[ExI] THE MIGHTY ORIGINAL

[x at extropica.org]

On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 10:08 AM, PJ Manney <pjmanney at gmail.com> wrote:
> Lots of people buy provenanced
> items because 1) they're crazy fans of the creator or previous owner;
> 2) they need to feel the item in THEIR hot little hands and its
> proximity brings them that much closer to the fame/infamy/whatever
> associated with the object; 3) the ego-investment of owning it
> outstrips the financial investment (much more common than you think).
> The investment value of a Babe Ruth baseball means squat to a rabid
> Yankees fan.  And owning a famous Picasso (there aren't a lot of
> famous ones) makes its [male] owner feel his [male] member swell with
> pride...  ;-)

Yes.  Just as the alpha chimp defends his mating privileges.

But what of the bonobo, more inclined to give and receive favors...?


> You need to separate the post-scarcity economics of everyday crap from
> the really unusual items.  Almost all stuff will instantly lose value.

Yes, referring to items valued for function rather than status.


> But the
> insanely special item will retain value IF YOU CAN PROVE IT IS WHAT IT
> CLAIMS.

Not if the values of the agent have evolved from hording to giving,
taking to producing, narrow to broad self-interest.  And this need not
be at the biological level.  A stronger driver and reinforcer of such
change is a society and culture that rewards more altruistic behavior
and we're already on that path.

- Jef