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Read this interesting essay written by DEREK THOMPSON
For centuries, experts have predicted that machines would make workers obsolete. That moment may finally be arriving. Could that be a good thing ?
The end of work is still just a futuristic concept for most of the United States, but it is something like a moment in history for Youngstown, Ohio, one its residents can cite with precision: September 19, 1977.
For much of the 20th century, Youngstown's steel mills delivered such great prosperity that the city was a model of the American dream, boasting a median income and a home ownership rate that were among the nation's highest. But as manufacturing shifted abroad after World War II, Youngstown steel suffered, and on that gray September afternoon in 1977, Youngstown Sheet and Tube announced the shuttering of its Campbell Works mill. Within five years, the city lost 50,000 jobs and $1.3 billion in manufacturing wages. The effect was so severe that a term was coined to describe the fallout: regional depression.
Youngstown was transformed not only by an economic disruption but also by a psychological and cultural breakdown. Depression, spousal abuse, and suicide all became much more prevalent; the caseload of the area's mental-health center tripled within a decade. The city built four prisons in the mid-1990s—a rare growth industry. One of the few downtown construction projects of that period was a museum dedicated to the defunct steel industry.
The future will tell us whether or not this pans out as he envisions. What does SN think will happen ?
Original Submission
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Thursday June 25 2015, @06:06PM
I haven't read Mana (actually the first I've hear of it) but in my imaginings, a post-scarcity world look a lot like the Culture in Ian M. Banks' book "Player of Games". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Player_of_Games [wikipedia.org] The story isn't about post-scarcity per se, but it is set in a world that is quite obviously that. It also deals with AI in a NOT sci-fear manner (one of the main characters is an AI). It's also a good read.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Thursday June 25 2015, @06:44PM
. There's a nice bit at the beginning of one of them - pretty sure it's ' look to windward' - that talks about 'work' and 'holiday' in their civilisation and other more ' primitive' societies like ours. Also a lovely bit in 'use of weapons' where a guy cleaning takes in a cafe explains why he bothers to work when he doesn't have to.
Also, this essay: vavatch.co.uk/books/banks/cultnote.htm
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Thursday June 25 2015, @06:46PM
Sorry, stupid phone browser ate half my post. That should have begun 'funny you should mention the culture because in one of the books, pretty sure it's look to windward,'
Also 'cleaning tables'
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Friday June 26 2015, @12:42AM
That's an awesome article -- thanks for the link. There are some deep ideas behind the Culture.
clicky: http://vavatch.co.uk/books/banks/cultnote.htm [vavatch.co.uk]