Rich People, Robots: Are we Effed?

[IMADreamer]

Humans aren't very good at sharing. We see these problems in our own country, but it's far worse elsewhere.

It's easy to picture the necessity of our sharing system to change, even radically pretty soon. The problem is the people that need to make the most change have the least incentive and most power to do so.

SOME humans aren't. It is obvious from the complexity of our social organization that in the not too distant past (from an evolutionary standpoint) humans learned how to help each other improve their collective lot and progress.

Although I sympathize with it and fight it every day, I am getting really tired of the cynicism and numbed helplessness of so much of current American thought.

I understand, but what the hell do you do to fight it? When someone else holds all the cards there isn't much you can do. I realize I've done better then an awful lot of people in my life but I'm not rich. I'd love to somehow balance the playing field and improve life for everyone but I sure the hell can't do it. I don't even see how to do it unless all the sudden all the congressmen decide they are for the people and not the rich or the masses decide to rise up and make the streets red with the blood of the ruling class.

Neither of those will happen.

What do you do?

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Humans aren't very good at sharing. We see these problems in our own country, but it's far worse elsewhere.

It's easy to picture the necessity of our sharing system to change, even radically pretty soon. The problem is the people that need to make the most change have the least incentive and most power to do so.

SOME humans aren't. It is obvious from the complexity of our social organization that in the not too distant past (from an evolutionary standpoint) humans learned how to help each other improve their collective lot and progress.

Although I sympathize with it and fight it every day, I am getting really tired of the cynicism and numbed helplessness of so much of current American thought.

I understand, but what the hell do you do to fight it? When someone else holds all the cards there isn't much you can do. I realize I've done better then an awful lot of people in my life but I'm not rich. I'd love to somehow balance the playing field and improve life for everyone but I sure the hell can't do it. I don't even see how to do it unless all the sudden all the congressmen decide they are for the people and not the rich or the masses decide to rise up and make the streets red with the blood of the ruling class.

Neither of those will happen.

What do you do?

I'm thinking...

[docellis]

I was listening to a piece on NPR a few days ago about a billionaire's TED Talk. The billionaire was warning other plutocrats that the pitchforks are coming, We are in the midst of the onset of an uprising that will arrive - unless we find a more equitable way to live. He kept referencing the French revolution. It was really interesting.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I was listening to a piece on NPR a few days ago about a billionaire's TED Talk. The billionaire was warning other plutocrats that the pitchforks are coming, We are in the midst of the onset of an uprising that will arrive - unless we find a more equitable way to live. He kept referencing the French revolution. It was really interesting.

Of course, it's already started. Just look at the past couple years. There's been the Occupy Wall Street, er, [insert city name here]. There's been the Ferguson protests that have turned into protests nationwide for Ferguson and a lot of other incidents. There's the teaparty movement, which at its root I'd argue is a form of protest against the status quo. Anonymous has become a household name. The Protester has been Time's person of the year in what 2011 and was a runner up in 2014. Etc etc etc.

People are getting more and more restless and while it hasn't come to a head, yet, if things continue to the point proposed in this thread of a few uber wealthy and a lot of out of work people, it will. And, if it does, there's not much that will stop it. If there is a well-organized middle-class/lower-class militia....good luck stopping that. And, with the ability to communicate now, sheesh, it wouldn't take much but a lot more unrest.

Imo.

[pioneer98]

From that Pew article summary, one of the reasons listed to be hopeful was:

3. Technology will free us from day-to-day drudgery, and allow us to define our relationship with “work” in a more positive and socially beneficial way.

People have been predicting this for decades. Due to productivity gains, someday, we won't have to work 40 hours per week to make a living. Ha. We still don't even give women paid time off after they have a kid. It's like the sign in the bar that says "Free beer tomorrow". Things will always be better in "the future".

[pioneer98]

I was listening to a piece on NPR a few days ago about a billionaire's TED Talk. The billionaire was warning other plutocrats that the pitchforks are coming, We are in the midst of the onset of an uprising that will arrive - unless we find a more equitable way to live. He kept referencing the French revolution. It was really interesting.

Was it possibly this guy? This was posted in another thead a while back. It is a pretty fascinating read.

The Pitchforks Are Coming...For Us Plutocrats

A mini-rant: Bill Clinton has said raising the minimum wage is one of the best things we can do for the economy because you know that 100% of that money will be spent. People on the minimum wage don't save a dime, they spend every penny. Yet it is politically shaky to propose a minimum wage increase. Meanwhile, Apple has so much cash in savings, they don't even know what to do with it all. So they are spending $848 million to put up a giant solar array in California to power their headquarters. This is good and cool for the environment and everything, but man, for that kind of money you sure could move a lot of Foxconn/China jobs back onshore. And the kicker is, that barely put a dent in Apple's cash! Believe it or not, some people say Apple has a stockpile of $160 billion....or technically I guess it's "cash and short-term securities".

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

Apple made the point on their last earnings call that they lost more money in currency fluctuations than google earned. Which....is an amazing thought.

[MrSaigon]

I was listening to a piece on NPR a few days ago about a billionaire's TED Talk. The billionaire was warning other plutocrats that the pitchforks are coming, We are in the midst of the onset of an uprising that will arrive - unless we find a more equitable way to live. He kept referencing the French revolution. It was really interesting.

Was it possibly this guy? This was posted in another thead a while back. It is a pretty fascinating read.

The Pitchforks Are Coming...For Us Plutocrats

A mini-rant: Bill Clinton has said raising the minimum wage is one of the best things we can do for the economy because you know that 100% of that money will be spent. People on the minimum wage don't save a dime, they spend every penny. Yet it is politically shaky to propose a minimum wage increase. Meanwhile, Apple has so much cash in savings, they don't even know what to do with it all. So they are spending $848 million to put up a giant solar array in California to power their headquarters. This is good and cool for the environment and everything, but man, for that kind of money you sure could move a lot of Foxconn/China jobs back onshore. And the kicker is, that barely put a dent in Apple's cash! Believe it or not, some people say Apple has a stockpile of $160 billion....or technically I guess it's "cash and short-term securities".

...or not dodge taxes.

[pioneer98]

Apple made the point on their last earnings call that they lost more money in currency fluctuations than google earned. Which....is an amazing thought.

That's mind blowing.

Microsoft still has something like $85 billion stored away, too.

[Diddy]

If heir is no one with money to buy the products what does it matter? I didn't read the article so maybe it addresses it, but don't you have to have someone to buy your product.