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I like Paul Graham's essay where he points out that society can adapt to not have these things. He uses the example where people used to have live in servants.

I like Paul Graham's essay where he points out that society can adapt to not have these things. He uses the example where people used to have live in servants. Now people aren't willing to be butlers so the wealthy just go without. A similar job would be hangman or executioner. If everyone decided not to do that job, then it wouldn't get done. Is that really so bad? Janitors are quickly being replaced by passionate iRobot employees. Cashiers at the stores I shop at are replaced by self-checkout robots made by passionate robotics people. Assembly lines and making clothing...... do I even need to say it? Construction jobs should go unfilled, it's shitty work, why not leave it unfilled? Who cares? Soon enough those quad-copter construction workers will build stuff anyway. The medical profession is full of passionate doctors and society will adapt if we truly run out of proctologists. Many dental visits would be unnecessary if people used proper preventative dental hygiene. Society could cut back on the suicidal dentists and be fine. If a job would truly go unfilled due to lack of passion I doubt this would be a problem. Also, every single job you listed, I guarantee there are people who thoroughly love those jobs. Some people are passionate about making money and those people would be passionate about being a highly paid prison guard or executioner or butler. This is, in fact, pretty much what happens. People who love money a lot do become dentists and they do enjoy their job because it affords them their yacht on the weekends. Passion for money is genuine passion.

kenjackson 16y ago
I'd argue that where you end is the world we live in today. People are passionate to do what they're doing versus the alternative. You say its passion for money. Others will say the passion to please their parents. Or impress the Jones's or put food in their babies mouth. And I don't think you can appeal to technology that's not here, and frankly not close. Otherwise you can just begin with the thesis that we have mind reading nanotechnology that can build anything via just thought, including other people. Sure in this dream world everyone can literally just watch TV created by the best staff in the world (which was created by my thoughts). But that's not going to happen. And quad-copter construction isn't going to build most of what is built today. But what will happen is that people will do what they're most passionate about versus their alternatives. This is exactly the state of the world today. Every single one of us is doing exactly what we want to do, given the choices in front of us.
- forensic 16y ago
  I personally know people who are passionate for construction work. I asked a construction worker straight up - if you won a billion dollars, what would you do? He said he'd go on vacation for a few months and then probably come back to the job site because he loves the culture and the work. He enjoys his job. This is not unusual. Nerds can't imagine that some people enjoy being janitors, but they exist. It would not be the end of the world if the only construction workers were the passionate ones. I think the world would be just fine - in fact, I think it would be better. I think we'd have higher quality construction work and a happier society.

kenjackson 16y ago

I'd argue that where you end is the world we live in today. People are passionate to do what they're doing versus the alternative. You say its passion for money. Others will say the passion to please their parents. Or impress the Jones's or put food in their babies mouth. And I don't think you can appeal to technology that's not here, and frankly not close. Otherwise you can just begin with the thesis that we have mind reading nanotechnology that can build anything via just thought, including other people. Sure in this dream world everyone can literally just watch TV created by the best staff in the world (which was created by my thoughts). But that's not going to happen. And quad-copter construction isn't going to build most of what is built today. But what will happen is that people will do what they're most passionate about versus their alternatives. This is exactly the state of the world today. Every single one of us is doing exactly what we want to do, given the choices in front of us.

forensic 16y ago
I personally know people who are passionate for construction work. I asked a construction worker straight up - if you won a billion dollars, what would you do? He said he'd go on vacation for a few months and then probably come back to the job site because he loves the culture and the work. He enjoys his job. This is not unusual. Nerds can't imagine that some people enjoy being janitors, but they exist. It would not be the end of the world if the only construction workers were the passionate ones. I think the world would be just fine - in fact, I think it would be better. I think we'd have higher quality construction work and a happier society.