Will scarcity play a future role in humanity?

Question

Will there be enough of anything as the world grows?

Answer 1

No problem. First, the world population is only growing at 1% a year -- which is very slow growth, there's not any industry out there that has trouble increasing output 1% -- that in fact is very disappointing growth for any business.

Second, it's well understood and predicted by all relevant authorities that the population growth has slowed, birthrates are rapidly declining nearly everywhere, and population will peak out in a few decades, then commence decline. World population will be declining by the 2nd half of this century, and is already declining in some places like Japan, Russia, and Eastern Europe; and just about there in Italy, Germany, and Spain.

Third, hunger is NOT caused by any lack of ability to grow enough food, and never will be again. Hunger is a problem strictly caused by politics, not agriculture.

Finally, scarcity will of course play a role. In economist lingo just about everything is "scarce", in that it is not free and infinite. And for commodities that truly become in short supply, the economy will simply reorganize itself to use alternatives as they become more cost effective -- just as the world switched from whale oil to kerosene 150 years ago. There's not a commodity out there that cannot be replaced by something else that's in greater abundance, when the pricing is right.

Answer 2

scarcity already plays a huge role in everyone's lives. theres a special field of study called ECONOMICS which is the study of how people spend their scarce resources for maximum utility

Answer 3

Scarcity already has a role in humanity, human wants are unlimited, as soon as we get what we want we desire something else.

Answer 4

Scarity is a natural law that is eternal. As long as mankind refuses to keep his emotions under control, scarcity will always be a factor. Spock had it right.

Answer 5

very likely, as our air and water already at risk. and now we have global warming to contend with, and the bad news just keeps on growing, while the good news is non existent

Answer 6

there are people starving in the present. that's what happens when people continue to breed when they can't even feed themselves. i expect food to be scarce in the future as well, but only in the 3rd world.