>From Jed: ...
> Human labor is now losing value. Robots and intelligent computers are > replacing human workers in many fields, including ones that people > previously thought could never be done by machines. Within 20 to 100 years, > human labor will be worthless. > As you have previously suggested, reading Lights in the Tunnel is definitely worth it. http://www.thelightsinthetunnel.com/ I suspect Jed's recent commentary is more in the future than the ones I'm about to suggest: There is considerable debate concerning how we will go about re-employing those displaced by the inevitable march of innovation and automation. LITT argues from the premise that surviving companies that continue to take advantage of automation and robotics may need to be taxed with something akin to a re-employment tax. Monies collected would be used to either pay the salaries of new kinds of jobs, jobs that have not yet manifested in today's society - or perhaps to fund the technical & cultural education of displaced workers. Some might cry "foul", that this smells of "socialism". But what of it? LITT also wonders if there will even be jobs, as perceived in the traditional sense, in the not too different future. If that turns out to be the case how do we then go about redistributing wealth in such a manner that everyone can buy services and resources. My own suspicion is that society through the inevitability of emergent behavior will eventually resolve such matters - and possibly even without all that much help from government meddling. In any case, while our generation can afford to prattle on on about such things, I suspect that this is something our grand children, great, and great-great grandchildren may have to start working out in earnest. Perhaps if I manage to come back as a new edition in another 100 years or so, I can get a job in theoretical research studying the subtle effects of quantum fluctuations. I think I might like to focus on mapping out the unpredictable choices these fluctuations are constantly making - their "psychology" so to speak. Perhaps my colleagues will also be studying why is it that quantum fluctuations remain so unpredictable, and is there any way one can consciously influence the choices they seem to be making? What if we can influence the decisions they are making? What then! Be careful what you ask for. Regards Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
