Re: [Vo]:Another article about the impact of automation on employment

[a.ashfield]

Edmund Storms wrote: "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."

Basic support to the unemployed won't do it.That doesn't allow for the 
market of luxuries that gradually improve the standard of living and 
civilization in general.There are some possibilities in a much shorter 
working week, much earlier retirement and a direct payment to every 
individual from the government.The problem is the transition and from 
where the government would get the money for the change.There are very 
few ways that fit within the current cultural and political framework in 
the US.So like the Chinese proverb says:"Interesting times."