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By doubling the amount of gadgets in the market you are also reducing price of the gadgets (according to offer and demand). The parent's idea is not new, it wa
by arximboldi 10y ago
By doubling the amount of gadgets in the market you are also reducing price of the gadgets (according to offer and demand). The parent's idea is not new, it was already introduced in the first chapter of Marx's Capital. The only capitalistic solution to the devaluation of work introduced by increases in productivity is to increase the demand for things: by increasing peoples consumerism via marketing, reducing the durability of the things, etc.
This vicious circle has to stop, or the planet will stop it for us. We should think about how to work less and consume less.
- jcfrei 10y agoYou have a very one-dimensional opinion on consumerism. Increased consumption doesn't just mean selling twice as many shoes as yesterday for half the quality. It also means augmenting existing services: Like creating a telephone connection instead of a telegraphic line. Or creating a global computer network instead of a simple telephone connection. It's a very virtuous cycle. Of course it's not a guarantee for a better world but your proposal that [w]e should think about how to work less and consume less is a certain path towards a lower quality of life.
- guscost 10y agoTo be fair you have to mention another way to increase demand: make new and better goods and services. You could argue that this is just "consumerism" but I think that definition misses a big part of the reality. Consider a high-tech prosthetic arm as an example.
- tuna-piano 10y agoWhat? If people want the same amount of things but are now more productive, they can also choose to work less (which is what has happened over the last few hundred years.)
- danharaj 10y agoThey didn't choose to work less, they fought vicious and sometimes violent political struggles against owners and government to get reduced hours.