October 29, 2003
Will Science Save Social Security?
I ask the question here.
Overall, if events play out over the next quarter century as the technology optimists predict, then GDP will be so astronomical that the costs of Social Security and Medicare will be dwarfed. In such a world we may face difficult philosophical issues, but maintaining material living standards will not be a challenge.
This seems entirely reasonable to me. We already live in a society where most people easily have enough money for the basics. Food costs, for instance, are ridiculously low. A decent automobile can be bough for less than $2,000. A two income family usually can find a place to live. What is our current achilles heel? Alas, a medical emergency can wipe out a family’s finances. But it is quite likely that even these costs will drop dramatically in the relatively near future.
I can hear it now: “A decent car can be bought for less than $2,000? What planet do you live on?” We live in such an affluent society that many purchase vehicles for primarily atheistical reasons. The actual ability to travel from one place to another is a secondary consideration.
Posted by David Thomson on October 31, 2003 11:01 AM | Permalink to Comment
This seems entirely reasonable to me. We already live in a society where most people easily have enough money for the basics. Food costs, for instance, are ridiculously low. A decent automobile can be bough for less than $2,000. A two income family usually can find a place to live. What is our current achilles heel? Alas, a medical emergency can wipe out a family’s finances. But it is quite likely that even these costs will drop dramatically in the relatively near future.
I can hear it now: “A decent car can be bought for less than $2,000? What planet do you live on?” We live in such an affluent society that many purchase vehicles for primarily atheistical reasons. The actual ability to travel from one place to another is a secondary consideration.
Posted by David Thomson on October 31, 2003 11:01 AM | Permalink to Comment