We do not live in a post-muscle world, we live in a world where we have the illusion of being post-muscle, an illusion that will last maybe 100-150 years at the expense of overturning all of Earth's mineral resources onto a despoiled surface.

We have not invented the principles of physics, chemistry, and biology out of existence. There will not be billions of flying cars in the future, any more than there will be a walled city floating above the clouds. It doesn't matter what productive technology you invent if you have a constantly increasing demand; for any kind of livability you need to point to a certain level of supply that is enough. Net Primary Productivity is something that we'll have to return to as an anchor for society, sooner or later.

Just as using remote energy (fossil fuels) allowed the rapid expansion and proliferation of empires, so too will advances in energy-hungry computing models further the cause of empire.

Self-sufficiency and appropriate technology are indispensable factors of liberation.