Micro-cultures are also good justification of material abundance. Otherwise society as a system experiences an analog of the second law of thermodynamics, but at higher levels: if material goods are too abundant to a point when they can't provide fittest substrate to higher levels (culture, creativity etc.), these are likely cases (and they often appear as sequential steps historically):
1. Degeneration of individualism and culture. Culture develops simplified fraction for better engagement, but fresh individuals do not realize purpose behind this simplification, these define their entire lifestyle on this culture, they live their entire life as constant "now", they lose motivation in learning and crafting. This leads to fragile cultural landscape.
2. Inadequate wealth and societal inequality (which does not fit real differences in age, experience and intelligence as Pareto optimum). Essential symptom of the previous step as people lose highest "why?" (for exploration of unknown landscape and/or helping others), their lack of highest motivation is compensated by endless competition to "look better than others".
3. Rugged feudalism, brittle civilization. Symptom of the previous step, as an essential exit from "dead horse" system.
So I live my life at my own pace and I learn new stuff which does not end in p2p services and tools, and is rooted in individualism (p2p is a set of solutions to the fragility of cyberpunk circus, not what could keep at least myself living for long time).
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