historycircus

The producer/consumer dichotomy is in fact one of the main reasons I started this thread. "Reward," as you put it does not seem relevent to the future that many here on Avalon expect. But it is a fair topic to consider, as I have stated elswhere, for the "radiant zones" may not end up being uniform (see the comments of Marcia Schaffer). Some pockets may not end up being "radiant zones" at all. Just for the record, I do not believe in extending the "isms" for the "isms" sakes, but within in them might be efficient methods of production and distribution if entered upon with the proper mindset - time should not be wasted reinventing the wheel.

For those who don't anticipate the need to eat or drink in the near future, and who really won't miss fine wines, comfortable chairs, or the beautiful moan of the bass clarinet, the decline of materialism will be a good thing. But for those who like such things, who do not believe in having stuff for the sake of having stuff but believe in having stuff that is fun and socially lubricating, a future where we sit quietly and contemplatively in enlightenment, after a fun day of hoing weeds and cart repair, does not seem like much fun. We are material creatures. Is that bad? Can the "radiant zones" have agriculture and enlightenment, and a good bourbon still operated to the tune of a well played banjo?

Overpopulation is a topic that should be discussed, but I would ask, are we really on the brink of a Malthusian collapse? Or is that propaganda? Is it really our behavior, not our numbers, that has led to the dire environmental circumstances we find ourselves in today?