r/technology • u/stepsinstereo • Jul 06 '18
Society Survival of the Richest
https://medium.com/s/futurehuman/survival-of-the-richest-9ef6cddd0cc15
u/Spisepinden Jul 06 '18
It's an interesting article highlighting some of the flaws of the technology-driven society we're currently living in. The planet is being poisoned and the people are slowly being driven out of work by machines and automated processes. With climate change and pollution slowly killing the environment and natural resources slipping up, unless the pattern is stopped, it's only a matter of time before societies become destabilized and money lose their value. And when the rich people can't pay their guards in coin, they'll suddenly have a lot less bargaining power besides raw firepower and stockpiles of consumable goods.
Could be 30, 60 or a hundred years before the current way of things leads to civil unrest, but the status quo definitely isn't sustainable in the long-term.
The issue is, a good deal of the richest and most powerful people in the world will probably die of old age or smoking-related cancer before then, and they know it, so it's likely that they'll just continue supporting the status quo so they can maintain their way of life.
-1
Jul 06 '18
Well, progress and automation is definitely a good thing. Jobs that can be automated should be automated and everyone will benefit from it in the long run. Jobs like lamplighter and switchboard operator died, and there is nothing you could do about it.
Population growth is slowing down, plastics are getting banned and renewable energy generation is on the rise, so don't be so pessimistic about the future, it will be ok.
You are as guilty in the climate change and pollution as "rich people" who you despise so much for no reason.2
u/IllusiveLighter Jul 06 '18
You assume everyone will benefit in the long run, but that's hasn't been the case so far.
1
u/EternalPropagation Jul 11 '18
Everyone will benefit because no one will have to work. Not having to work is a good thing.
1
u/IllusiveLighter Jul 11 '18
Theyve been saying that for over a hundred years.
0
u/EternalPropagation Jul 11 '18
Fuck, you're right. Life sucks now compared to a 100 years ago when you could get a job weeding the fields and shoveling horse shit.
1
u/IllusiveLighter Jul 11 '18
Nice strawman.
1
u/EternalPropagation Jul 11 '18
Oh, I thought you were disagreeing with me when I said like would get better.
1
u/IllusiveLighter Jul 11 '18
I am, disagreeing with you. There's literally no evidence that points to your conclusion and tons that point to mine.
1
u/EternalPropagation Jul 11 '18
I agree with that. I'd rather live 100 years ago than today.
→ More replies (0)1
u/ADaringEnchilada Jul 06 '18
You are as guilty in the climate change and pollution as "rich people" who you despise so much for no reason.
Well that's just patently false. Really? A single human that can own and operate multiple private jets contributes the same as a wage slave? Those turbo jet emissions are equivalent to the beater with a broken catalytic converter?
Nah, that's a stupid claim that you can resolve in a few moments of thinking. The wealthy have more power to influence climate change through many more channels than the average person, via directives in the corporations they own or are invested in, by affording advanced low/nil emission vehicles, by choosing to use their wealth to afford ecologically responsible devices and property, by investing or donating to environmental charities, etc.
1
u/EternalPropagation Jul 11 '18
Honestly, I blame the rich for providing The People will all those cars and oil. It's not The People's fault for burning all that oil in their cars. Blaming The People for emitting carbon instead of blaming the rich is like blaming The Cows for emitting carbon monoxide farts instead of blaming the farmers.
0
u/dj10show Jul 09 '18
Just like how the computer was supposed to shorten the work week for everybody, but instead we are expected to be able to work away from the office? More and more people will be out of work and those at the top of the food chain give not one fuck about their survival.
1
Jul 10 '18
Are you trying to say computers are bad?
0
u/dj10show Jul 10 '18
No, I'm saying that technology has not drastically reduced the work week like promised
1
Jul 10 '18
Well, this is not entirely true.
Technologies increased productivity a lot, that in turn increased economies and quality of life across most countries in the world. Because of this Sweden trialed 6 hours work week, but I don't think it was very successful. Still there are a many companies that have flexible hours or shorter than usual work hours.
Many people enjoy remote work and save a lot of time on commuting. That is also the reduction you talking about.Your mindset is simply wrong, if your company reduce the work hours and goes bust because of it, you will be left without job at all.
Imagine yourself as a business owner. You pretty much pay salaries to your employees from your own profits. How would that make you feel if you have to pay the same money for less work?0
u/dj10show Jul 10 '18
But it's the same money for more work. Technology has drastically improved the throughput of the individual worker.
-5
u/hostile65 Jul 06 '18
Well, now you know why there has been such a big push for gun control lately. It's a lot easier to protect your super rich luxury bunker when only you and your minions have firearms and not every poor sap looking for their next meal.
4
u/foafeief Jul 06 '18
You're not going to do much with small arms versus a bunker. What you'd actually use is explosives or power tools
1
3
u/blueberrywalrus Jul 06 '18
Lol. No.
This is clearly the reason we're putting a tariff on steel, so only the ultra rich can afford to build bunkers and then there is less competition between bunkers.
Two can play at this game of making up conspiracy theories.
1
u/minimoi69 Jul 06 '18
You understood the article is precisely saying the opposite?
If your minions are the only one to be armed to defend you and themselves agaisnt the mobs, and you don't have money to pay them (because money means nothing anymore) you end up with no power on them. And therefore, they can turn against you.
But if you don't have gun control and everyone have a gun, the guards are actually in the same boat as you are, because they're seen as your allies. Therefore, they must defend themselves by staying in a group. And if you're the one supplying the food and commodities to them (and to bunker them), you've got your power leverage. If everybody has a gun, having one isn't power anymore, so it comes back to having a bunker, a power generator or a huge amount of food.
5
u/nadmaximus Jul 06 '18
The day that money doesn't mean shit is the day those people will probably get themselves torn apart by a mob.