TLDR: What effect would the existence of immortals have on the global economy?
In my setting elves are immortal. They've been around for a very long time (they arrived about 12k years ago from another plane of existence) and they're going to keep being around.
Let's assume for the sake of the question that at least some of them have an interest in material possession. They like owning things; land, money, items etc.
I imagine that over the years those so inclined would have accumulated some rather respectable fortunes. They'd be filthy rich. In this they'd be a bit like regular humans. They like acquiring and having wealth. Where they differ from humans is in their perspective on the world. Humans are short lived and while some like to think about the future many don't think further than their own lifespans - or even until their next meal.
How would this affect the world?
What if the powers behind the money had long term priorities spanning centuries and millennia into the future? I'd like to think that this would result in a more careful attitude towards things like pollution and exploitation of natural resources. There would be more research into renewable energy and that kind of thing.
Does that make sense or is it just me being a bit of a hippy dreamer?
In my setting elves are immortal. They've been around for a very long time (they arrived about 12k years ago from another plane of existence) and they're going to keep being around.
Let's assume for the sake of the question that at least some of them have an interest in material possession. They like owning things; land, money, items etc.
I imagine that over the years those so inclined would have accumulated some rather respectable fortunes. They'd be filthy rich. In this they'd be a bit like regular humans. They like acquiring and having wealth. Where they differ from humans is in their perspective on the world. Humans are short lived and while some like to think about the future many don't think further than their own lifespans - or even until their next meal.
How would this affect the world?
What if the powers behind the money had long term priorities spanning centuries and millennia into the future? I'd like to think that this would result in a more careful attitude towards things like pollution and exploitation of natural resources. There would be more research into renewable energy and that kind of thing.
Does that make sense or is it just me being a bit of a hippy dreamer?