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I disagree about people working fewer hours. Work that used to be performed by humans has already been automated to a large degree. Rather than a uniform reduc

by tspike 13y ago

I disagree about people working fewer hours. Work that used to be performed by humans has already been automated to a large degree. Rather than a uniform reduction in hours, the result appears to be a swelling class of unemployed and increasing hours worked by those who are employed. Those who have time do not have money and vice versa.

lutusp 13y ago
Yes, that's true, I wasn't extrapolating from present conditions, in which people really do work long hours, in many cases much longer than they need to. I was just imagining that people might suddenly realize they could have a lot more free time than they do now, without a serious decline in standard of living. But current events certainly argue against this idea -- if anything, on average people are working more hours now that they did in the past.
BjoernKW 13y ago
That's one of the main (first world, admittedly) problems of our time caused by stupid, backward work ethics (long hours == good; work efficiently so you can go home early == bad) and increasing life style expenses accompanying increasing income. These two aspects make sure the majority of people stays unfree and hence doesn't have enough time at their hands for useful work or projects. I'd say if we can manage to solve this problem we unleash tremendous potential for improving the human condition and life for everyone.
31reasons 13y ago
You are absolutely right. 40 hours/week is the standard that was set more than 100 years ago and is long due for an update. As long as there are groups of people competing against each other to get the bigger part of the pie, it will continue this way until there is a big movement similar to the following: From wiki: "The eight-hour day movement or 40-hour week movement, also known as the short-time movement, had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where industrial production in large factories transformed working life. The use of child labour was common. The working day could range from 10 to 16 hours for six days a week" We now need a 4-hour day movement. :)
touristtam 13y ago
Need to tackle wealth distribution first. Because that tale of a world mostly free of work has been told so many time, it is not funny anymore. That one man can earn more money in a day that some of us can in a year, makes the horde of consumer a salesman wet dream. Let's face it, we have a finite individual capital, that is kept as low as possible, and still continue to create more wealth as a society.

by tspike 13y ago

lutusp 13y ago

Yes, that's true, I wasn't extrapolating from present conditions, in which people really do work long hours, in many cases much longer than they need to. I was just imagining that people might suddenly realize they could have a lot more free time than they do now, without a serious decline in standard of living. But current events certainly argue against this idea -- if anything, on average people are working more hours now that they did in the past.

BjoernKW 13y ago

That's one of the main (first world, admittedly) problems of our time caused by stupid, backward work ethics (long hours == good; work efficiently so you can go home early == bad) and increasing life style expenses accompanying increasing income. These two aspects make sure the majority of people stays unfree and hence doesn't have enough time at their hands for useful work or projects. I'd say if we can manage to solve this problem we unleash tremendous potential for improving the human condition and life for everyone.

31reasons 13y ago

You are absolutely right. 40 hours/week is the standard that was set more than 100 years ago and is long due for an update. As long as there are groups of people competing against each other to get the bigger part of the pie, it will continue this way until there is a big movement similar to the following: From wiki: "The eight-hour day movement or 40-hour week movement, also known as the short-time movement, had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where industrial production in large factories transformed working life. The use of child labour was common. The working day could range from 10 to 16 hours for six days a week" We now need a 4-hour day movement. :)

touristtam 13y ago

Need to tackle wealth distribution first. Because that tale of a world mostly free of work has been told so many time, it is not funny anymore. That one man can earn more money in a day that some of us can in a year, makes the horde of consumer a salesman wet dream. Let's face it, we have a finite individual capital, that is kept as low as possible, and still continue to create more wealth as a society.