General Discussion

HughBeaumont

(24,461 posts)

4. Well, it kind of is when there are no apparent "next big things" on the horizon to employ people.

Thu Jan 24, 2013, 09:47 AM

Jan 2013

You know, that phenomenon that kind of needs to exist in order for a consumer economy to continue and not crash to a screeching and catastrophic halt?

Unless you have some magic solution that allows businesses to function and profit without the need for that pesky "additional business", that is.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

39 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

imagining a future where machines have all the jobs [View all] xchrom Jan 2013 OP

This is not a new concern. Nye Bevan Jan 2013 #1

Well, it kind of is when there are no apparent "next big things" on the horizon to employ people. HughBeaumont Jan 2013 #4

Easy: higher taxation and spending on socially-important jobs that the market doesn't provide Recursion Jan 2013 #12

Yep. Pretty much everything that can be invented, has been invented. (nt) Nye Bevan Jan 2013 #24

Oh Christ on a fucking stick, that's not what I'm saying at all. HughBeaumont Jan 2013 #34

If there's no scarcity of labor Chathamization Jan 2013 #36

This is based on the fallacy that there's a finite amount of work to be done Recursion Jan 2013 #2

There's a finite amount of drudge work to be done Fumesucker Jan 2013 #5

There are a lot of children that need to be taught and elders that need to be cared for Recursion Jan 2013 #11

There will be machines, robots, doing a lot of this stuff sooner than we expect Fumesucker Jan 2013 #17

Machines don't do work tama Jan 2013 #26

The reason I come online for discussion is because no one in my community is interested in ideas Fumesucker Jan 2013 #29

Err... a machine is an object that transforms energy into work Recursion Jan 2013 #33

OK tama Jan 2013 #37

Well, it sure took my job away... and it was a creative job thecrow Jan 2013 #30

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that creative type jobs would also be under siege from machines Fumesucker Jan 2013 #35

There has to be demand for the labor madville Jan 2013 #6

So when farming became automated, more people could work in factories Recursion Jan 2013 #8

And then those factories went to China madville Jan 2013 #14

It's devastating also on global level tama Jan 2013 #28

Like this? Mr Dixon Jan 2013 #3

the nature of 'work' is changing. nobody that matters cares. KG Jan 2013 #7

+1 xchrom Jan 2013 #10

I've heard this one all my life MindPilot Jan 2013 #9

Maybe for now but you still gloss over the drastic reduction in actual labor demand. TheKentuckian Jan 2013 #25

I have, too. That's why I always call b.s. on it. duffyduff Jan 2013 #32

Where's Zalatax? Capt. Obvious Jan 2013 #13

Player Piano... madrchsod Jan 2013 #15

First thing I thought of. sadbear Jan 2013 #27

The world needs ditch diggers too madville Jan 2013 #16

Then imagine a world where nobody buys anything the robots make lunatica Jan 2013 #18

Why wouldn't stuff made by robots be free? Recursion Jan 2013 #20

It could happen if even CEOs, managers and bosses were replaced by robots too lunatica Jan 2013 #22

Automating jobs? jambo101 Jan 2013 #19

But you're now making it so cheaply you don't have to "sell" it Recursion Jan 2013 #21

I'm sure it'll have positives and negatives, like everything else The2ndWheel Jan 2013 #23

Never happen to any great degree duffyduff Jan 2013 #31

When I first entered the workforce, automation was a big threat. MindPilot Jan 2013 #38

Some possible benefits of technology: Dash87 Jan 2013 #39