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> We need to figure out how to live in The World After Capital in which the only scarcity is our attention. This is fundamentally confused. If there were no sc

> We need to figure out how to live in The World After Capital in which the only scarcity is our attention. This is fundamentally confused. If there were no scarcity of any kind other than attention, it wouldn't matter what we paid attention to. In reality, there are many things that remain scarce, and this is precisely why directing our attention and effort matters. Same as it's always been, really. The mindset that the modern world is all about competing for scarce attention is what you get when you've been breathing the indoor air in the adtech or other promotional industry for too long. Some people don't have food, others don't have access to education, and most don't have access to the best of the things they need or want.

beerandt 5y ago
The other fundamental flaw is that post-scarcity is impossible, in that scarcity itself is paradoxically in huge demand. And human nature will create scarcity out of thin air where none naturally exists. NFTs, original art, first editions, exclusive neighborhoods, trendy fashion. Even judgmental aspects of society and things like activism & wokeness are basically examples of post-scarcity markets: social acceptance and personal status becomes a market of artificial scarcity in supporting the trendy causes, of which there's no limits on supply, since it's basically the abstract support of an idea. Once everyone's on board with the old-new cause, a new-new cause becomes unique and trendy, and early "possession" of the new cause is the new status symbol, as long as the artificial scarcity holds. These cycles endlessly repeat precisely because there's no scarcity in trendy ideas, just a lag time. But there are always people who want to judge and be judged based on the trendy possessions, even if those possessions are intangible ideas and values/virtues.
- wmf 5y ago
  Post-scarcity is generally understood with regard to material necessities, not everything. A future where coolness is the only scarcity would be a massive success.
  - beerandt 5y ago
    I'm not so sure- look at how important social connections, status symbols, and power become in places that are already universally wealthy. Value starts to be put in things that by definition require scarcity: exclusive neighborhoods, fancy restaurants with hard to get reservations, concierge doctors, private vacation spots, vip type shopping where the store is only open for you, private club memberships, social-political connections Even most nimby-ism is a form of this. Plus anywhere people are willing to pay higher prices specifically because of who can't afford them. From fancy grocery stores to 1st class airplane seats to golf courses to "VIP status" of clubs to fast-passes/extended-hours at theme parks. It's a lot more than "coolness".
  - imtringued 5y ago
    The point is that we introduce artificial scarcity in everything because we like it that way. Inequality is in fashion.

beerandt 5y ago

The other fundamental flaw is that post-scarcity is impossible, in that scarcity itself is paradoxically in huge demand. And human nature will create scarcity out of thin air where none naturally exists. NFTs, original art, first editions, exclusive neighborhoods, trendy fashion. Even judgmental aspects of society and things like activism & wokeness are basically examples of post-scarcity markets: social acceptance and personal status becomes a market of artificial scarcity in supporting the trendy causes, of which there's no limits on supply, since it's basically the abstract support of an idea. Once everyone's on board with the old-new cause, a new-new cause becomes unique and trendy, and early "possession" of the new cause is the new status symbol, as long as the artificial scarcity holds. These cycles endlessly repeat precisely because there's no scarcity in trendy ideas, just a lag time. But there are always people who want to judge and be judged based on the trendy possessions, even if those possessions are intangible ideas and values/virtues.

wmf 5y ago
Post-scarcity is generally understood with regard to material necessities, not everything. A future where coolness is the only scarcity would be a massive success.
- beerandt 5y ago
  I'm not so sure- look at how important social connections, status symbols, and power become in places that are already universally wealthy. Value starts to be put in things that by definition require scarcity: exclusive neighborhoods, fancy restaurants with hard to get reservations, concierge doctors, private vacation spots, vip type shopping where the store is only open for you, private club memberships, social-political connections Even most nimby-ism is a form of this. Plus anywhere people are willing to pay higher prices specifically because of who can't afford them. From fancy grocery stores to 1st class airplane seats to golf courses to "VIP status" of clubs to fast-passes/extended-hours at theme parks. It's a lot more than "coolness".
- imtringued 5y ago
  The point is that we introduce artificial scarcity in everything because we like it that way. Inequality is in fashion.