The Midas Plague is a 1954 novella by Frederik Pohl that imagines a world of plenty, in fact, a world where abundance has become a problem. There is rationing – but rations are the minimum that you can consume. Those with low status (the “poor”) have to consume more than those with high status. The story’s protagonist finds himself married to a higher class women not used to consuming all this stuff. The inversion of war rationing and the satire of the emerging consumer society of the 1950s is obvious and Pohl himself was a former member of the Young Communist League. Unfortunately form matches content, and the narrative itself is overstretched and voluminous (it could afford to lose 80% of its weight).
Thankfully ChatGPT is (as yet) no match for your own insightful analysis Matt. Thanks for this, it's the first time of heard of The Midas Plague, fascinating concept.
Thankfully ChatGPT is (as yet) no match for your own insightful analysis Matt. Thanks for this, it's the first time of heard of The Midas Plague, fascinating concept.