Bill Gates feels sorry for Peter Thiel

I feel sorry for Peter Thiel. Did he really want flying cars? Flying cars are not a very efficient way to move things from one point to another. On the other hand, 20 years ago we had the idea that information could become available at your fingertips. We got that done. Now everyone takes it for granted that you can look up movie reviews, track locations, and order stuff online. I wish there was a way we could take it away from people for a day so they could remember what it was like without it.

— Wired

With all due respect to Bill Gates, Thiel is talking about bigger innovation issues than whether I can find a movie review or avoid walking into a store to buy a pair of shoes.

Although huge quantities of information is at our fingertips, even larger volumes that would benefit society still sit behind restrictive structures such as paywalls. Or is locked up in the completely broken global rights management environment.

I don't want flying cars, but I would like to see the world's information easily accessible by everyone. For those who need to apply economic value to the data, then for a reasonable price for all consumers.

Along with Thiel, I would like to see global financial structures changed so that they benefit more than the 1% (or inefficient and/or corrupt governments). I don't agree that a payment gateway is the way to achieve this, but there's a lot that's wrong with the world that 140 characters won't fix.