Editing 2012-12-24 (section)

==Transcript==
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:[Describe panel here]
:"Scarcity"
:"Economics," said the fat man, "is the study of the allocation of scarce resources
:"
:The fat woman nodded.
:*However,' he continued. searching through the papers on his desk for particular
:one, "that is only recent definition. In the past, economics has been the study of
:the allocation of very scarce resources.'
:She nodded.
:"Prior to that, was extremely scarce resources. At this point, he located a
:drawing of the descent of man. This drawing was unusual in that each evolu-
:tionary stage, the hominids were arguing with each other over something in the
:middle of them "In fact,' he said, handing the image to her. economics can be traced all the way back to particular March in .332.014 B.C during which a
:group of sapiens in sub-Saharan Africa had to divvy up turnip. At that time. eco-
:nomics was defined as the study of the allocation of this one turnip."
:"How was resolved?"
:'Of course that lost to history in its particulars, he said "However there is
:reason to believe that was resolved through the application of Newton's Second Law, as embodied in fist."
:'How primitive, she said.
:"Indeed. These would have been hominids too simple to make use of the laws of
:thermodynamics to resolve turnip disputes, much less the laws of 'relativity.
:She wrote this down He appreciated this, and moved him togo on
:"Now. the point here this the study of economics is the study of moving
:target. It began sthe study of how allocate few very rare things Then
:became the study of how to allocate few moderately rare things With the advent
:of cold fusion 30 years ago, reached what can be considered an inflection point.'
:The post-scarcity society," she ventured.
:"Wrong! he shouted. thrusting finger into the air. "The entire last generation of
:econometricians made the selfsame mistake. No. don't you see? If nothing is
:scarce, what scarce?"
:She hesitated. It was important to her that she not look foolish to the new boss
:"Nothing?"
:"Wrong! If there are no scarce resources, the only scarce resource is scarce
:resources."
:don't follow.
:"If everyone has everything, the only thing scarce is something nobody else has
:She nodded.
:'We ve already seen it in virtual goods. In an artificial universe, resource scarcity
:can be created for relatively low price. But the fact that it is artificial ruins it If
:the stray click of key can generate infinity of something, it i not scarce in any real sense.
:She nodded again and crossed her legs.
:*Don't you see,' he said. "We're sitting on goldmine here!"
:He reached into desk drawer and pulled out wooden box
:"What is it?" she asked.
:He opened Inside was bright red apple, kept slightly chilled and moist by its
:container. Three evenly spaced drops of dew glistened on the yellow dapples near stem.
:"It's an apple,' she said
:*Have bite."
:She indicated herself. He nodded. She grimaced, then put down her notepad With
:a slight tremble, she reached out her right hand for the fruit. Its red skin was as
:flawless as the red lipstick she spent twenty minutes applying that morning Her teeth pressed through its exterior into moist white meat It was amazing
:She shivered with delight as she crushed the sweet flesh her molars
:*very single apple just like that one.' he said. grinning, "has just turned into
:maggots!"
:She swallowed, eyes wide.
:"We sold hundreds of them!" he said. standing from his chair and turning around
:to
:look out the window. The cityscape was gorgeous mass of glass and French
:curves. "We sold nine hundred -ninety -nine. to be precise. But the buyers didn't
:know! If you were wealthy enough, you be able purchase this one maggot-
:free apple for very high price.
:I'm not sure people want this," she said.
:"Fah! Why. it's already been tried in number of natural experiments we 've
:tracked. For example, diamonds are not terribly rare creation of Nature But their
:access was restricted and they became more popular than ever. Mind vou, we can't
:afford the necessary lawsuits to have number of poor people killed whenever an
:apple eaten. but this the next best thing.
:Isee,' said.
:'And that's not all! This box. in which the apple sits? It's pure Canadian pine. When your pinky brushed against just moment ago. released pine-eating beetle onto every such pine the world.'
:"That's horrible!" she shouted
:"Madame, this the post scarcity world of scarcity. No doubt those beetles will be transmuted into some useful substance. and those trees will return within weeks
:But, for the moment. you are the only one to have Canadian pine.'
:She recoiled this idea. but nevertheless found herself attracted to the wooden
:box. its mellow brown sinews expertly carved and sanded. She touched for a
:second time. It was hard and just little cold.
:He smiled her.
:"But." she said. still working through the implications "Won't the maggot-eaters mad?"
:*WRONG! They be delighted! Mind you, not as delighted as the person eating
:the apple. BUT. these people will each have an experience only had by 998 other individuals."
:Isee,' she said slowly. "But then, you can't mass produce these."
:"By definition, no. But we can produce more varieties We have prototype
:orange that turns into locusts and banana that begs for mercy when you eat it
:He held up white velvet box and opened it. exposing small yellow fruit, which screamed *LET ME GO! HAVE FAMILY! until he closed the container.
:"IfI may,' she said. "If may, seems that that you 're mainly just introducing
:ugly things into people's lives and then offering to take them away."
:And that the new economics, madame.' He smiled. "Take note. Economics is
:Caption: the study of the creation of scarce resources.'