&gt; Although, I&#x27;d say we as a society have the opportunity to live relatively scarcity-free in the not too distance future (enough food, energy, clothing, shelter for everyone)<p>For centuries its been true that <i>every</i> generation has had the resources to live &quot;relatively scarcity-free&quot; in terms of having the resources to provide enough food, energy, clothing, and shelter for everyone, based on the standards of a time in the not too distant (from the point under consideration) past.<p>The problem has always been:<p>(1) Resource distribution,<p>(2) Standards moving forward over time.<p>I don&#x27;t see much prospect of that changing in the not too distant future.