[jraedisch]

So when I think “every important thing in my life is scarce”, that is just incorrect imagination? 11 billion people can live on a lake with perfect child and health care?

[forgetfreeman]

Living on a lake is a prestige goal, not a requirement for existence. There is no meaningful scarcity at tier 1 of Maslow's hierarchy.

[AlexandrB]

I don't see a point in striving for a society where most of the population is only meeting tier 1 needs. That's a human chicken farm, not a civilization.

[jraedisch]

I love swimming and direct access to "nature". You left out child and health care, too. I do not see how any of these are prestige goals.

[myhf]

Is an 8-acre lake ok?

https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=world+water+area+%2F+wo...

[lostmsu]

Waterfront is usually measured by shoreline length as we can't build in the middle of the ocean efficiency.

[jraedisch]

That would be fine. There are also many that do not like swimming.

[imtringued]

The paper mentions basic human needs like calories, potable water and shelter. What you are talking about goes way beyond biological needs.

This is the problem with partial abundance and the absolute definition of scarcity. Scarcity still exists even after you have a million yachts. You would have to be crazy to argue that scarcity doesn't exist, but absolute scarcity is meaningless in the face of humans with limited brain sizes.

We definitely have partial abundance. Please don't shut this discussion down because of imprecise language.

[globular-toast]

It's just massively taking for granted what you have and being a sucker for marketing. Food, warmth, companionship/love, these things aren't important to you?

[throwawaysleep]

The article seems to define scarcity as a very basic existence. Most would call it abject poverty.