General Discussion

bklyncowgirl

(7,960 posts)

25. This is what utopian futurists used to predict when I was young.

Fri Jan 17, 2014, 01:13 PM

Jan 2014

Why not a shorter work week?

Why not more time for people to enjoy themselves and explore their dreams?

Why not a strong safety net that insures so that people know that they will not end up on the streets if something happens to their jobs.

Think about it. Someone who's working the traditional 40 hour week (or more if they're in management and are not subject to the labor laws or are stringing part time jobs together in order to make ends meet) would have more energy to do things that not only are enjoyable but which in the long run stimulate the economy, perhaps even create the next great technological advance.

This would take a great mind shift. Perhaps we need more creative people describing such a future in literature film and music in order to help people see that they can reach for a future that is not a choice between religio-corporate fascism and a communist dystopia.

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47% of today’s jobs could be automated in the next two decades [View all] phantom power Jan 2014 OP

I just read that, too. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #1

McDonald's yeoman6987 Jan 2014 #3

We can't all work at McDonalds. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #4

Actually, Kelvin Mace Jan 2014 #30

Don't fall into the Palin trap jmowreader Jan 2014 #37

I automated hamburgers is kind of cool. CFLDem Jan 2014 #6

I think the point is, "the next few decades" is the entire working lifetime for 1-2 generations. phantom power Jan 2014 #9

No shit. TheKentuckian Jan 2014 #13

We should do a work corp like during the depression. CFLDem Jan 2014 #17

I agree, we should phantom power Jan 2014 #22

You automated? I can believe that, LOL! bettyellen Jan 2014 #16

You can see what's happening all around us phantom power Jan 2014 #5

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2014 #12

Slow day at the library? hrmjustin Jan 2014 #14

Interesting.... MissMillie Jan 2014 #2

Don't look for funeral jobs. Funeral homes can also be automated jsr Jan 2014 #7

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2014 #8

Really? greatauntoftriplets Jan 2014 #10

David? David Brooks, is that you? phantom power Jan 2014 #11

Comparing Instagram to Kodak is stupid in the extreme jmowreader Jan 2014 #15

not really- they had an almost monopoly on sales/ service of consumer photography bettyellen Jan 2014 #18

that's exactly their point... phantom power Jan 2014 #19

This could be a good thing if we skimmed the scum off the top of our economy. hunter Jan 2014 #20

I agree... phantom power Jan 2014 #21

This is what utopian futurists used to predict when I was young. bklyncowgirl Jan 2014 #25

If I work fewer hours, I get paid less. I want more overtime, not less straight-time. NBachers Jan 2014 #32

Frankly I think that's too optimistic, there are going to be far more jobs eliminated than that n/t Fumesucker Jan 2014 #23

I'm interested to see how consumer-driven Capitalism continues . . . HughBeaumont Jan 2014 #24

They plan to sell to elites in China and India. bklyncowgirl Jan 2014 #26

It doesn't have to be consumer driven The2ndWheel Jan 2014 #31

I told you this once before and I'll tell you once again . . . . HughBeaumont Jan 2014 #33

The government will be forced to do the basic income thing at some point The2ndWheel Jan 2014 #34

I'm all for a Guaranteed Minimum Income. Even Milton Friedman suggested it. HughBeaumont Jan 2014 #36

Republican Agenda: Dismantle the social safety web in exactly 20 years-cuz librechik Jan 2014 #27

Oh and let the infrastructure go to hell so they can laugh at how many jobs librechik Jan 2014 #28

Productivity improvement without a strong mechanism to spread the benefit is a recipe for failure. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2014 #29

As a society we MUST address the needs of the people who used to have those jobs SoCalDem Jan 2014 #35