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The Problem With Abundance

Posted by michael on from the abundantly-clear dept.

GRW writes "Peter de Jager, "a speaker/writer/consultant on the issues relating to the Rational Assimilation of the Future", asks, 'What do traffic jams, obesity and spam have in common?' He answers that 'they are all problems caused by abundance in a world more attuned to scarcity. By achieving the goal of abundance, technology renders the natural checks and balances of scarcity obsolete.' His article is a thought provoking discussion of the unintended consequences of technological change."

6 of 686 comments (clear)

  1. Re:THE PROBLEM WITH BUSH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Look on the bright side. There is no chance Bush will win the next election.

    I'm a hard-core republican, and there is no way I'm voting for Bush again.

  2. The problem ISN'T abundance by Eberlin · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    The problem isn't in the abundance, it is in human choice. Though I admit that an abundance of food makes it more difficult to choose not to consume it, for example, there is still a human choice to do so. (insert Matrix Architect/Oracle joke here)

    Humans must sacrifice convenience sometimes for personal, psychological, and spiritual gain. Turn that IM into a phonecall, that e-mail into visiting your co-worker -- bring the human factor back!

    Abundance isn't the problem. Technology isn't the problem. Humanity and their choices are the problem...and it doesn't have to be.

  3. The growing scarcity is time and money. by thisissilly · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    When there is an abundance of goods and services, the scarcity is your attention. All the activities, music, movies, resturants etc. are competing for your time, attention and $$$.

    I'll grant you, I like having more choices, but the time constraints point out where growth is likely: trendsetting. People want to be able to make decisions without having to read pages of data, or doing testing for themselves. So expect Branding to increase in value, as well as review sites like amazon, epinions, and consumer reports.

  4. Re:THE PROBLEM WITH BUSH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    right, right - the only thing hardcore in your existence is the kiddie pr0n on your lunix box.

  5. There is no hope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    This is what I mean.

    I have talked to people. Many people. And for some reason the moro... uh, general public just loves him. The liberals and democrats (different crowd, mind you!) hated him from the start. Now we've got dissenters from the republicans when they've realized that he's a FUCKING MORON and his henchmen are fucking NEO-CON ZEALOTS.

    But what are you going to do when the bulk of the moro... uh, public loves him?

  6. THE PROBLEM WITH BUSH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    The problem with bush is getting those little hairs stuck in the back of your mouth.