Judge Dredd happens. Or maybe Star Trek. But I’m thinking Judge Dredd. We like to think that if a large percentage of the population suddenly became “unnecessary” for the survival of the society they’d all do creative and inventive things, but they probably just wind up doing drunken and stupid things.
The 3-D Printer concept has matured and now works with nanotechnology. What that means is that core atoms can be used to construct anything you want. Your food. Your clothing. Your inflatable mattress. Push the buttons and "the feed" accesses the resources and builds what you need.
But this does not mean everyone is rich. Stephenson doesn't spell out the nuances of the social stratficiations, but people now belong to tribes or "phyles". Some phyles are large, global, and rich. One of these rich phyles is the Atlantean phyle which combines American and Victorian sensibilities. Very proper and polished and old-fashioned -- and they control much of the cutting edge technology due to their work ethic and self-discipline. There are many phyles, some better than others.
Below that, there are the "thetes" who are basically proles. Yeah, they can push buttons and get "stuff" but they have no other existence. They pretty much make up the criminal class because they have no hope and nothing to do.
There is one phyle which is sort of based on the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century. They make paper by hand, carve furniture and shoe horses. They are artisans and servants of the Atlantean/Victorian phyle. It is mentioned at one point that with nanotechnology available, making paper by hand is a little silly. It is also mentioned that the Arts and Crafts emphasis is only sustainable because the rich, high tech Atlanteans find hand-crafted items to be quaint and pleasant. These observations are "shushed" as rude or impolitic.
The book is probably 20 years old now, but it discusses drones (lots of these), 3-D printing, modern tribal cultures, feral populations, and a world which is spinning out of control. We're heading there.