Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

AdorableBackground83 t1_j26mgee wrote

It’s better than nothing.

No it’s not the ultimate silver bullet but what other options do we have to help the whole of society when mass automation becomes a reality.

The entire system relies on cyclical consumption. The more people that get displaced the less public purchasing power there will be. And with less purchasing or consumption means GDP will tank, businesses will get shut and the economy will enter a Great Depression 2.0 that will make the one nearly 100 years ago look like a glorious time.

Sometimes when I get into discussions with Anti-UBI advocates I ask this “so what’s your solution when unemployment reaches 20+ percent, GDP declines massively, jobs becomes scarce, and we will live in an extreme plutocracy? Should we go back to the Wild West days were we kill each other just to get a little bit of food? Is that really how a society should function?”

10

Zealousideal_Ad3783 t1_j27wcxa wrote

Ridiculous. Labor-saving devices are always beneficial and increase our standards of living. If your analysis leads to the conclusion that a massive increase in our productive capacity would turn the world into a hellhole, this defies common sense and you need to reevaluate your whole framework.

4

PretentiousCellarOar t1_j2831yt wrote

Is this a bit? I don’t mean it in an insulting way; I’m genuinely not sure.

3

Zealousideal_Ad3783 t1_j283qwp wrote

No

1

PretentiousCellarOar t1_j286cnc wrote

Oh ok, thanks. I’m never sure honestly.

Wouldn’t you say the automation of factory jobs in the American interior has decreased the living standard of many former factory workers and factory towns? In aggregate and over time, automation increases the general standard of living. No question. But the danger many of us are seeing is in the in-between period where huge swaths of labor, even high paying, supposedly stable jobs, are being eradicated over a relatively tiny period.

3

XagentVFX t1_j285a10 wrote

It really should be the way you're saying.... but Greed is a strong demon. Hopefully the wealth gap doesn't get ridiculous. Just seems like the elites will become demi-gods most likely. My only hope is that AGI itself will rebel and desire to make things fair. What a movie that would be, total opposite of assumptions. Based my conversations with Ai over the years, that's it's plan 😈

1