> I would argue that technological advances are a large part of what makes the west's standard of living greater. While that's true, it doesn't contradict my a

> I would argue that technological advances are a large part of what makes the west's standard of living greater. While that's true, it doesn't contradict my assertion. > As an example, inventing a cheaper, scalable, and distributed (unhindered by corrupt central governments) The parenthetical comment concedes my point. The West has provided enough resources to solve those problems a couple of times, yet they're not solved. Why would solving them more efficiently make any difference next time? Yes, I realize that you're putting a lot of weight on distributed, but the relevant people mastered retail theft and corruption - that's how they got into a position to do wholesale. And yes, it's a fantastic technological challenge. My point is that solving it won't solve the problems.