There's a great cartoon about how status is zero-sum, but technological improvement is not: Two voices come from a futuristic building, complaining that no matter how much technological process, not everyone is happy, because their happiness is based on being "better" than others, and not on absolute improvement.

"Yeah. And that's where we come in," complains one voice sadly.

"But on the other hand, in what other era could a toaster and a coffee pot even be having this conversation?" reasons the other.