[thicTurtlLverXX]

I understand how, from a technical POV, electricity and electrification could be considered great news.

But I don't see how this is good news at all from a societal POV.

Think about all the lamplighters who lost their jobs. Streetlights just turn on now? Lamplighting used to be considered a stable job! And what about the ice cutters…

For real tho, it's not like there's nothing left to do — we still have potholes to fix, t-shirts to fold and illnesses to cure. Just the fact that many people continue to believe that wars are justified by resource scarcity shows we need technological progress.

[Winsaucerer]

> we still have potholes to fix, t-shirts to fold and illnesses to cure

Only one of these things interests me. The hype of AI is threatening to kill something I actually enjoy doing. If the hype actualises, I'll likely find myself having to do something I don't enjoy. That being said, if programming can be automated, then probably every white collar job is under serious threat.

[mykowebhn]

From what I understand, prior to the 1980s/90s lamplighters, waiters, factory workers, etc. could live comfortable lives on decent wages.

These days not so much.

[christophilus]

From what I understand, life was Dickensian hell for many people. Communism wouldn’t have had much of a chance if everyone was pretty much able to live a decent life as a lamp lighter.

[DHolzer]

how is that technological progress not fueling resource scarcity?