2 ms·

There's no such thing as post-scarcity. The observable universe is finite.

• ben_w 3y ago
  You could reasonably define "post-scarcity" as "we've got more supply than we need". In this regard, you can define scarcity and post-scarcity independently for every consumed resource. We've been post-scarcity for oxygen since before we evolved; post-scarcity for water in most of the settled world; and now? Now we're post-scarcity for biros, photocopier paper, USB cables and wall-warts, and tchotchkes. The only reason we're not post-scarcity for intellectual property is that we've created rules to induce artificial scarcity.
  • thfuran 3y ago
    >We've been post-scarcity for oxygen since before we evolved Have we? Our supply has been getting tainted with worrying levels of trace contaminants. If we had 100x as much atmosphere, maybe that wouldn't be an issue yet. >post-scarcity for water in most of the settled world https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/imminent-risk-global-water-crisis-warns-un-world-water-development-report-2023 https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/imminent-risk-global-wate...
    • ben_w 3y ago
      > Have we? Yes. > Our supply has been getting tainted with worrying levels of trace contaminants. Note that I wrote "oxygen" not "clean air". You're not literally asphyxiating, you're not even close. > https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/imminent-risk-global-water-crisis-warns-un-world-water-development-report-2023 https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/imminent-risk-global-wate... """Globally, 2 billion people (26% of the population) do not have safe drinking water and 3.6 billion (46%) lack access to safely managed sanitation,""" As you quoted me, most of the settled world. Most. As in, more than 50%.