[FoRK] Special Circumstances

[Kevin Elliott]

On Apr 4, 2008, at 12:09 PM, Simon Wistow wrote:

> On Fri, Apr 04, 2008 at 11:50:07AM -0700, Kevin Elliott said:
>> I think the key issue is that in a true post-scarcity world, the  
>> entire
>> science of economics loses meaning.  Economics is about how to  
>> allocate
>> scarce resource- no scarcity, no economics.
>
> Since you're all jolly clever people I was pondering your opinion on  
> one
> of the things that's bothered me about explictly and implictly
> reputation based currencies in post-scarcity civilisations.

Personally I think the idea is nonsense.  Clever, might make for some  
good fiction (haven't read the book), but incompatible with the real  
world.

There will always be scarcity.  It may be possible for us to eliminate  
most human needs and wants be reducing the cost of meeting those needs  
and wants below the point where it makes sense to pay for them.    
However, as we push that limit out, I think the borders will keep  
pushing out.  So what if you can live a life of endless pleasure on  
Earth, but what you _REALLY_ want to do is live it on Mars?  At some  
level, that means you must accumulate resources to fund what you wish  
to achieve.  Money's only role in this is to lubricate the system and  
make it easier to exchange things.

When viewed that way, it's pretty obvious the problem with Whuffie's-  
if they have real value, that is they can get me things that I want,  
why would I hand them out except for things I really want?  And if  
they don't get me things that I want... well, how is it money then?