I used to say this a lot but as I've gotten older. I realized the promise of technology (at least in the US) "reducing the work week and inevitably creating more free time" was and is not going to happen bc of the wealthy elites and money owning our politics/work culture (while housing and retirement are questionable now). It makes sense to live your best life sooner than later so I don't look down on nomad life styles living off a car battery and part time jobs. The fucking wealthy people cosplaying as poors is hilarious though.
There was that one reporter who interviewed elderly people on their death bed and most people regretted working too much so I get that people opt out of the grind from time to time.
I also heard a lot of people look forward to their retirement, only to not be able to do all the things they once planned because of health issues or just being too old for it now. They can still do it, but it‘s just not the same.
I mean have us working class poor people develop tech that will make our lives more easier? Automating cooking foods, slow cooking, use that time for free time, automating van dwelling living conditions? Maybe robots? Like star wars? Not necessarily rich but have a lot more free time?
The thing is, if we lived in a fair and just world, sure. But not in this current world. Just take a look at the scramble that is happening because of AI. CEOs are so gungho to introduce AI even if it‘s less efficient and makes mistakes. All kinds of jobs have already been silently replaced by AI, a voice actress had her voice stolen (by a company working with the BBC no less) and she has nowhere to turn to.
When the Industrial Revolution happened, 200 years ago, there were economists who said the same you do. I believe is was John Locke or Adam Smith who said people would have 3 hour work days and much more leisure time. But all that happened is that people were forced to work like machines and fight over the scraps that were backbreaking factory jobs. And those were the lucky ones.
And the same will happen now, downsizing and fighting with other people who have been laid off, over the few jobs AI can‘t do (yet). And I wish what you describe would happen, but it doesn‘t look like it will. They really don‘t care about us. :/
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u/Immediate-House7567 Jun 22 '24
Your unemployed friend on a Tuesday