From the start of agriculture to the Industrial Revolution and beyond, humanity has changed and thrived at a level previously unseen in history. Some worry that the abundant present we live in now will change for the worse, due to environmental challenges and a shifting geopolitical landscape. Meanwhile, there is increased connectivity to resources and improved standards of living. Will tomorrow be better than today? Those who agree say that humanity is more prosperous than ever, mortality rates are dropping while living standards and access to resources are increasing, and we’re taking necessary steps to mitigate the beginning effects of climate change. Those who disagree point out that there are widening socio-economic disparities. They also say deglobalization will cause the collapse of consumption and global trade, and the environmental crisis is almost at the point of no return.

With this background, we debate the question: Will the Future Be Abundant? This debate was a virtual event on Wednesday, November 1st for subscribers to join before the episode is released publicly.