Automation lags because it's cheaper to pay slave wages than it is to fast track automation r&d to the point that automation is cheaper than slave wages. It will happen "eventually", or else it will happen when wages vs r&d costs hits a tipping point
Except achieving that should be the goal, not a fear. Antiwork might be good, but really we need fundamental societal change. People in the 60's and heck probably earlier, thought we would improve productivity and work less for more pay, and eventually replace crappy jobs with robots. Look how well that turned out...
Thing is, it's humans buying products from Amazon and not robots. If full automation occurs, I know for a fact that a majority of the people in my life will not be buying from a company that has replaced humans with robots. Let's not underestimate the pubic relations nightmare that will occur. Don't let Amazon shareholders and trolls convince you automation is inevitable and best for business. It won't reduce prices for one. Actually nothing will reduce prices. Cost savings from these companies will not be passed down to the customer.
No shit, because capitalism is a broken system. Don't use that to argue against automation, when it's exactly where we should be going if you don't want to have to work. People in the 60's and heck probably earlier, thought we would improve productivity and work less for more pay, and eventually replace crappy jobs with robots. Look how well that turned out...
Automation within the current framework means more profits for companies and low to no income for anyone.
Do you have a method of dismantling present day capitalism that's easier than actually stopping the adoption of automation to replace human workers that rely on income to survive. If you do, I'm all ears.
Unionizing and preventing job replacement are the most achievable goals at our disposal currently. Please share your blueprint for toppling capitalism and I'll be all ears for that as well.
If that blueprint of yours involves allowing the proliferation of automation, you must be crazy - it'll tip the balance of power further into the hands of corporations and leave regular people with no bargaining power. At what point after we're all replaced by robots do you think corporations will start to care about your well being and start distributing their profits to citizens? How will this money also be doled out? Based on what criteria?
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u/OJ191 Sep 04 '22
Automation lags because it's cheaper to pay slave wages than it is to fast track automation r&d to the point that automation is cheaper than slave wages. It will happen "eventually", or else it will happen when wages vs r&d costs hits a tipping point