Thats a good measure, but I am pessimistic about poverty ever being rooted out completely (absent of a technological invention that creates abundant energy for

Thats a good measure, but I am pessimistic about poverty ever being rooted out completely (absent of a technological invention that creates abundant energy for very cheap, e.g. fusion, antimatter later on). The reality is, poverty can be cultural. In the west a saying like "they can pay me little but I'll work even less" would be considered absurd. In certain countries - its a folk tradition. Another problem is a self-inflicted brain drain. Smart people with potential don't want to live in festering shitholes where property rights are not respected, rule of law unexistant and hence economic opportunity absent.