Woolygimp
Bronze Knight of the Realm
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When machines put 75% of our labor force out of work, and we all start receiving basic income via stipends, then that doesn't that change us to a Socialist/Communist society?
What will people start spending their time on? Increasingly entertaining games and media? Working to improve the environment? There will obviously still require people in the services industry, politics, and criminal justice system. Do they receive more money?
The impact machines will have on our economy really interests me. Also, what's to prevent overconsumption (which is already taking place)? People buy a lot of shit they don't need and it's placing undo pressure on our natural resources. When machines take over, production can technically only be limited by resources so we could literally very quickly run out if consumption isn't controlled.
Here's my post further down:
What will people start spending their time on? Increasingly entertaining games and media? Working to improve the environment? There will obviously still require people in the services industry, politics, and criminal justice system. Do they receive more money?
The impact machines will have on our economy really interests me. Also, what's to prevent overconsumption (which is already taking place)? People buy a lot of shit they don't need and it's placing undo pressure on our natural resources. When machines take over, production can technically only be limited by resources so we could literally very quickly run out if consumption isn't controlled.
Here's my post further down:
We already have examples of post-scarcity economies in history. Rome was a post-scarcity society. They handed out grain to all of the cities inhabitants, who were largely unemployed, and gave them free access to games that cost the state massive amounts of money. Bread and Circuses.
All the land was owned by the elite, all the labor done by slaves and soldiers. They literally had nothing to do except eat, sleep, and fuck, which they did.
Replace slaves and soldiers in that example with robots. Same thing. We'll have free food and media (to keep us entertained). In fact, there's a solution to the Fermi Paradox that states that once a society reaches a certain level, they stop expanding because they get far more enjoyment about of virtual reality. Basically, at a certain point anything they can do in real life can be -perfectly- replicated in a virtual environment, so there's no fucking point to actually living life.
Think about it. You want to enlist in Starfleet for adventure/exploration? Why? They can create an even more adventurous Galaxy for you to explore, while you don't risk your life when your anti-matter/warp engine inexplicably explodes like it does in every episode. Think about whatever you dreamed you want to be. You could do it, without the risk of death.
It actually makes sense as a solution to the Fermi Paradox. Why expand or conquer the Universe when you can literally do everything in virtual reality without having to die. The only reason to expand is redundancy, should your planet suffer a catastrophic disaster. But not enough to expand past a few solar systems.
That's the future.
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