Actually it is a far worse problem. Since the dawn of civilization the overall social structure of man has been a master-slave relationship. This social structu

Actually it is a far worse problem. Since the dawn of civilization the overall social structure of man has been a master-slave relationship. This social structure still dominates the world. While things have improved from the worst periods such as ancient slavery and the industrial boom, for the most part all that has changed is the means by which it is orchestrated. On the positive side many of our advances have allowed for greater gradations in this structure, creating many "relative masters", aka the middle class. But still most people are more slave than master. We have managed to trick people into thinking there are no slaves anymore because they get wages and can, if they wish, leave and find a new job. But the truth is much more limited than you probably understand. That reality is only applicable to the middle class of, so called, first world nations. But even the middle class is in a partial slave relationship. And the master side of that equation, whether in slave-wage countries or middle class countries, is entrenched. The powers that be will not give it up willing. So there is also this pressure to prevent automation from displacing workers in any positive way, i.e. a way which would erode the master class. Of course, it is ultimately inevitable, but the result make be uglier than anyone would ever imagine --the masters may just eliminate the slaves when they are no longer needed. They may not even do it consciously. They will sell you (and themselves) on the idea, to be sure. And we won't know it is even happening. Those "other" people will be a problem, for whatever reason (related to the simple fact the they no longer have a stable economic role in society) and they will have to be "dealt with". Eventually of course, you could become one of those "other" people. Interestingly some of those "other" people will slip through the nets and I believe we may see the birth of a new sort-of "wild man" in small pockets of the world, who no longer live as part of modern society, and which modern society just ignores.