Economist: in a post-scarcity world, reputation would be the only currency
paulnovosad · x · 2026-11-15
Development economist Paul Novosad highlights Cory Doctorow's 'Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom' as a compelling depiction of a post-scarcity society where reputation (essentially likes) is the only currency. He argues this matches human nature: even amid abundance, people will keep doing things that please others and raise their status — a useful lens for thinking about AGI's economic aftermath.
Related event: Economist: The End of Work Is the Least Worrying AI Outcome(2 posts)→
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