The next few decades and the end of work (v2)

Generali

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v37/n05/john-lanchester/the-robots-are-coming

It’s also worth noting what isn’t being said about this robotified future. The scenario we’re given – the one being made to feel inevitable – is of a hyper-capitalist dystopia. There’s capital, doing better than ever; the robots, doing all the work; and the great mass of humanity, doing not much, but having fun playing with its gadgets. (Though if there’s no work, there are going to be questions about who can afford to buy the gadgets.) There is a possible alternative, however, in which ownership and control of robots is disconnected from capital in its current form. The robots liberate most of humanity from work, and everybody benefits from the proceeds: we don’t have to work in factories or go down mines or clean toilets or drive long-distance lorries, but we can choreograph and weave and garden and tell stories and invent things and set about creating a new universe of wants.

The full article is well worth a read.

purch

You never know.

In 500 years they may have managed to get the software working to roll out Universal Credit across the whole country.

System

CLAPTON wrote: »

why would an elite who have everything care whether I too have more than I need?

I share the same free air as the elite : they don't seem to resent that

People in well-paid jobs generally do resent others on benefit who have no jobs. What will happen when only 10% of the population is needed to generate all the wealth we need, and the 90% live a life of leisure? I can't see the 10% agreeing to that.


Try building your hovel too close to one of the elite and you will find they bitterly resent your encroachment on "their" air.

chucknorris

cells wrote: »

Why have a robit wipe your !!!! when you can grow yourself a new body

as long as 40 years ago, full head transplants were proven possible.

A monkeys head was cut off and put onto the body of a second monkey and it lived for 11 days before the body rejected the head.

I heard that it didn't die, it moved to Loughton and is still alive and well, and thrives on a diet of gin and tonic.

Loughton_Monkey

chucknorris wrote: »

I heard that it didn't die, it moved to Loughton and is still alive and well, and thrives on a diet of gin and tonic.

A somewhat over-simplified view.

Yes, the gin & tonic is an essential part of my diet. But don't forget my rugged diet of toast in the morning, and the occasional Devon clot-cream tease.

Despite this doom-laden thread, I remain optimistic. Personally, I don't mind the prospect of earning my very comfortable living from a bunch of robots creating the wealth for me. It's not dissimilar to sitting here in comfort (as I'm told) being fully subsidised by the oppressed and exploited 'younger generation'.

At least the robots don't keep whinging about it. Bring it on.

.... I shall make it trebles tonight... :rotfl: