> I actually believe that there's a culture war implied in this debate; the question of who deserves to reap the gains of automation is more than just philosoph

> I actually believe that there's a culture war implied in this debate; the question of who deserves to reap the gains of automation is more than just philosophy or ethics. The question "is there inherent nobility in work itself?" seems to be just as much a political divide as any of the current popular hot-button issues. Agreed, there's a lot of meaty ethics and philosophy tied up in this issue. For most of my life I've tended to believe in the nobility of work, that it gives my life meaning and purpose. But as rates of automation increase my children (or more likely their children) may well seek different ways of defining themselves. Before that can happen though there'll have to be some fraught and difficult changes to our societies.