Both your statement and the GP's ring true to me. Here's how I'd parse it - Automation does indeed free up time for by choice activities, but it also removes m

Both your statement and the GP's ring true to me. Here's how I'd parse it - Automation does indeed free up time for by choice activities, but it also removes motivation to do things that are both hard to do and good to do. Obvious example: cars have made tons of things possible that weren't possible before, but if I didn't have a car or live in a society built around them I'd probably get a lot more exercise. The more automation we have the fewer things we're forced to do and there are drawbacks that come with that. Others have brought up that the experience of having done any hard thing may have intrinsic benefits, but fewer of us have had that experience. Not an argument against automation, just acknowledging the cons.