Main Page/Post-scarcity

The post-scarcity age is an anticipated era where advanced automated technology combined with efficient use of natural resources and effective co-operation can create a great abundance of the material items, goods and services required by a global population. Additionally with constantly evolving processes, this could be achieved with ever diminishing harm to the environment.

In a world of effectively unlimited abundance and technical sophistication, people should not have to die or suffer unnecessarily due to a lack of basic necessities like food, clean water and medicine which is still the case in many parts of the world; and humanity generally can undertake projects that were previously impossible or very difficult. Additionally society might loose its preoccupation with material possessions, meaning it could become a post-material era also. It is hard to see that while sitting in the middle of the current consumer culture and is a debatable point that not everyone might agree with, but even if people's taste for goods does not subside, old goods in the future should easily and efficiently be recycled into new.

It has been promised for decades but the technology and culture to enable a true era of abundance could finally free people from working in jobs they have no particular interest to them except for the wage that it gives. People could be free to pursue what interests them and allow more time to be with the people who are important to them. This is vital in restoring genuine communities and all the richness and support that gives to those living within it.

This picture may sound rather idealistic, but the enabling technologies and frameworks that could enable this to happen need to be understood in order for this to make any sense...