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It is inevitable that technological progress will continue to such an extent that computers and robots will take over not just the brute labor / blue collar work, but also massive swaths of the white collar work, too. They will, quite simply, put most of us out of a job. For the first time in human history, the vast majority of people will simply not be needed for any economic production.
The irony is that we harness capitalism to create this hyper-efficient future state, but once it's here...capitalism will no longer function. At first, what will happen is what we see today: more people increasingly live in poverty while a relative few hoard all the rewards. But soon after that, even the rich will discover that there simply are not enough income-generating humans to consume the goods they produce. The entire construct of "I work for a living so that I can spend money and support the economy" will go out the window; there just won't be a critical mass of people left in the cycle to make it work.
So what will be left? We'll be faced with attempting some form of socialism that has never succeeded on any broad scale. We'll need to find a new way to divide resources among societal members, one that is not based on direct work output...because hardly anyone will be doing the traditional concept of "work."
Of course, humans being what they are, those who hoarded the resources will be violently resistant to such a redistribution, and those who demand the shares will want ever more and more... So this ends poorly. Either we end up with a despot who rules with an iron fist, or else we end up with chaos and massive conflict. Given our technology, we have the capability to make that conflict our last.
People have who own the resources (industry) will ultimately have the final say as to what our government looks like. Currently, people are being brainwashed into thinking jobs are "given" to us and that we should be thankful that even if our lives are crappy that at least we have an iPhone. It'll be like that but exponential. People will find ways to be make themselves useful and the politicians and corporations will tell us how lucky we are to get a piece of the pie.
The OP is spot on. Its why I discuss basic income here. On the other hand, I dont know that socialism will be the end result, I think it might be a stage of it, but really its the libertarianism folks who may have the idea of what we could become. Libertarianism is one of those things that "in a perfect world sure" can work. And the growth in technology may make that possible. One can hope. But I think that we may have to go through a very socialist stage to get there.
There has never been correlation between labor saving tech and unemployment. In 1900 US unemployment was in the neighborhood of 5%. In 2000, after the invention of car to satellite, bullhorn to internet, unemployment was still in the neighborhood of 5%.
There has never been correlation between labor saving tech and unemployment. In 1900 US unemployment was in the neighborhood of 5%. In 2000, after the invention of car to satellite, bullhorn to internet, unemployment was still in the neighborhood of 5%.
Those inventions created employment opportunities. The new technology is eliminating employment opportunities.
My feeling is that the upper one half of a percent will not willingly give up their control. We can try legislating socialism - but they are the ones manipulating the strings of our politicians. Of course there will be the day where too many are out of work to buy the products produced by the modern technology. Then and only then will true change take hold.
I really don't think that it is good for humanity to be paid to do nothing. Our weight is high and the diseases that come with obesity are rising. I always thought of my job as my 'free' paid exercise program. What are we going to do if we don't have to work - eat and get fatter?
Past inventions also eliminated plenty of employment opportunities.
Technology invariably eliminates certain types of employment opportunities while creating others.
You're not understanding the basic premise, most people don't. Its one thing when technology makes a job easier for you, its another when it takes the job completely. We're talking about a machine that can run a business, perform nursing and doctor duties, drive mail to your front door, produce other machines that do the work etc. Its a thing that can do any job, thus eliminating humans from being necessary to do it.
The elite will kill off those who don't produce goods and services they need.
They even have a religion to rationalize it now: AGW.
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