[dnautics]

it's already unnecessary. Look at how many people are employed in the service or entertainment industry. We have people who can earn a living travelling around the world teaching obscure dance styles. This is not 'work' in the way that you mean, but it is definitely 'work' in the economic sense; it is one person engaging in a trade of their skills for another person's money. What automation will do is to free up individuals to do these sorts of exchange which would have been impossible with a less efficient use of resources; what economics does is makes sure as many people as possible are doing this 'new work' not just for S&G, but also in the service of others.

[gnaritas]

I agree in a sense, but so far that kind of work is a small minority of the work work you know I'm talking about. Eventually I'd expect to see most work people do be this kind of art/cultural entertainment work rather than work work. Manual labor is dying and not being replaced and most such laborers couldn't feed themselves on any other skills they have.