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Why didn't we just stick with bread and rice? How much bread and rice could you possibly want? The point is; you can't envisage what the needs of tomorrow will

Why didn't we just stick with bread and rice? How much bread and rice could you possibly want? The point is; you can't envisage what the needs of tomorrow will be. If we truly automate all the necessities of life, then we could for example spend more time doing creative things or researching the some new technology. In a world where material things are abundant, the intangible will be worth more that is currently is. Maybe one day, an average job might be controlling a fleet of drones mining an asteroid. Building all those Star Destroyers takes a lot of resources.

jodrellblank 10y ago
If we truly automate all the necessities of life, then we could for example spend more time doing creative things Right, right, creative, because the cure for global economic woes is more macaroni stuck on craft paper with Elmer's glue. The point is, we in the west have gone from food rationing after WWII, scrapings of butter and self-bottling of fruits for preservation, to plenty of affordable food from around the world. You say "we as a species always want our current situation to be better than it currently is" and I think ... that's not the world I see around me. People are quite content with the cheaper foods, nobody is clamouring for Michelin starred food for every meal, people like drinking the existing beers and wines and eating the existing McDonalds and bananas and steaks and whatevers. And I submit that the drive is "to get away from the unpleasant bits" rather than "always wanting better". They only overlap while the current situation is unpleasant, but removing unpleasant things is a lot easier than inventing infinite new pleasantries.
- coenhyde 10y ago
  I'd agree. But I think that is a product of a failed education system resulting in disenfranchisement. It doesn't have to be that way. A fix (for the US) isn't coming anytime soon. It will probably have to get pretty messy before things improve.

jodrellblank 10y ago

If we truly automate all the necessities of life, then we could for example spend more time doing creative things Right, right, creative, because the cure for global economic woes is more macaroni stuck on craft paper with Elmer's glue. The point is, we in the west have gone from food rationing after WWII, scrapings of butter and self-bottling of fruits for preservation, to plenty of affordable food from around the world. You say "we as a species always want our current situation to be better than it currently is" and I think ... that's not the world I see around me. People are quite content with the cheaper foods, nobody is clamouring for Michelin starred food for every meal, people like drinking the existing beers and wines and eating the existing McDonalds and bananas and steaks and whatevers. And I submit that the drive is "to get away from the unpleasant bits" rather than "always wanting better". They only overlap while the current situation is unpleasant, but removing unpleasant things is a lot easier than inventing infinite new pleasantries.

coenhyde 10y ago
I'd agree. But I think that is a product of a failed education system resulting in disenfranchisement. It doesn't have to be that way. A fix (for the US) isn't coming anytime soon. It will probably have to get pretty messy before things improve.