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This is the future that awaits millions more as automation marches forwards.

arrrg 12y ago
Rethinking capitalism seems like the only option, then. (Well, this shouldn’t be surprising … it’s been happening ever since the start of the industrial solution. Markets are pretty awesome and can be extremely useful, no doubt. However, I would transition to just seeing them as a useful tool that can be more effective than potential alternatives in certain situations. Just not the be all, end all, that’s it. Seems simple enough to me, and also already the accepted truth, more or less, pretty much everywhere anyway, if you look at practical implementations of economies.)
- sukilot 12y ago
  There will always be plenty of useful jobs to do, if there is money given to fund it: picking up litter, gardening public spaces, TSA, etc
jokoon 12y ago
Not necessarily. A tax increase for the largest corporation might create opportunity to create smaller businesses. Automation doesn't mean people have to live by it, on the contrary, we could still try to live away from large cities, and thrive by improving life standards. There is so much more thing to do in more rural, less populated areas now that technology is there. The current problem is the anti competitiveness, that's what ruining young people: most of them just stick to the cities, where it's easier to be poor.
- soylentcola 12y ago
  I dunno about all that. I've been poor in a rural area and it was much, much easier to get by. I could rent a crappy apartment on a minimum wage and stuff was cheap in general. I've since moved to the city precisely because I'm making more money now and it's where the jobs are but I'd never survive on my old salary from 15 years ago when I was broke. People stick to the cities because it's more efficient to live in proximity to work and social circles than to spend all of your spare time driving or just missing out because there's nothing around you.

arrrg 12y ago

Rethinking capitalism seems like the only option, then. (Well, this shouldn’t be surprising … it’s been happening ever since the start of the industrial solution. Markets are pretty awesome and can be extremely useful, no doubt. However, I would transition to just seeing them as a useful tool that can be more effective than potential alternatives in certain situations. Just not the be all, end all, that’s it. Seems simple enough to me, and also already the accepted truth, more or less, pretty much everywhere anyway, if you look at practical implementations of economies.)

sukilot 12y ago
There will always be plenty of useful jobs to do, if there is money given to fund it: picking up litter, gardening public spaces, TSA, etc

jokoon 12y ago

Not necessarily. A tax increase for the largest corporation might create opportunity to create smaller businesses. Automation doesn't mean people have to live by it, on the contrary, we could still try to live away from large cities, and thrive by improving life standards. There is so much more thing to do in more rural, less populated areas now that technology is there. The current problem is the anti competitiveness, that's what ruining young people: most of them just stick to the cities, where it's easier to be poor.

soylentcola 12y ago
I dunno about all that. I've been poor in a rural area and it was much, much easier to get by. I could rent a crappy apartment on a minimum wage and stuff was cheap in general. I've since moved to the city precisely because I'm making more money now and it's where the jobs are but I'd never survive on my old salary from 15 years ago when I was broke. People stick to the cities because it's more efficient to live in proximity to work and social circles than to spend all of your spare time driving or just missing out because there's nothing around you.