A post-scarcity society can be defined as a society in which all the basic needs of the population are met and provided for free. A common belief is that moving to such a desirable state, if possible at all, will require futuristic technologies to eliminate the scarcity of material resources. In this writeup I emphasise how what’s actually stopping us from being post-scarcity is not lack of resources, but the forced reliance on human labour. Given these premises, I lay out an actionable roadmap to post-scarcity and I highlight the role of automation and Universal Basic Income in the process. This analysis suggests that post-scarcity is within reach well inside the current century with current technologies, assuming a sustained progress in the field of artificial intelligence.
Discussion
Doyou agree with automation being the real missing piece to post-(basic)scarcity? And what is the smoothest roadmap to such an economy, which minimise the trauma for the displaced jobs?
A Roadmap to a Post-Scarcity Economy
Background Reading (optional for the discussion)
https://lorenzopieri.com/post_scarcity/
Summary
A post-scarcity society can be defined as a society in which all the basic needs of the population are met and provided for free. A common belief is that moving to such a desirable state, if possible at all, will require futuristic technologies to eliminate the scarcity of material resources. In this writeup I emphasise how what’s actually stopping us from being post-scarcity is not lack of resources, but the forced reliance on human labour. Given these premises, I lay out an actionable roadmap to post-scarcity and I highlight the role of automation and Universal Basic Income in the process. This analysis suggests that post-scarcity is within reach well inside the current century with current technologies, assuming a sustained progress in the field of artificial intelligence.
Discussion
Do you agree with automation being the real missing piece to post-(basic)scarcity? And what is the smoothest roadmap to such an economy, which minimise the trauma for the displaced jobs?