Our Automated Future, and the Resulting Social Reforms

[Yvaelle]

I'd like to start a discussion on the increasing use of automation to replace human labour, with the hope of predicting the resulting social reforms that will occur due to the replacement of labour in our society.

First let me set the scene, so that we have a shared understanding of where we are currently - and where we are likely to go in the next decade:

1. Today, autonomous mine trucks are beginning to replace labour at major mines globally. Automation packages have reached a price-point which pays itself off over hiring a driver in about a year - which means we should expect that a decade from now, all major mines will be fully automated: likely reducing on-site labour in the global mining sector by 90-95% (on-site mechanics remaining until we can automate repairs, so maybe a decade longer).

2. Today, automated farming robots are poised to replace farm labour as well - with a price point that can compete with minimum wage workers. However, this industry is poised to take a significant leap in the next generation of machines - which will likely prove significantly better than humans at farm labour for cost.

3. The stock market is controlled largely by algorithmic scripting today, rudimentary computer intelligence that can already vastly outperform day traders to the point where day trading is no longer really a thing: you just watch the computer do your work for you. At some point, the heads of these companies will realize they can probably fire everyone but the robots - this is an example of an educated and skilled labour position disappearing.

4. Complex surgeries are poised to be replaced by miniature robots in the next decade, making even highly-skilled roles such as Surgeons replaceable in the years to follow.

This describes where we are today - and where we will be at the dawn of tomorrow. The pattern should be clear, within our lifetimes we will watch the end of human labour. I'm not interested in mucking about with the details of predicting when and to what degree each profession will become automated - I'd like to ask the Gen-OT community for help in predicting what the resulting social changes will likely occur both while labour dwindles, and once labour is eliminated.

Who are we (our sense of self) without jobs?

What will people do with their time?

What economic system will sufficiently distribute the wealth created by automatons?

We stand on the verge of a tipping point for the species, it could be a dark time of riots and starvation and revolution - but together I think we can brainstorm some of the solutions before any of that - and ease the transition. Past advances in technology greatly reduced the amount of labour needed to perform a task - but this I think is different - automation outsources the act of labour itself.

[Reg]

Watch those with a Liberal Arts degree take over the world!

[Templar 331]

The Animatrix history story comes to mind.

But in all seriousness, we will adjust. It will more than likely be rough, which is kind of sad seeing as machines are making our lives easier. We will just have to take it one step at a time.

[Deleted]

My job is safe, so I am happy.

[InDecisive]

We stand on the verge of a tipping point for the species, it could be a dark time of riots and starvation and revolution - but together I think we can brainstorm some of the solutions before any of that - and ease the transition.

And we'll do it here, on the MMO-Champion forum.

[Yvaelle]

And we'll do it here, on the MMO-Champion forum.

What better place than here? What better time than now? *wink*

[Zoaric]

More and more of the world will become almost exclusively consumers, I think.

And as to what people will do with their spare time, I certainly don't speak for everyone,
but I could see many of the people I know continuing on with their lives in a similar fashion
that they do now. That is to say, working with their animals, crafting things, camping, hunting,
etc.

[McFrotton]

Working in telecom.....and people will still work on this job for the next 200 years....damn we were supposed to be less outside with the robots in the central office....they are removing the bots as we speak and our number (telecom tech) has risen by 200% in the last 3 years from about 800 technician in the province of Quebec to a new high of 1700 and it continue to rise each year.

- - - Updated - - -

More and more of the world will become almost exclusively consumers, I think.

Stock market will need to go away someday. This shit will bust so hard.

[Karaoke]

Who are we (our sense of self) without jobs?

This is a really good question. I can't speak for everyone but I'd like to think that we'd eventually transition into a society where people are free to pursue their interests. I think we'd also see a more community driven society than we do today as people would have more time to spend with others without having to be consumed with providing for their immediate family. Probably the best comparison I could make would be the retirement communities that exist today.

[Kraenen]

I think most people will be lost for a cause. A lot of people just don't have much purpose in life and having a job is really the only thing keeping them going. Maintenance jobs won't sufficiently replace these ones, as they are derivative. It all depends on who has the means of production: the people/workers, or the establishment. If the former we'll be fine, if the latter we'll probably go through some kind of neo-feudalism where the majority are just consumers and have no real chance for self-determination.

[Zoaric]

Who are we (our sense of self) without jobs?

This is a really good question. I can't speak for everyone but I'd like to think that we'd eventually transition into a society where people are free to pursue their interests. I think we'd also see a more community driven society than we do today as people would have more time to spend with others without having to be consumed with providing for their immediate family. Probably the best comparison I could make would be the retirement communities that exist today.

This actually might happen, granted there'd be some differences, but it'd be cool if we
did transition to a sort of Star Trekkian society- with most needs provided for and wants
being things bartered for.

[Elegiac]

This actually might happen, granted there'd be some differences, but it'd be cool if we
did transition to a sort of Star Trekkian society- with most needs provided for and wants
being things bartered for.

Barter is an inherently inefficient means of exchange. Currency will still be a think, but more than likely we'd have to come up with a system for furnishing people with currency beyond basic needs.

[Deleted]

Who are we (our sense of self) without jobs?

What will people do with their time?

Happy.

And independent.

Don't you think it'd be a bit troubling if people didn't know what to do with their lives if they don't have to get up in the morning and work for somebody who will make more money than them anyway?

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

I'll be designing the system that drives the robots and being paid many thousands of euros per month to do so, so I'm not worried about being put out of a job when that happens some years in the future.

[Kraenen]

Happy.

And independent.

Don't you think it'd be a bit troubling if people didn't know what to do with their lives if they don't have to get up in the morning and work for somebody who will make more money than them anyway?

That's exactly what most people go through. And yes, it is troubling. But it's also easy to ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist.

[xChurch]

Basically we need a Star Trek type mental evolution where we forgo money and the pursuit of material gain for a higher purpose of learning, exploration and the improvement of the species as a whole. Sadly we are far away from ever having this type of global apiphany.

[Deleted]

Basically we need a Star Trek type mental evolution where we forgo money and the pursuit of material gain for a higher purpose of learning, exploration and the improvement of the species as a whole. Sadly we are far away from ever having this type of global apiphany.

all it takes is a few more wars and/or catastrophes

[xChurch]

Meeting aliens would probably help us get our shit together as well.

[Zoaric]

Actually, I could definitely see people getting restless and going off of the new grid
so that they could instead work for their living, somewhat like the Amish or Mennonites-
some people just need to work so that they feel that they have a purpose.

Not to mention the people who will be too paranoid of being conned and being 'sheep'
that they'll go all super-hippy...

[Deleted]

I eagerly await the automation of hookers.