[kranke155]

The Industrial Revolution was a period of massive economic growth that was coupled with decline in the quality of life of the average worker.

This Economist article talks about how looking at the historical data, historians now see that the height of the average Englishman actually went down due to malnutrition. https://web.archive.org/web/20210905065401/https://www.econo...

The myth that the Industrial Revolution was a wonderful time is just that, a myth. The actual reality of the AI revolution will likely be the same. Record number of billionaires and record number of people in deep poverty at the same time.

[gazook89]

Do people really think the Industrial Revolution was “a wonderful time”? Basically the first thought to comes to mind for me is massive migration to urban centers, along with huge amount of poverty and squalid living conditions and disassociation with your own labor. I feel like that was basically what was taught to me in High School too, not like some recently learned insight.

And I agree with you. Further, the argument about economic prosperity isn’t equal for everyone. And increased worker efficiency isn’t directly (or sometimes at all) linked to worker satisfaction or even increased wages.

[kranke155]

I’ve heard some people say it. That economic disruption doesn’t matter because “all the pieces fall into place” eventually and the Industrial Revolution being an example.

[j_maffe]

Well, yeah but right now we're reaping many benefits from the industrial revolution. Malnutrition for sure. Not saying it's the same as the AI boom though.