A while back I read the book “Average is Over” by Tyler Cowen.
There are some interesting points as we look further into the future. In one part of the book, the author outlines a concept of threshold workers who have found an equilibrium where they work just enough to live off of and have changed their views on expected goals in life. There is currently a class of people developing who are perfectly happy living within the bare minimum limits of employment. Instead of viewing themselves as underemployed, they have embraced their situation and enjoy their liberties and freedom. They work very little, live off very little, and spend their lives engaging in “play.” This culture has a growing resistance to ambition and a general disdain for those who drive for more in their lives.
This mentality is enabled by an economy of abundance. For as long as we continue to advance technology and provide the ability to live comfortably at a lower income, there will be more and more people who opt for this lifestyle.
Some people look at the latest trend towards more and more income disparity in our culture and are indignant. That income disparity is not necessarily a bad thing if large numbers of people are content in their lifestyle. If your needs are met, you have access to all basic material goods and all the entertainment you want – then why complain? You want more, then go after more.
Let’s look forward twenty years.
Synthetic food is plentiful, housing is cheap, personal electronics are integrated and free. Everyone has access to the entertainment that they desire, and the tools to create all they desire.
I see some interesting classes of people arising:
Well Fed Artists: Imagine all the people who are driven to create, now that they do not have to sell their wares to get by, more and more people can commit their lives to creating art via all the old styles, and thousands of new technology enabled mediums. I am eager to see all the beauty in our world when any artists can thrive. Starving artists will only exist as a self-imposed creative influence.
The Lazy: There will be even more people simply coasting and milking the system. They will be happy to be entertained day in and day out without contributing to society. This number will be dramatically higher than what we have today. The cost to society will be lower, so they will be left to their own devices.
The Intellectual: Those who pursue knowledge for the sake of knowledge with disregard for pay or occupations. These people will be enabled to explore areas which we never had financial incentive to pursue in the past.
The Rich: Money will be different than what we think of today because it is used for different things. As we move past a scarcity driven economy we will evolve into an entirely different economic culture. There will always be those who acquire more than others, but it won’t be for the same reasons. It will not be “things” they buy. This is something else worthy of an entire blog post.
The Powerful:
These are sometimes different than the Rich. When money is not the greatest driving factor and not necessarily the result of success the powerful will live for influence. The will influence via new means and mediums outside of our current economic system.
The Service Sector: There will be people who still drive for more capital and do not have the skills and capability to truly invent, but those with money will more and more desire, and pay for, a higher level of service. We will see more people desiring the personal touch and experience of a real human providing services, and it will be the new luxury. The rich will gladly pay for a human bank teller, a human waitress, a human on the other end of the phone.
What other classes do you see developing?