We can already see what people do with their free time when basic needs are met. A number of technologies have enabled new hacks to set up ‘fake’ status games that are more positive-sum than ever before in history:
Watch broadcast sports, where you can feel like a winner (or at least feel connected to a winner), despite not having had to win yourself
Play video games with AI opponents, where you can feel like a winner, despite it not being zero-sum against other humans
Watch streamers and influencers to feel connected to high status people, without having to earn respect or risk rejection
Get into a niche hobby community in order to feel special, ignoring the other niche hobbies that other people join that you don’t care about
Feels likely to me that advancing digital technology will continue to make it easier for us to spend time in constructed digital worlds that make us feel like valued winners. On the one hand, it would be sad if people retreat into fake digital siloes; on the other hand, it would be nice if people got to feel like winners more.
Terrific!