Hi Frames of Space listeners!
We’re excited to bring you a new episode of Frames of Space today. If you missed it, we had the pleasure of speaking with
for a raw and wide-ranging conversation about the Abundance movement, why American problem-solving feels stuck, and how optimism could be a powerful engine for social change.Spotify Link:
Apple Podcasts Link:
What Is the Abundance Movement REALLY About? Steve helped break down “abundance” beyond the typical economic jargon. He painted a compelling scene from the recent Abundance conference—think: 500 voices, from state legislators to policy wonks to the everyday inspired young leader. The energy, he noted, was about “creating a flywheel” of people meeting and motivating each other to take action, not just theorize.
Scarcity vs. Abundance: Rethinking America’s Core Problems Steve didn’t shy away from the big questions. We’re used to fighting over a “fixed pie”—limited housing, expensive healthcare, high energy costs—often because of artificial restrictions, not true shortages. Instead, “abundance” urges us to expand the pie through productivity, technological progress, and innovation. The goal? To make affordable housing, accessible energy, and healthcare truly available, not just theoretically possible.
It’s Not Just About Bigger (or Smaller) Government — It’s About Capacity A major takeaway: abundance isn’t a left-vs-right issue. It’s about re-engineering government to solve problems, not simply expanding or shrinking it. As Steve put it, the focus is “state capacity”—the strength and creativity of government, not just its size or budget. Imagine government that’s judged by real-world outcomes, not compliance with a mountain of bureaucracy.
Can We Overcome the Politics of Scarcity? One of the biggest hurdles? Public skepticism. Steve acknowledged that for movements like YIMBYism (Yes In My Back Yard—pro-housing policies), most Americans still don’t believe more housing will fix rents. The way forward? Combine smart organizing and grassroots persuasion with storytelling that emphasizes the very real, tangible benefits of abundance: stable homes, lower bills, and more hope.
The Emotional Core: Why Abundance is Really About Agency Beneath it all, Steve argued that abundance is about restoring collective agency—the belief that together, we can actually change our environment. He tied this to democratic practice: empowering people to work with those different from themselves to solve big, systemic problems.
Key Quotes:
“The ideal of liberal democratic government is a small number of laws, highly certainly imposed. That’s certainly not what we have now.”
“People need to believe that there can be a better future... That’s what ultimately matters a lot about the abundance movement—the vibes of it. It is an optimistic problem-solving movement.”
What’s Next?
We want to hear from you! How do YOU define abundance in your community? Hit reply with your thoughts, and we might feature them in our upcoming episodes.
Thanks for being part of our growing Frames of Space community,
Andrew Xu
P.S. Make sure to check the show notes below for resources mentioned by Steve—including his Varieties of Abundance essay and more!
Show Notes
Varieties of Abundance by Steve Teles, Niskanen Center
Cost Disease Socialism: How Subsidizing Costs While Restricting Supply Drives America’s Fiscal Imbalance by Samuel Hammond and Daniel Takash, Niskanen Center
What libertarianism has become and will become — State Capacity Libertarianism by Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution
What State Housing Policies Do Voters Want? Evidence from a Platform-Choice Experiment from now Publishers
