Agreed that hope is Defiant (pun intended), but disagree with assertion that replicators are the backbone of post-scarcity (yes I know it’s a work of fiction by many writers, but hear me out).
Under capitalism the invention of replicators would just lead to the introduction of artificial scarcity, in order to maintain the current power structures. We know this because everywhere in the world already exists the technology for all to have plenty, yet somehow these obvious needs aren’t met.
Theres a whole alien race, The Ferengi, that are obsessed with something called latinum and getting as much as possible because it can’t be replicated. Other than that, it has no other useful purpose. You could replicate anything you want for free or you could get some latinum and go to a Ferengi bar and pay someone else to replicate it for you.
So basically yeah, Ferengi are also post-scarcity but since they are the capitalist caricatures of the show, they have random substance xyz so they can still have a reason for rich and poor to exist.
Agreed that hope is Defiant (pun intended), but disagree with assertion that replicators are the backbone of post-scarcity (yes I know it’s a work of fiction by many writers, but hear me out).
Under capitalism the invention of replicators would just lead to the introduction of artificial scarcity, in order to maintain the current power structures. We know this because everywhere in the world already exists the technology for all to have plenty, yet somehow these obvious needs aren’t met.
In a nutshell: tech won’t save us.
Theres a whole alien race, The Ferengi, that are obsessed with something called latinum and getting as much as possible because it can’t be replicated. Other than that, it has no other useful purpose. You could replicate anything you want for free or you could get some latinum and go to a Ferengi bar and pay someone else to replicate it for you.
So basically yeah, Ferengi are also post-scarcity but since they are the capitalist caricatures of the show, they have random substance xyz so they can still have a reason for rich and poor to exist.
“Money as a vestigial cultural relic” is a great concept. You’re right, Latinum doesn’t provide the Ferengi with anything but status.