In a post-scarcity world, human craftsmanship would become the most coveted and rare and high-status thing imaginable.

If you could have anything - anything - made instantly by machine process, at any time, for basically no cost (I'm talking Star Trek post-money civilization here), then every ordinary, machine-made thing you own matters little. Even 'owning' things doesn't matter most of the time - just get a new one made.

But - that crappy, raggy doll your grandmother made just for you? Priceless. And to a collector of dolls - beyond priceless. Just owning such a thing would increase your social status.

Handmade furniture in such a world would be hard to get - because it takes work, human work - and thus would be rare. The Amish would be in unimaginable demand.

A new scarcity would appear - and that scarcity would be the final one: human, hand made artifacts. They would be treasured in a way they are not, now.

Anyone in such a world could easily own the fanciest car, the most powerful device.

But only a very few would be able to walk around in a hand-knitted sweater with a story behind it of love and attention and appreciation. Such a thing would be a treasure, a work of art. It would draw fascination. People would envy it.

Which means, in a 'status economy' beyond money, that for the first time in history - artists, even not so great ones, would finally be truly appreciated.