[antonvs]

There's an unstated assumption there, which is that you'll have some reason to continue to want your work to be required.

In the (probably unlikely) event that AI use results in a post-scarcity economy in which there's no need to work to survive, a lot of people wouldn't regret sentiments like the ones in question.

On the contrary, it would mean they could work on whatever they please, including potentially standing on the shoulders of giants - the AIs - and seeing even further.

If we actually worked to create a society that work for the benefit of all its members, there would be a lot less reason to worry about developments like these. Much of the worry arises because for various reasons - none of them really good ones - we've ceded control of these developments to the people least suited to manage it.

[doctorwho42]

And how do you see us getting from what we currently have: a working class and capital/ownership class, where a vast majority of society is required to work 40+ hrs/week to sustain their ability to live.

To a society that provides a livelihood to all humans, equally?

For, I would love to hear how we get from here to there during an era with the largest wealth disparity ever seen in human history. (Yes, it's worse than the robber Baron era of US history). For I have yet to see any signs that the capital/ownership class has any intentions other than vacuuming up even more wealth and power for themselves. And that anathema to your desired outcome.

[antonvs]

Part of my point is that this helplessness about the expected outcome is a choice. If everyone is sitting back waiting for "signs", nothing will change for the better.

History is full of examples of situations like this being corrected, at least to an extent. If we learn from those, we can do even better next time around.

Btw, the inequality you mention is far worse in the US than Europe. Here's one source that covers this: https://wid.world/es/news-article/why-is-europe-more-equal-t...

This demonstrates a point that should be obvious, that better societal choices can produce better outcomes.