Idea Ripper // ArchiveCards: 1555 [Live] | Updated: 2026-10-14
Card #c68IR // #c68Synthesis

Bounty is the increase in volume, variety, and quality and the decrease in cost of the many offerings brought on by modern technological progress. It’s the best economic news in the world today.

— In our words · Source: The Second Machine Age (Erik Brynjolfsson & Andrew McAfee)

[Use when]

When the AI debate goes all-doom.

[Why it matters]

The optimistic half of the book's frame, defined with precision: more stuff, better stuff, cheaper stuff — the part of the story the doomers leave out.

More from The Second Machine Age

#c66In other words, things get weird in the second half of the chessboard. And like the emperor, most of us have trouble keeping up.When someone projects a technology trend in a straight line. #c67U.S. businesses entered the second half of the chessboard when it comes to the use of digital gear. That was in 2006.When dating when the AI economy actually began. #c69Spread, however, is not so great; it’s ever-bigger differences among people in economic success—in wealth, income, mobility, and other…When someone cites growth statistics that hide distribution.