On Jan 26, 2013, at 10:45 AM, a.ashfield wrote:
Interesting discussion. I have been writing about this for years
but it is good to see the main media is starting to pick it up. The
referenced article was rather unimaginative in places but noted the
basic question: “who is going buy all these nice goodies if they
are unemployed?”
This is obviously a basic question and the obvious answer is a form of
socialism. Money will have be extracted from the system to give basic
support to the unemployed and underemployed. As we know from sad
experience, when people are hungary and bored they gum up the system.
This consequence is not hard to predict. The US will be particularly
susceptible to this problem because of the irrational attitude toward
such social support held by people who call themselves Republicans and
libertarians.
The irrationality of humans is such that it is probably impossible
to see how this will play out.
If no attention is given to this problem, the consequences are easy to
see. We saw this happen in England when the machines put people out of
work in early 1800. They rioted and attempted to destroy the
machines. Now people have much better tools to do this than stones
and clubs.
Consider how fanatical religions may effect things. Consider the
Amish for example.
The Amish are not the problem, but I get your point. We have violent
religions now operating throughout the world and gumming up the works
for the reason I describe above.
There are a lot more Greenies who think we should go back to basics
no matter what. The majority doesn’t think about this at all and
just worries about getting or keeping food on the table.
As always.
Our politicians are not interested. I can’t even get a response
from my Congressman’s office on the subject.
Congress is out to lunch on so many subjects, this one is not even
close to their awareness.
So they have not started planning how to deal with what is likely to
happen. Although the transformation could happen fast I don’t
think it will without some dramatic crisis.
I agree.
Ed
