Scarcity and Abundance

Scarcity and Abundance is the theme of this presentation by Wired Magazine editor Chris Anderson. He explains how the shift from scarcity to abundance in our economy has lead to a new system of deciding what is accessible and what is inaccessible. In essence, as commodities become abundant rather than scarce, a new circumstance of freedom arises.

Scarcity results in top-down paternalism, and power structures where "everything is forbidden unless it is permitted."

Abundance results in bottom-up egalitarianism, and power structures where "everything is permitted unless it is forbidden."

Here is a short list of commodities that are becoming abundant:

• Computer processing - leads to ubiquitous computing, where everything can be controlled via computer, and computers are everywhere.
• Information storage - In the future information will never be deleted, and all information produced will be archived and available in perpetuity.
• Media - In the future the means to create and distribute knowledge, ideas, entertainment, and society will be abundant, making all of these free and diverse.
• Bandwidth - In the future all data will be available in a broader space, at faster and faster transfer rates, until all data is available everywhere, instantly.
  
• Manufacturing - In the future fabrication of physical objects will be abundant, which will result in devices being as cheap as what they are made of, and of diverse form and complexity.

Abundant commodities will result in flexible, free, permissive industries controlled by consumers. In other words, whatever people desire will be available.

Here is a short list of commodities which may not become abundant:

• Energy - Scarcity of energy constrains what is possible in the physical world. Only what is deemed economic in terms of energy by those that control the energy supply will be permissible. If energy can become abundant, then mankind can reshape the world with unlimited creativity and diversity.
  
• Biodiversity - Scarcity of biodiversity constrains what forms of life will exist on Earth. Only life deemed economic by those that control the environment will be permissible. If biodiversity becomes abundant, then life will exist in great diversity.
  
• Health - Scarcity of health constrains how long we live and maintain our faculties. We will only live as long and with as much health as those who control our health allow. If health becomes abundant, then we will become immortal, and have time to explore avenues of existence indefinitely.