2 ms·
"productive" I would guess that maybe less than a third of the total workforce is doing things we actually want and need as a society, and 90% of that third ar
by 93po 4y ago
"productive"
I would guess that maybe less than a third of the total workforce is doing things we actually want and need as a society, and 90% of that third are jobs that are close to being automated.
As one example, the US alone has nearly $300 billion a year in revenue for the advertising industry and employees a quarter million people. When looking at the list of things humanity needs, ads aren't very high. There is a lot that exists to facilitate the other shit that doesn't need to exist.
point of clarification: people have value regardless of their profession and regardless of whether it becomes automated
- saltcured 4y agoI think the earlier post is considering capitalism as "more productive" than acquiring riches and resources the old fashioned way: killing your neighbors or cousins and taking their stuff.
- 93po 4y agoI would counter that the chaos and violence is different but still there.
- saltcured 4y agoSure, but is it more productive to record winnings with accountants' pens instead of soldiers' bullets? At scale, is "less destructive" a synonym for "more productive"..?
- 93po 4y agoMore than 12 million people die every year from unhealthy environents according to WHO: https://www.who.int/news/item/15-03-2016-an-estimated-12-6-million-deaths-each-year-are-attributable-to-unhealthy-environments https://www.who.int/news/item/15-03-2016-an-estimated-12-6-m... Capitalism has a cost, and it's extremely high. Higher than any war in history.