[palmer]

The fundamental problem is that the Human race now produces enough to survive without everyone taking part in the workforce. While this is good in many ways, it also renders a lot of people….redundant. ....
Certainly riots—cities will burn and people will die. Perhaps even the start of a new Dark Age.

Seems a little odd that there's no iPhone app to stop the riots and chaos. It might even be the opposite (high tech riots). It is theoretically not possible for people to die of hunger with such incredible productivity, and it seems impossible to die of boredom with all the varieties of entertainment we can partake of. But it promotes sloth and eventually barbarism and those are really not separate problems.

The danger of living on bread and circuses: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-02/the-danger-of-living-on-bread-and-circuses-alice-schroeder.html

[rbg81]

Yes, people imagine they’re productive when they sit at screens and communicate. Its just hot electrons instead of hot air. And, at time, I’m as guilty as anyone. Imagine that? :^)