4 ms·
why does it need to be a competition in the first place? If we have automated manufacturing and food production why does the average person really need to do a
by diveanon 6y ago
why does it need to be a competition in the first place?
If we have automated manufacturing and food production why does the average person really need to do anything?
- giantg2 6y agoBecause the current paradigm requires one to work to have a decent life. It's always a competion. That's just life. Darwin has laid that out before pretty clearly.
- wildrhythms 6y agoThat is not 'just life'; that's the puritanical work ethic that you're describing. Life absent of a need for labor-intensive work to produce basic goods and services is better than the system we have now. The issue is not automation; the issue is who benefits from making manual human labor obsolete, and in our capitalist system I doubt it will be the workers it displaces.
- ConcreteGidget 6y agoMaslow put "employment" in his hierarchy of needs. As a trust fund kid I've never had to worry about living in the streets but found that without the purpose of work I felt pretty worthless. If you live in the first world you basically have food water and shelter taken care of for you if you're resourceful. The rest seems to be climbing status hierarchies and opulence.
- diveanon 6y agoThat's not the point though. Your self worth and employment are not directly correlated. Furthermore as our society evolves the hierarchy of needs can and should shift to demphasize employment. What you are describing is the result of industrialized societies needing workers, soon that will not be the case.
- diveanon 6y agoOur society is not darwinian, if it was we would just let the sick and disabled die.
- daniellarusso 6y agoPeople need purpose, not necessarily a ‘job’, but something to occupy their time. Kinda like Pompeii back in the day?
- giantg2 6y agoI think many could find purpose with hobbies, charity, and children. The main issue I have is how does one pay for that and support themself? I would gladly quit my job if I had the means.
- skissane 6y agoSociety is always going to be unequal – some people will have more than others. So long as there is work, the people who have a smaller share always have the opportunity of improving their lot by working harder and smarter than others. A society with no work is basically one in which everyone lives off their assets, in which wealth primarily comes through inheritance. A society with even more inequality than today, but with far less social mobility.
- ConcreteGidget 6y agoIf there is no way to work, there must be no way to provide value to others. Correct? If there is no way to provide value to another then there is no inequity.
- diveanon 6y agoPeople provide non transactional value to each other all the time. I hope that isn't your worldview, it sounds lonely.
- diveanon 6y agoI think you are conflating livelihood with purpose.
- sokoloff 6y agoBecause the inputs to those processes (raw materials, energy, maintenance, and a bit of labor) all cost money/are limited?
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]