we could automate the purchasing? Remember the stories about self-driving taxis which would purchase their own maintenance out of their earnings? I think it was

we could automate the purchasing? Remember the stories about self-driving taxis which would purchase their own maintenance out of their earnings? I think it was supposed to use blockchain. Our current economy seems to rely on "the modern consumer", as per your point-- and we are told that our main role is to "consume". Seems to me this would be extremely easy to automate. Then we don't need people any more, the robots can consume themselves! Anyone want a paperclip?