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I resent the idea that my surplus labour is anyone's but mine to spend. Certainly you could create infinite amounts of "paid" makework but in the end it amount
by JulianMorrison 10y ago
I resent the idea that my surplus labour is anyone's but mine to spend.
Certainly you could create infinite amounts of "paid" makework but in the end it amounts to keeping a system going for its own sake, and wasting people's potential by allocating them "dig a hole and fill it in" jobs when they could be being creative.
- aidos 10y agoI think you've take the uncharitable view of an implication that everyone is forced to work to fill up hours. Realistically there are loads of things that could be done to make the world a better place. Equally there are lots of people out of work. If someone can provide the funds to marry those things together, it's a win win. But who pays? Maybe Apple could go all philanthropic and depart with all that cash they're carrying.
- remir 10y agoBingo. It's not a work problem; there's so much work to do. The problem is who will pay and how much.
- knieveltech 10y agoOh really? Doing what, exactly?
- JulianMorrison 10y agoI'm much more concerned that everyone is forced to work on things that aren't what they want to do and is still running under the whip of starvation. I want that whip entirely removed. I want people free to follow their passion. And I want these things for myself, because I selfishly object to having my life wasted.
- grenoire 10y agoThis is not the same as resolving the Great Depression. The goal is to create jobs that do work that is not getting done; not creating faux-jobs to feed people.
- Matumio 10y agoI don't think the author of the original article would agree with that goal. The problem with "creating jobs" is that someone (the government) has to decide (for its citizens) what kind of work is worth doing. The no-longer-needed workers are then forced into those non-essential jobs to earn their right for bare survival. They won't have time to do what they think is important. The underlying assumption is that unpaid work is somehow worthless to society. And that people cannot decide for themselves how the spend the time freed up by automation.
- JulianMorrison 10y agoThe irony is that government is already arm-twisting private industry to do this. Whether it's a New Deal style public works program, or the new car plant opening that isn't yet fully automated because the government gave them tax breaks, it's makework and a distraction from what people would do if they could work their vocations.
- sqldba 10y agoYou just described Australia's work for the dole program. There's no spots for talented people to work on shit like the failed $30 million IBM census disaster. But smoking pot and filling in holes with low lives? You betcha! You better earn your welfare and enjoy it or you'll be reported!