While you may or may not necessarily be a fan of his show, Glenn Beck welcomed a MakerBot Replicator 2 on his show recently and proclaimed the device “The latest, greatest technology…Jobs will come back to America.” Conservative radio isn’t necessarily known for insights on radical technology…but Glenn seems to be a 3D printing believer.
Glenn Beck’s Replicator 2
“This is something that we just purchased for the Dream Labs Friday, and I wanted to get it in here quickly because I wanted to show it to you this week.”
Describing the 3D printer as one of the most incredible pieces of technology he’s ever seen but also having the possibility of turning into the “Napster for making physical things,” Beck discusses the topic with a well-researched poise over the hum of the Replicator 2 producing a plastic shark.
“You can make anything. The real scary thing about this is what this will do to patents. What this does to art. I wonder, and I haven’t been willing to google it, but I wonder what it means for currency…The only time I’ve seen technology like this cause a stir in a building was the first time i saw a ‘big, huge, black box’ when I was working in Seattle…it was 1982…and it had no markings on it. All it said was Philips—and they brought it in to test it. They only had one thing they could test it on, and I went in and I watched them do the test. I was absolutely amazed. It was called a Compact Disc player,” Glenn recalled.
Jobs in America
As a conservative radio host, the conversation naturally shifted towards his perspective on the 3D printer’s possible contribution to the economy, jobs, and labor unions: “Here’s the thing…How does this affect jobs? Jobs will come back to America, because you’ll be able to make things again. Because…and remember this is early technology here…as this gets better and better and cheaper and cheaper you’ll be able to make everything in America. However, those aren’t manufacturing jobs. Those aren’t labor union jobs. Those aren’t dolt jobs, per se. You will be able to make anything you want. So our economy in the entire world is turned upside down. You don’t need slave children in China. The replicator 2 will do it for it you. It’s amazing.”
While Glenn Beck isn’t necessarily known as a spokesman for innovative technology, it’s nonetheless interesting to hear about 3D printing from a conservative radio show’s perspective. To watch the segment in it’s entirety, head over to Glenn Beck.
