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This just reaffirms my belief that automation is net a good think for society and humanity although I do fear that the benefits will not be equally distributed

This just reaffirms my belief that automation is net a good think for society and humanity although I do fear that the benefits will not be equally distributed without changes to taxation and introduction of UBI. Both of these will happen, just matter of time.

intricatedetail 5y ago
Each robot should be paid at least minimum wage taxed at 100% minus wear and tear and that should be redistributed across unemployed.
- FredPret 5y ago
  Define "robot". If it's a clear one-to-one of a human job lost and a robot being slotted in, fine. But modern factories are full of processes being monitored and executed automatically. Is a conveyor belt a robot? What about a giant, complex machine that monitors itself to an extent and can execute a series of actions?
  - intricatedetail 5y ago
    The metric could be how many human beings a particular device can replace. If a conveyor belt could be replaced by 10 people working in shifts where at any given time 5 people work, then the machine should be paid 5x minimum wage.
    - FredPret 5y ago
      One skilled engineer and a few mechanics operating and maintaining a network of conveyors can move a boatload of stuff in a day. They use this tech as leverage. If they replace, say, five hundred people with carts, we can say that the conveyors replaced 495-ish people. But the carts replace probably another x people. And the gloves the workers wear. And their boots. The factory is probably climate controlled, which helps immensely. Simple clipboards with paper do so much to keep the wheels of industry turning. Even safety goggles contribute to productivity. Which of these technologies have to ge “paid”, and how much? This isn’t a simple approach at all, and very easy to game by production facilities.
baremetal 5y ago
UBI as a good thing.. and when the government says you have to do X in order to get benefits, and X requires you to divest yourself of your integrity? Or modify your genetics? Or not associate with certain friends? Better learn to grow some food if you don't want to be on the 'go along to get along' bandwagon.
- yardie 5y ago
  The U in UBI mean universal. And if the government is placing restrictions on then it's no longer universal. Even though we all pay into it most states have placed so many ridiculous restrictions on unemployment that the federal govt had to step in and say if you are unemployed you qualify for this supplement. And left it at that, no income, drug testing, or other silly requirements to it. And that is how it should be.

intricatedetail 5y ago

Each robot should be paid at least minimum wage taxed at 100% minus wear and tear and that should be redistributed across unemployed.

FredPret 5y ago
Define "robot". If it's a clear one-to-one of a human job lost and a robot being slotted in, fine. But modern factories are full of processes being monitored and executed automatically. Is a conveyor belt a robot? What about a giant, complex machine that monitors itself to an extent and can execute a series of actions?
- intricatedetail 5y ago
  The metric could be how many human beings a particular device can replace. If a conveyor belt could be replaced by 10 people working in shifts where at any given time 5 people work, then the machine should be paid 5x minimum wage.
  - FredPret 5y ago
    One skilled engineer and a few mechanics operating and maintaining a network of conveyors can move a boatload of stuff in a day. They use this tech as leverage. If they replace, say, five hundred people with carts, we can say that the conveyors replaced 495-ish people. But the carts replace probably another x people. And the gloves the workers wear. And their boots. The factory is probably climate controlled, which helps immensely. Simple clipboards with paper do so much to keep the wheels of industry turning. Even safety goggles contribute to productivity. Which of these technologies have to ge “paid”, and how much? This isn’t a simple approach at all, and very easy to game by production facilities.

baremetal 5y ago

UBI as a good thing.. and when the government says you have to do X in order to get benefits, and X requires you to divest yourself of your integrity? Or modify your genetics? Or not associate with certain friends? Better learn to grow some food if you don't want to be on the 'go along to get along' bandwagon.

yardie 5y ago
The U in UBI mean universal. And if the government is placing restrictions on then it's no longer universal. Even though we all pay into it most states have placed so many ridiculous restrictions on unemployment that the federal govt had to step in and say if you are unemployed you qualify for this supplement. And left it at that, no income, drug testing, or other silly requirements to it. And that is how it should be.