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In rich societies with strong social safety nets, it is possible to live as if work had been abolished. One only needs a fraction of the ressources consumed by
by abyssin 6y ago
In rich societies with strong social safety nets, it is possible to live as if work had been abolished. One only needs a fraction of the ressources consumed by a normal Westerner to live a materially comfortable life. But what you realize when you try reaping the benefits of our already largely automated economy, is that work is about ideology. You'll be materially comfortable, but a social outcast. People don't like to work, but they hate non-working people even more.
- chordalkeyboard 6y ago> People don't like to work, but they hate non-working people even more. Probably because they wonder how those people are figuring out how to eat without contributing to the economy.
- abyssin 6y agoI agree with you in the sense that's how they rationalize their reaction, although I think they don't actually wonder about it and you made a figure of speech, and instead they don't feel it's fair that some stop working until everything is completely automated. But I see an inconsistency in their feeling of injustice, because some people have to work a lot to get comparatively very little benefits from our largely automated economy. Anyone who works should feel like they live a luxurious life. Instead we see a lot of addiction and despair, despite lifestyles that consume huge amounts of energy.