Quotes / Post-Scarcity Economy

Della handed Sophie a tiny green cube. "Anytime you need to pay for anything, just give them that. Your birth fund's been activated."
It took a minute for the words "birth fund" to register. "I have money?"
Della nodded. "The standard five million."
"Dollars?"
"Lusters," Fitz corrected, laughing. "One luster is probably worth a million dollars."
"What's a dollar?" Biana interrupted.
"Human money."
She wrinkled her perfect little nose. "Ew."
Sophie ignored the insult. How could the elves afford to give away so much money?
"We do things differently around here," Della explained. "Money is something we have, not something we need. No one ever has to go without."
Sophie couldn't believe it. "But ... why does anyone work, then—if they already have money?"
"What else would we do with our time?"
"I don't know. Something fun?"
"Work is fun," Della corrected. "Remember—we're not limited to seventy or eighty years. Once you get used to that idea, I think you'll find our way makes much more sense."

— Keeper of the Lost Cities

Cindy: Sergeant, I've watched society cross into "post-scarcity" three times now. Each time it happened we discovered a new basic commodity that we didn't have enough of.
[beat]
Cindy: Do I need to define "commodity," and some current thresholds for scarcity?
Schlock: No, I get it. The universe isn't big enough for me to always have fresh cookies.

— Schlock Mercenary, Friday April 21st 2017

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