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    gilbertkittensKen Layne
    9/26/13 3:30pm

    In an awesome addition to this trend, the US military will replace it's soldiers with robots so that when we finally decide to rise up in revolution the soldiers killing us all into submission won't feel guilty about it. Yay!

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      e.nongilbertkittens
      9/26/13 4:02pm

      let me introduce you to the nypd... they would have no problem unloading on a citizens' uprising...

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      bella_sprucegilbertkittens
      9/26/13 4:04pm

      These'll be weaponized.

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    Escobar5000Ken Layne
    9/26/13 3:27pm

    Consumers can fight back with their purchasing power. If issues like deskilling/outsourcing matter to you, only buy from companies with high employment/that employ domestic workers/that give back to the community. For some, this might not be financially feasible, but for others, sometimes you have to purchase on principle rather than convenience.

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      gilbertkittensEscobar5000
      9/26/13 3:58pm

      At least until those noble companies go out of business because no one gives a shit and would rather just shop at walmart.

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    BearDownCBearsKen Layne
    9/26/13 3:19pm

    Short of letting economically unnecessary humans starve to death, we'll either need to socialize most property or have enormously confiscatory transfers that pay for people who don't work.

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      Malacoda, Recumbent on the Burning Sand.BearDownCBears
      9/26/13 4:27pm

      Or we could dust off the guillotines.

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      BearDownCBearsMalacoda, Recumbent on the Burning Sand.
      9/26/13 5:02pm

      That's not that sustainable, though.

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    LiberalInternationalismKen Layne
    9/26/13 3:19pm

    In economic terms, there is every reason for these enormous advances in productivity to result in enormous increases in the standard of living for all human beings (especially if we get population growth under control).

    But so far, they haven't, because the owners of capital have accumulated the lion's share of the windfall, while the rest of us continue to work long ours for no real gains in real income.

    We don't need to be afraid of robots; they should improve our lives. But only if the political reforms that will allow that massive increase in productivity to be shared with all take place.

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      AceOfSevensKen Layne
      9/26/13 3:24pm

      Technology has been eliminating jobs for as long as it's existed. The jobs it eliminates tend to be the more tedious, and frequently dangerous ones. This creates excess labor and capital to do things that weren't done before, which raises the standard of living. It's not like pre-industrial societies didn't have people at the top hoarding wealth. They were generally considerably worse than modern societies. Wealth gaps are created by politics, not technology.

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        BearDownCBearsAceOfSevens
        9/26/13 4:03pm

        Read Kevin Drum. I believe his assessment that this time it's different.

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      Lucid0neKen Layne
      9/26/13 5:00pm

      Robots are great and all, but they aren't invincible nor can they work indefinitely w/o maintenance.

      Robots will require maintenance, repair, and upgrades. People will still be needed to do these tasks, as well as designing software and hardware. The economy is shifting, no doubt, but that doesn't mean we will all be unemployed as a result.

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        bardwsoKen Layne
        9/26/13 4:01pm

        Cue the Revolution.

        This will create one of history's tipping points.

        Seriously the world is 4 meals at any one time away from revolt and civilization breaking down. Take away jobs that exist in a monied economy and you better have something to replace it. We are not Star Trek as we still believe in cash not talents.

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          dvdoffKen Layne
          9/26/13 4:10pm

          Not to worry, Ken! I'm sure there will still be work for shitty writers.

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            Francisco CaleroKen Layne
            9/26/13 3:36pm

            The future will end up like this if we persist relying on robots.

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              GrigoritheOctoKen Layne
              9/26/13 10:01pm

              And yet I still don't have a robot to pour me drinks when I get home. Science, where are you now?!

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