76436.3573@compuserve.com (Hank Lederer) (10/26/90)
I trying to write article for Future Trends, a monthly newsletter of
the Minnesota Futurists. My assumptions: It's 2030, replicating
assemblers are now growing food, shelter clothing and other artifacts
for most people. Human production labor should be cheap. Other items
may not be. Questions for which I need answers:
Will money be less important than today? How will its role differ?
How will a person earn money?
How much will these items cost in 1990$?
High speed transcontinental travel.
Concert ticket.
Bestselling novel.
One Kilowatt electricity.
Fuel to run auto 500 mi.
Software or seed to grow 3 bedroom house.
Acre of land.
Acre of land with lots of sun and water available. How will land and
access to sun be protected?
Thanks, Hank Lederer CIS 76436,3573/EXIT
[I don't see that money would be less important. The only difference is
that prices of some articles would differ. People would earn it the
same way they do now, by doing things other people are willing to pay
for. The only thing that would make a major difference would be an AI
revolution, and then almost anything could happen.
Relative prices will depend on a lot of other things than technology.
For example, land prices vary drastically depending on location, and
can double overnight when a major highway brings a community within
commuting distance of a big city (happened recently near here).
Major influences on the cost of transportation, for example, are
political; technology only gives a lower bound.
--JoSH]