a 3-bed/2-bath home. This effort builds on two decades of R&D in open-source machine design and enterprise innovation. Our goal is to achieve our “Freehouse” milestone by 2028 as a meaningful contribution toward the Zero Marginal Cost Society.

	Today, our build cost is approximately $100k ($60k materials / $40k labor), compared to an industry standard near $180k, and our next target is [[$50k]] through open, industrial-grade materials production. This is not theoretical work—we are building real homes while openly publishing replicable enterprise models to make zero-marginal-cost housing genuinely attainable. We believe authentic open innovation is essential to realizing ZMCS in practice.		Today, our build cost is approximately $100k ($60k materials / $40k labor), compared to an industry standard near $180k, and our next target is [[$50k]] through open, industrial-grade materials production. This is not theoretical work—we are building real homes while openly publishing replicable enterprise models to make zero-marginal-cost housing genuinely attainable. We believe authentic open innovation is essential to realizing ZMCS in practice.

	We are also establishing the Future Builders Academy to train teams in these methods and systems: https://learn.opensourceecology.org/		We are also establishing the Future Builders Academy to train teams in these methods and systems: https://learn.opensourceecology.org/Would your team be interested in discussing collaboration on zero-marginal-cost housing and infrastructure development? I would welcome a video conversation or guidance on how best to engage with your initiatives.Thank you for your time and consideration.Sincerely,

	Would your team be interested in discussing collaboration on zero-marginal-cost housing and infrastructure development? I would welcome a video conversation or guidance on how best to engage with your initiatives.		Marcin Jakubowski

	~~Thank you for your time and consideration.~~		Founder & Director

	~~Sincerely,~~
	~~Marcin Jakubowski~~
	~~Founder & Director~~
	Open Source Ecology		Open Source Ecology

Marcin: /* Video */

2025-12-20T16:32:00Z

Video

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:32, 20 December 2025
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	=Video=		=Video=

			Website - third industrial revolution consulting - https://foet.org/contact/

	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-iDUcETjvo		https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-iDUcETjvo

Marcin: /* Contact */

2025-12-20T16:30:11Z

Contact

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:30, 20 December 2025
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	We have already productized a simple, production-ready home model and are now scaling the machinery required to reduce materials cost from about $60,000 to roughly $10,000 for a 3-bed/2-bath home. This effort builds on two decades of R&D in open-source machine design and enterprise innovation. Our goal is to achieve our “Freehouse” milestone by 2028 as a meaningful contribution toward the Zero Marginal Cost Society.		We have already productized a simple, production-ready home model and are now scaling the machinery required to reduce materials cost from about $60,000 to roughly $10,000 for a 3-bed/2-bath home. This effort builds on two decades of R&D in open-source machine design and enterprise innovation. Our goal is to achieve our “Freehouse” milestone by 2028 as a meaningful contribution toward the Zero Marginal Cost Society.

	Today, our build cost is approximately $100k ($60k materials / $40k labor), compared to an industry standard near $180k, and our next target is $50k through open, industrial-grade materials production. This is not theoretical work—we are building real homes while openly publishing replicable enterprise models to make zero-marginal-cost housing genuinely attainable. We believe authentic open innovation is essential to realizing ZMCS in practice.		Today, our build cost is approximately $100k ($60k materials / $40k labor), compared to an industry standard near $180k, and our next target is [[$50k]] through open, industrial-grade materials production. This is not theoretical work—we are building real homes while openly publishing replicable enterprise models to make zero-marginal-cost housing genuinely attainable. We believe authentic open innovation is essential to realizing ZMCS in practice.

	We are also establishing the Future Builders Academy to train teams in these methods and systems: https://learn.opensourceecology.org/		We are also establishing the Future Builders Academy to train teams in these methods and systems: https://learn.opensourceecology.org/

Marcin: /* OSE Mention */

2025-12-20T16:29:10Z

OSE Mention

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	[[File:ZMCS.png]]		[[File:ZMCS.png]]

			==Contact==
			Hi Jeremy and Michael,

			Our work was mentioned in The Zero Marginal Cost Society (excerpt attached), and I wanted to reach out to explore whether advancing practical zero-marginal-cost economic systems remains a strategic priority for your team.

			We have been deeply inspired by Dr. Rifkin’s theory and are now executing it concretely in the housing sector. Our work focuses on taking housing toward zero marginal cost through open-source, production-grade machines that manufacture key building materials using solar photovoltaic energy.

			We have already productized a simple, production-ready home model and are now scaling the machinery required to reduce materials cost from about $60,000 to roughly $10,000 for a 3-bed/2-bath home. This effort builds on two decades of R&D in open-source machine design and enterprise innovation. Our goal is to achieve our “Freehouse” milestone by 2028 as a meaningful contribution toward the Zero Marginal Cost Society.

			Today, our build cost is approximately $100k ($60k materials / $40k labor), compared to an industry standard near $180k, and our next target is $50k through open, industrial-grade materials production. This is not theoretical work—we are building real homes while openly publishing replicable enterprise models to make zero-marginal-cost housing genuinely attainable. We believe authentic open innovation is essential to realizing ZMCS in practice.

			We are also establishing the Future Builders Academy to train teams in these methods and systems: https://learn.opensourceecology.org/

			Would your team be interested in discussing collaboration on zero-marginal-cost housing and infrastructure development? I would welcome a video conversation or guidance on how best to engage with your initiatives.

			Thank you for your time and consideration.

			Sincerely,
			Marcin Jakubowski
			Founder & Director
			Open Source Ecology

	=Comments=		=Comments=

Marcin: /* Comments */

2025-12-20T15:59:00Z

Comments

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	=Comments=		=Comments=
	*The argument for zero marginal cost ~~has significant limitations for~~ hardware-intensive enterprises - such as roads. '''They cost $1M/mile to build, and $500k/mile to maintain per year!!!''' See [[Cost of Building Highways]]. How to reconcile? ~~Maybe with better design, or transition to other technologies (such as non~~-~~contact highways with drones)~~ - ~~then~~ the ~~argument for zero marginal cost could hold~~. So this ~~may~~ be ~~reconciled only via lifetime~~ design ~~technologies~~.		*The argument for zero marginal cost can be extended to hardware-intensive enterprises - such as roads. At first thought - this seems impossible - because of significant material costs which are far from zero marginal cost: '''They cost $1M/mile to build, and $500k/mile to maintain per year!!!''' See [[Cost of Building Highways]].
	**This is an opportunity: how to translate zero marginal cost to the world of 'capital intensive physical goods'		**How to reconcile? By reducing the cost of materials - by reducing the cost of machines involved in producing the materials - and by automating much of the process. All of this can be achieved by open design.
			**This is an opportunity: how to translate zero marginal cost to the world of 'capital intensive physical goods'. OSE is doing exactly this - with the aim of reducing materials cost of housing to zero. See [[Cost Reduction]] page.
	*Did the book publishing industry get destroyed with the zero marginal cost of internet publishing? Certainly in Japan - [https://www.google.com/search?q=book+publishing+industry+revenue+graph&client=ubuntu&hs=wyL&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj36aLJwabYAhWCw4MKHc7MDekQ_AUICigB&biw=1378&bih=793#imgrc=xEOPIz7jstPGUM:], but can't find similar data for the USA.		*Did the book publishing industry get destroyed with the zero marginal cost of internet publishing? Certainly in Japan - [https://www.google.com/search?q=book+publishing+industry+revenue+graph&client=ubuntu&hs=wyL&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj36aLJwabYAhWCw4MKHc7MDekQ_AUICigB&biw=1378&bih=793#imgrc=xEOPIz7jstPGUM:], but can't find similar data for the USA.
	*Music sales - [https://www.google.com/search?q=recording+industry+demise&client=ubuntu&hs=YhM&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQzebvy6bYAhVq0oMKHaMQBDoQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1438&bih=815#imgrc=xGvWRcoXoLJ5iM:]		*Music sales - [https://www.google.com/search?q=recording+industry+demise&client=ubuntu&hs=YhM&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQzebvy6bYAhVq0oMKHaMQBDoQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1438&bih=815#imgrc=xGvWRcoXoLJ5iM:]

Marcin: /* OSE Mention */

2025-12-20T15:54:43Z

OSE Mention

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	See Google Books - [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Zero_Marginal_Cost_Society/L6afAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=open+source+ecology&pg=PT102&printsec=frontcover]		See Google Books - [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Zero_Marginal_Cost_Society/L6afAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=open+source+ecology&pg=PT102&printsec=frontcover]

			[[File:ZMCS.png]]

	=Comments=		=Comments=

Marcin: /* OSE Mention */

2025-12-20T15:48:42Z

OSE Mention

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:48, 20 December 2025
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	=OSE Mention=		=OSE Mention=
			OSE's work was mentioned in the book, and the Author send a copy of the book to MJ. It would be worthwhile to invite Dr. Rifkin in the the OSE fold.

	See Google Books - [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Zero_Marginal_Cost_Society/L6afAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=open+source+ecology&pg=PT102&printsec=frontcover]		See Google Books - [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Zero_Marginal_Cost_Society/L6afAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=open+source+ecology&pg=PT102&printsec=frontcover]

	=Comments=		=Comments=
	*The argument for zero marginal cost has significant limitations for hardware-intensive enterprises - such as roads. '''They cost $1M/mile to build, and $500k/mile to maintain per year!!!''' See [[Cost of Building Highways]]. How to reconcile? Maybe with better design, or transition to other technologies (such as non-contact highways with drones) - then the argument for zero marginal cost could hold. So this may be reconciled only via lifetime design technologies.		*The argument for zero marginal cost has significant limitations for hardware-intensive enterprises - such as roads. '''They cost $1M/mile to build, and $500k/mile to maintain per year!!!''' See [[Cost of Building Highways]]. How to reconcile? Maybe with better design, or transition to other technologies (such as non-contact highways with drones) - then the argument for zero marginal cost could hold. So this may be reconciled only via lifetime design technologies.