> Perhaps the peak oil predictions of the 80s would've been a better outcome; we'd live in a world with less "stuff", yeah, but also perhaps fewer problems? I

> Perhaps the peak oil predictions of the 80s would've been a better outcome; we'd live in a world with less "stuff", yeah, but also perhaps fewer problems? I don't think this follows, especially with your previous statement that: > Economic pressure doesn't only make us smarter, it also makes us more ruthless. It seems like the increased economic pressure of competing for less stuff would force people to be vastly more ruthless than they were in the 80s, which presumably would result in more problems.