Key technologies in the rise of the age of superabundance

This article addresses the nature of superabundance. It begins by reviewing how humanity is unique in its ability to bind-time and generate wealth. Drawing upon Alfred Korzybski, the article differentiates two kinds of wealth, potential use-values and kinetic use-values. It reveals the increasing acceleration of the uniquely human phenomenon of wealth by briefly exploring five different revolutions in history (e.g. cognitive, agricultural, industrial, digital and generative AI). It then illustrates how communication technologies, which are potent combinations of kinetic and potential use-values, are related to the rise of superabundance. The article introduces the concept of ‘symbolic inflation’ and argues that superabundance is neither pure boon nor pure bane. Our experiences of it come with a great deal of irresolvable ambiguity and ambivalence.