I like your mom’s vision that we are going to all need hobbies because automation would essentially free the masses of our population from the drudgery of boring pointless jobs. It was not really what I though, but it is understandable based on the state of the work force many years ago. Workers were a valuable asset that has since then become a dispirited group of people desperate to work multiple jobs and live in overcrowded homes who are living in survival mode.
I remember when the company I worked for in Silicon Valley had open house day where my work area had machines proudly marked as “Allowing one person to do the work of ten!” Am I the only one that asked himself if nine people out of ten losing their jobs was a good thing? I should be a good thing. If for instance it meant that you would retain ten workers with full pay and benefits that would only have to work one day every two weeks. But that’s not what is is going to mean.
The UBI (Universal Basic Income) that you mentioned could be a good thing. If it meant that all of the basic needs of people, including housing, medical, food, education, and recreation were all considered to be basic human needs in a country that is filthy rich. UBI already exists in California IMHO, though the last several years have seen drastic reductions. I refer to the California prisons. If you could not make it in the world, had mental illness or simply had lack of social or job skills you could count on the simulated UBI of free room and board in a prison cell. A not so funny developement is the wholesale release of thousands of these criminals because ‘jailing people doesn’t work….is racist…costs a lot of money that could instead be used to [create unicorns and rainbows].’ My own assessment is that the powers that be know that the disadvantaged prey on the disadvantaged. Let the criminals out of jail! They aren’t going to bother anyone who counts.
I may be just a tad bit cynical, or a may just be not as inclined as most people to believe the “party line.” Another example of making life even more “basic” for the ugly people [not rich, working poor, mentally ill and disabled]. Is a rather innocent seeming law fairly recently passed, that made it a misdemeanor to steal anything worth under $950. I am particularly cynical about laws that tout “common sense” or “saving the public money” as motivators. Firstly I don’t see much common sense, and doubt its existence, and secondly how come cutting government services never seems to result in more money in my pocket? The services, whatever they may be are lost. There is little doubt of that. But do I seem any better off? So, until cutting some program is concurrent with me receive a big fat check for the money saved, I’ll just pass on it. But I digress.
The impact of the new trends in California’s new laws: What the greater than $950 to be a felony law means is that, in effect, you can probably steal anything from a poor person and it will simply result in being written a citation, which is never paid. But if you steal from a rich person you go to jail. This is textbook class warfare!
I not sure if you mentioned the cost, as a practical matter of AI (Artificial Intelligence) or other automated technologies. But I am seeing an interesting trend in law enforcement. People are actually being caught for burglaries, car theft. Even bike theft! This is happening because sophisticated alarm systems with cameras sending images to the cloud record burglars. Miniature GPS trackers let owners of stolen cars pinpoint their location on a map on their computer. Even Bicycles now can have tiny transponders in them that use cell phone towers, and even other peoples smart phones to give the location of a stolen bike. So basically, the wealthy have the technology and the law on their side. The poor don’t have the right to be a victim of theft.
I am pretty confused/concerned with trends. These are just the tip of the iceberg. But the over riding question, and the reason I now follow you, Caitlin, is a simple question. Is the problem that the system doesn’t work, because of procedural problems that could be fixed. Or do we have a system that simply cannot work. I am, as the fiction character Roy Batty once said, “…a man who likes to stay put.” But we live in a scary time.
I wish I had some advice to give people. Since the wealthy control, by proxy, the armed forces. I don’t see ugly people as every having any meaningful control over their lives again. And most of the beautiful people are vulnerable too. The litmus test, I suppose, is if you have law enforcement, judges, and congressmen in your pockets. If the answer is no…you may be ugly too someday soon!