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Certain physical goods will always be scarce and there is a limit to energy utilization. I agree that subsistence work for survival is on the way out but I'm un

Certain physical goods will always be scarce and there is a limit to energy utilization. I agree that subsistence work for survival is on the way out but I'm unconvinced humans will stop competing for status and resources because of abundance.

jdimov10 11y ago
If advances in technology teach us anything at all, it is that there can be no scarcity of physical goods. There is nothing that can not be made in abundance, at marginal cost. The scarcity of energy is even more difficult to defend. There can not possibly be any such thing, it is a truly ridiculous perception. The ONLY remaining value, then, is in individualism. In bringing forth a unique perspective. Competing for status is indeed a natural human tendency, that isn't going anywhere any time soon.. But it can no longer equate to competing for resources.
- Silfen 11y ago
  I'm not sure how to unpack this. If there isn't energy scarcity, why does petroleum cost money? Scarcity isn't just a question of production, but also one of consumption. With some goods (e.g. food), we could reach a point where the entire population of the world cannot consume more. With others (energy is a salient example), there seems to be no upper limit on consumption. There will always be a finite amount, and people want to use it differently. This is exactly the problem markets are purported to solve.
- jjaredsimpson 11y ago
  Land is a scarce resource. Downtown properties in urban cities, beachfront properties, lake front properties. Access to a hot new chef's 5 star restaurant on a Friday night. Energy consumption can not increase without bound. Every human on the planet can not have a 10GW datacenter to simulate their own perfect Matrix where they are King of all creation. The thermodynamics of waste heat certainly puts limits on potential energy utilization for 15 billion humans. Your inability to conceive of limitations that are certainly present, is not an indication that those limitations do not exist.

jdimov10 11y ago

If advances in technology teach us anything at all, it is that there can be no scarcity of physical goods. There is nothing that can not be made in abundance, at marginal cost. The scarcity of energy is even more difficult to defend. There can not possibly be any such thing, it is a truly ridiculous perception. The ONLY remaining value, then, is in individualism. In bringing forth a unique perspective. Competing for status is indeed a natural human tendency, that isn't going anywhere any time soon.. But it can no longer equate to competing for resources.

Silfen 11y ago
I'm not sure how to unpack this. If there isn't energy scarcity, why does petroleum cost money? Scarcity isn't just a question of production, but also one of consumption. With some goods (e.g. food), we could reach a point where the entire population of the world cannot consume more. With others (energy is a salient example), there seems to be no upper limit on consumption. There will always be a finite amount, and people want to use it differently. This is exactly the problem markets are purported to solve.
jjaredsimpson 11y ago
Land is a scarce resource. Downtown properties in urban cities, beachfront properties, lake front properties. Access to a hot new chef's 5 star restaurant on a Friday night. Energy consumption can not increase without bound. Every human on the planet can not have a 10GW datacenter to simulate their own perfect Matrix where they are King of all creation. The thermodynamics of waste heat certainly puts limits on potential energy utilization for 15 billion humans. Your inability to conceive of limitations that are certainly present, is not an indication that those limitations do not exist.