The Gist: the progress paradox with Gregg Easterbrook, and Bernie Sanders running president.

Will We Be Happy in a Post-Scarcity Economy?

Will We Be Happy in a Post-Scarcity Economy?

A daily news and culture podcast with Mike Pesca.
May 27 2015 8:37 PM

Living in the Post-Material World

What happens when we get everything we’ve ever wanted? 

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Would we be happy in a post-scarcity economy?

Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by FolsomNatural/Flickr.

Listen to Episode 265 of Slate’s The Gist:

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The other day in the Wall Street Journal, Mike Pesca saw a headline that he adored: World Awash in Too Much of Almost Everything. It wasn’t a pun, just that stark truth, and it reminded Pesca of a book he read years ago called The Progress Paradox by Gregg Easterbrook. They discuss what the rising of material abundance means for the word and the possibility of a post-scarcity economy. For the Spiel, is this our last chance for a President Bernie?

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Mike Pesca is the host of the Slate daily podcast The Gist. He also contributes reports and commentary to NPR.