[ModernMech]

You don’t have to go back to the 40s for an example. Plenty of unpaid work that benefits society is done today by Americans, including raising children, caring for the elderly, volunteering at a soup kitchen, and even getting an education.

Honestly it always surprises me to hear this on HN, the idea that work isn’t being done unless it’s generating dollar value for someone. What is open source coding then? Not work because it’s not done under the purview of an employer for a salary? Not valuable because no one gave you a dollar for it?

[mahogany]

That's a great point. I've edited to re-word that reference, because obviously these roles still flourish today.