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by AstralStorm 1199 days ago
Capital comes in many form, and money is just one. Probably most problematic in times of strife.

Assets, in particular high value, portable or hard to destroy ones, that are easy to defend, or skills that are very hard to replace without destroying you or their value.

Military is strong mostly due to the assets it has - obedient manpower and destructive hardware. The problem is, however, that using these assets destroys value in the medium term, not creates.

A factory making guns is worth much more than guns themselves. People who know how to operate it, as well. A working mine is worth more than a mountain.

Every conqueror wants submission and instead reaps destruction.

1 comments

>portable defensible assets

Yes if they have inherent value.

>factory ownership

You only own said factory because government says you do and will enforce your ownership. A junta or communist party might not agree you own it anymore.

My point is, more things than not have dependency on government or legal system. In case of widespread automation via AGI, the rich are not safe. Probably drone swarms and wilderness survival are your best bet. Who would want to survive like a rat in such a world, though.

To quote the mars man: "all things considered with regard to AGI existential angst, I would prefer to be alive now to witness AGI than be alive in the past and not".