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> What about the printing press or any other of our advances in writing, such as the typewriter, spellcheckers, emails, grammar checkers, and so on? While the w
by spywaregorilla 4y ago
> What about the printing press or any other of our advances in writing, such as the typewriter, spellcheckers, emails, grammar checkers, and so on? While the work of a classical secretary became unnecessary in many ways, the fact that the individual increase in productivity meant an overall growth of the economy meant, in turn, that those who would have lost their current role or even employment to technological advancement would find new occupations within this growth.
Oh please. That is not at all what happened. Technology that makes people more productive largely does so by lowering the required skill to do something. A shop clerk used to be a pretty difficult job. Now it's done by people with mental disabilities.
The pay goes down. The work becomes less meaningful. We foster a system where the supply of humans willing to do menial labor tasks grows so that those with capital have access to uber drivers and other permanent servant class workers.
The growth of the economy is not a tide that lifts all ships.
- smitty1e 4y ago> The growth of the economy is not a tide that lifts all ships. Aw, c'mon. Technological and economic improvements, in the long term (and with frequent setbacks) have driven the growth of human population and improvement of the human condition.
- spywaregorilla 4y agoI would say that's generally soley the result of social reforms to try and mitigate the growing inequality. Conscious efforts to try and share wealth and offer protections to different degrees. Also, war. But the social status and loss of importance has been continuous.
- smitty1e 4y agoThis may be separate conversations. I'm speaking of macro-level infant mortality and mass starvation.
- spywaregorilla 4y agoSure by that metric things are better
- web3-is-a-scam 4y ago> A shop clerk used to be a pretty difficult job. Now it's done by people with mental disabilities. > The growth of the economy is not a tide that lifts all ships Just a guess, but maybe the person with mental disabilities that are now gainfully employed might disagree.
- gryfft 4y agoNow they, too, may know the transcendental joy of laboring to create wealth for someone else.
- hungryforcodes 4y agoTrue but at least they have a job and some economic freedom. Without that job they would be reliant on other people. I'm not sure I see the problem here actually.
- web3-is-a-scam 4y agoAs opposed to creating nothing and being completely reliant on the charity of others and the state ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- spywaregorilla 4y agoWe shouldn't admonish the mentally disabled for working if they want to. It's good that they have opportunities. We should be critical of societies that state they basically have to work or will die because they're responsible for their own financial security. The issue is not the mentally disabled though. The issue is that people are being pushed into the absolute bottom tier of the labor pool. The decreasing opportunity for valuable labor wages is the problem.
- spywaregorilla 4y agoThey may indeed. But when you look around and see your coworkers have mental disabilities, you may begin to wonder if they were pushed up or was the bar lowered and you were pushed down?