Energy isn't the only resource in our world, but the less expensive it is, the more everyone prospers. Truly free energy would absolutely astonishing. It wouldn't eliminate economics though. Time is scarce, and even if we discover a path to immortality, we must still choose how to use each moment we have. We value what we do with that time, even if we cannot put a dollar price on it.
RE: Herding Us Into the Panopticon?