riches-as-being

This chapter critiques the common belief that technological progress inherently creates wealth, arguing that true riches are a form of being or natural endowment rather than mere possession. It distinguishes between riches as a regal, stable power within a person and the transient, consumable nature of material wealth, emphasizing that technological rationalization arises from scarcity and cannot resolve the inherent poverty it produces. The chapter concludes that technological advancement perpetuates a specific kind of poverty tied to industrial society, which cannot be overcome by further rationalization or increased production.