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This is an extension to the idea that automation is a form of "resource curse" that creates social stratification in a similar way to diamonds or oil. Being ab
by Centigonal 4y ago
This is an extension to the idea that automation is a form of "resource curse" that creates social stratification in a similar way to diamonds or oil.
Being able to automate valuable work means you need a smaller coalition of power brokers to maintain the bulk of your GDP, meaning a government can remain in power with the support of an ever-shrinking class of influential people.
This is something people have been talking about for decades, with semi-serious proposals like a tax for robots being thrown around. The people in power have yet to take a hard look at any of it, though -- and why should they? It's a safer bet to curry favor with the ever-shrinking circle of influential people. The core problem in my opinion is how to create an incentive for politicians today to put into place measures to combat this consolidation of power. The longer we wait, the stronger the incentives against liberal democracy become, and the harder it will be to make a change.
- XorNot 4y agoThe problem is that all the aggressive proposals come far in advance of the technology actually being even remotely ready (robots don't serve me meals from McDonalds yet, the minimum-wage worker robotic replacement hasn't happened - it probably won't happen in my lifetime). They're somewhere between reactionary efforts to strangle the technology in the crib, and just completely misinformed naval-gazing by people with nothing better to do - proposing fictional scenarios to argue about rather then dealing with real data.
- sp527 4y agoIt's kind of hilarious you chose automating McDonald's as your benchmark, seeing as a proof of concept literally just went live. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcdonalds-automated-restaurant-robots-drive-thru-conveyer-belt/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcdonalds-automated-restaurant-...