[smoyer]

In the U.S.? - It was predicted that as jobs became automated, the population would "share the wealth" and we'd become a leisure society. What's really happened is that the economic gains have gone to a relatively small ultra-wealthy class. If things had worked as predicted, we'd have had to reduce our work week already due to a lack of work.

[maratd]

> we'd have had to reduce our work week already due to a lack of work.

This makes no sense.

It assumes some subset of required work. There is no required work. The work that is done is determined by demand for that work and the demand is determined by availability of resources (time, money, etc.).

If we have more resources, such as time, we won't just sit on our asses doing nothing. That makes no sense. We'll develop new desires, which will lead to new types of work. There will always be work and there will always be enough work to go around. It may be very different from the type of work we do now, but it will still be work and it will still be around.

[smoyer]

I'll agree that the original premise assumes that all jobs would be magically automated at the same rate.

[seoguru]

what kind of paid work? http://strikemag.org/bullshit-jobs/

[maratd]

> Ever had the feeling that your job might be made up? That the world would keep on turning if you weren’t doing that thing you do 9-5?

Who said that every job needs to be super-duper-important and that you need to change the world with every breath you take? That's some new-age bullshit right there.

If you're getting paid, it means someone is deriving value from your work. There are no bullshit jobs.