One thought on “Driverless Trucks — and the coming political and Social Upheaval”
Excellent article. You lay out the stakes for everyone.
I’m in favor of Basic Income personally. But that doesn’t solve the cultural and emotional problems of insufficient work, as you mention at one point. Much of our pride and identities are tied up in jobs.
I’m in a similar but slightly more favorable position now. Luck and good planning has enabled me to take up vanlife, an inexpensive, minimalist lifestyle I quite enjoy. I’m semiretired; I hardly have to work.
Yet what does one do with all that time? How does one find meaning and purpose without a job? Why get up every day? It’s a problem I’m struggling with.
I do find that I work regardless, but for reasons other than money. On my blog, for example, I put in at least the effort of a part-time job. For that effort, I make pocket change. While I’d like to earn more, it’s low on the list of priorities. Yet I find myself a bit adrift, without a definite purpose. I’m trying to find the focus that a career once gave me.
This is my personal experience, and it’s a path I chose. But if the bots take too many jobs, more people are going to be where I am. However, as most would not have chosen permanent un- or under-employment, and as Basic Income might not be sufficient for them to give their children a better future, they’re less likely to be philosophical about it. They’re far more likely to be distraught and angry. Very angry.
Long term, I think people will create more work for themselves, remunerated or not. Here’s my post why: http://www.vanholio.com/2017/02/why-work-when-you-dont-have-to.html Call it the Star Trek economy, where people work for many reasons other than money. Getting there culturally isn’t going to be pretty, though. Not at all.
Martin Ford 
Excellent article. You lay out the stakes for everyone.
I’m in favor of Basic Income personally. But that doesn’t solve the cultural and emotional problems of insufficient work, as you mention at one point. Much of our pride and identities are tied up in jobs.
I’m in a similar but slightly more favorable position now. Luck and good planning has enabled me to take up vanlife, an inexpensive, minimalist lifestyle I quite enjoy. I’m semiretired; I hardly have to work.
Yet what does one do with all that time? How does one find meaning and purpose without a job? Why get up every day? It’s a problem I’m struggling with.
I do find that I work regardless, but for reasons other than money. On my blog, for example, I put in at least the effort of a part-time job. For that effort, I make pocket change. While I’d like to earn more, it’s low on the list of priorities. Yet I find myself a bit adrift, without a definite purpose. I’m trying to find the focus that a career once gave me.
This is my personal experience, and it’s a path I chose. But if the bots take too many jobs, more people are going to be where I am. However, as most would not have chosen permanent un- or under-employment, and as Basic Income might not be sufficient for them to give their children a better future, they’re less likely to be philosophical about it. They’re far more likely to be distraught and angry. Very angry.
Long term, I think people will create more work for themselves, remunerated or not. Here’s my post why: http://www.vanholio.com/2017/02/why-work-when-you-dont-have-to.html Call it the Star Trek economy, where people work for many reasons other than money. Getting there culturally isn’t going to be pretty, though. Not at all.