Fascinating analysis. Spookily relevant. Just one quibble: "...for most of human history: powerless, anxious, timid, mired in a crushing stream of debts, rents, fees, and taxes, surviving but hardly thriving, mistrustful and insecure in a harsh and violent world" - is incorrect as to time-line. Most of human history was not like this. Only in relatively recent times - the last 5000 to maybe 10,000 years, depending on location - has this been the state of a significant portion of humanity.