Assistant to the Regional Manager
Summary
Paul Bloom analyzes utopian, post-scarcity visions and argues that even with unlimited material resources, human life remains shaped by non-material scarcity like status, attention, and belonging. Using references to The Land of Cockaigne, Star Trek, and the Culture, he illustrates how hierarchies and the need to matter persist, drawing on examples from academia and everyday life. The piece concludes that meaning will persist in abundance, but we should be aware of and address non-material forms of scarcity.