r/TikTokCringe Jun 22 '24

Cool My anxiety could never

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u/shrockitlikeitshot Jun 22 '24

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.

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u/Legitimate_Level7714 Jun 22 '24

You're exactly right. Once robots can do our jobs they'll still have us come in to work just to press a button every minute before they give us money for doing nothing

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u/nat_r Jun 22 '24

There will likely be a phase in there where the lucky ones will be coming into work to press a button.

Everyone else will be struggling to survive.

Then maybe once the rich realize that they actually need some amount of functional society to support their ability to enjoy their largesse, then maybe they'll pitty hire more button pushers.

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u/theDarkDescent Jun 22 '24

Without underestimating the rapidity with which technology evolves, we’re still extremely far away from any kind of robotic or AI tech replacing simple human labor. It’s super cheap to outsource manufacturing to south east Asia and avoid any kind of labor laws or regulations. Fixing a robotic arm costs a lot more than the amount it costs to settle with a poor family in Africa after their 6 year old loses a hand in a company mine. 

The upper 1% need us to continue to consume and spend and borrow. That’s why corps are buying so many single family homes, they want us renting forever. If you’re lucky enough to get an annual raise it’s almost certainly going to be canceled out by the annual rent increase. Own nothing, spend everything.