- Joined
- Apr 6, 2014
Exactly! Right now, the biggest "scarcity problems" come from either systemic failures or distribution issues. Problems that can be solved, and hopefully will be in the coming decades. The question won't be "how can we have infinite sources?" but "how do we get something of value with the resources we have?" (This isn't considering economic or societal collapse or big issues, but that's a whole extra discussion. We're talking about the ideal scenario here.)I eagerly anticipate more of you shittin on Moviebob, great writeup. Post-Scarcity is a philosophical issue I've been back and forth on for a long while, especially since we're already there in many cases. But I've always felt that people like Bobby don't actually want to acknowledge this. Once you point out that in the west, knowledge and digital tools are post scarcity (Piracy guarantees this), any personal failing of talent or tools is entirely the fault of the complainee. There is nothing on gods green earth right now preventing Bobby from using free courses or pirating prosumer ones on modern editing and youtube, nothing preventing him from downloading a cracked copy of a new software to help him do the work he wants to do.
When the acceptance of post-scarcity means the problem is the person, Bobby can never be the problem, so we must not be there yet.
As an aside - its really eye opening to show people how we're at functional post-scarcity (Can meet all needs, reasonable wants) for so many things in the west. Food, water, clothing, energy, are all functionally post scarcity. You'd have to put in active, deliberate effort to starve to death, die of dehydration, etc. If you can find pretty much any kind of work, you can afford the power bill and goodwill clothing. You can't just have eleventy billion lobster dinners for no effort, but as long as you're not picky and accept the social programs, charity, and work that is available, you'll not go hungry.
The "Star Trek Future" isn't going to be built by replicators, robots or space ships. Its going to be built by people. The least you can do to contribute is not be a cunt.