[placeybordeaux]

Pretty wild oversimplification there. War is complex and doesn't happen for one reason. For instance Russia's involvement in Syria and Crimea is more about expanding territory and sphere of influence than funneling tax payer's money, Putin and the Russian oligarchs do that well enough already.

> 6. The very concept of "superiority" and "class" becomes meaningless as we move into an era of excess due to automation.

We already have excess of some things such as calories and clean clothing. The cost of 2k calories per day is a pretty small fraction of minimum wage. We are also witnessing a rise in food classism that is targeted at the foods that are hard to bring the price down on. It has become a status symbol to "know where your food comes from" or to eat at a "farm to table" restaurant. These are associated with ways to get your calories that have high logistical & labor costs.

I agree that we will see eras of excess in more and more goods and services, but the idea that humans won't find a way to show superiority or class by consuming higher cost goods/services seems kind of out of touch.

[qb45]

> For instance Russia's involvement in Syria and Crimea is more about expanding territory and sphere of influence

For the record, these places were Russian sphere of influence before the conflicts started. Though not strictly Russian territory, indeed.