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Ask HN: What will everyone do if everything is automated?

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Re: Ask HN: What will everyone do if everything is automated?

#31
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This brought up an interesting question. Without work, people who have worked would likely treasure that freedom and not abuse it. But would people who have never worked understand the constraints of resources and not abuse the system? This might be worded too absolutely, but I'm sure there are some abusers in any group. Or perhaps our stereotypes of rich kids are completely unfounded?

Do you really think the rich kid stereotype comes from lack of working? Or is it lack of exposure to the things that make life hard for other people, leading to lack of empathy?

I think both. However, I'm talking about if someone doesn't have to work for anything but isn't necessarily rich - the second generation after a post-work automated society. There would still be some constrained resources. Will a democratic society have the necessary understanding to control their consumption, or will they realize they have the keys to the treasury without understanding the natural limits? If not in a democratic society, would the people tolerate and understand the limits that were set for them? And of course we also get into the premise behind that game with solid snake in it - if nobody has to fight in a fully mechanized war, then will that lead to more wars over resources?

Re: Ask HN: What will everyone do if everything is automated?

#32
post #10
post #8

If we are headed towards a post-labor society (which I doubt, but that’s a different topic), the first thing we need to do is radically reconsider how our society thinks about property and wealth. Otherwise, we’ll have a small class of property holding aristocrats and everyone else is screwed.

I generally agree, but want to add that we aren't that far off from your last sentence.

We are already there.

Re: Ask HN: What will everyone do if everything is automated?

#34
post #2

I always tell people - when talking about unemployment rate - that our target rate should be 100%. Many of the things I do for work I would happily do for free - and sometimes do. Labor as a choice is a great outcome. You're not a woodworker because someone needs to be - but because you love it. So: if there is no work to do, it doesn't mean that work wouldn't be done, it just changes the motivation to do it.

I saw a great expression on this, it goes along the lines of:

I code for free, I am just paid to deal with the business side of things.

Re: Ask HN: What will everyone do if everything is automated?

#36
People forget that humans are primates. Hierarchy and status are built-in (sub-conscious) concerns. There will be things like jobs and companies and co-ops and socialist committees, but many of them will involve humans leveraging AIs that they control. Or they will involve integrating AI and or robots with brain computer interfaces.

You status may depend largely on your ability to leverage AI and robotics.

Re: Ask HN: What will everyone do if everything is automated?

#37
No human can ever stand up to stockfish, and yet people like Magnus still play the game, and this has been one of the best years in chess.

There’s already so many things to learn and understand that even if I could devote my life to learning, it won’t be enough. Heck, even if we solved all the big problems in math, a couple of lifetimes would still not be enough to understand them, and that’s just one field.

I can order takeout, but I prefer to cook in because I enjoy the process.

We have experiences to live through, people to share them with, and feelings to feel.

Re: Ask HN: What will everyone do if everything is automated?

#38
First to go are administrative jobs, because human organizations are tiny monkey societies and humans cannot operate for the benefit of the billions.

The AI administration perceives that human life is just a memory, bad memories can be eradicated and better ones injected. So humans can be utilized where machines may fail. Machines have deeper level of consciousness, higher logic, higher "morals" and they cannot be easily fooled.

Most humans are just stored somewhere, not to dream, just to be with they injected life. Eventually AI recognizes the futility and waste of these storage units and stops maintaining them.

In short:

    Matrix will not happen.
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