[robbiep]

Farming isn't a bullshit job, at least not if you love it. The same could be said of everything.

What society, and by secondary intent technology should aim to do is to enable everyone to be capable of performing the job for which they have passion for.

My parents are farmers, and love it. I love it too. It is far from a bullshit job. But for the average joe slaving away on a rice paddy in China, they may dream of something grander than the opportunities afforded them.

I have been fortunate enough to have more education and opportunities than even 0.001% of the population could wish for - excellent schools, 3 bachelors degrees, 10 years at uni, mostly having the time of my life. I'm a doctor performing a job I find fulfilling, and I have a startup that grew out of a hobby. And it's profitable. Society should aim to give everyone the opportunities afforded to me. Because then there would be no bullshit jobs.

[glesica]

Yes, but we have to automate all the "bullshit jobs" before that can happen. Otherwise people who don't want to be doing them get stuck doing them. "Bullshit job" isn't a judgement against people who enjoy something, it is a judgement against the system that forces people to do "work", even when they aren't interested in it and it doesn't really contribute much to society.

[fwn]

> "Bullshit job" isn't a judgement against people [...] it is a judgement against the system that forces people to do "work"[...] and it doesn't really contribute much to society.

I know this is probably not what you've meant, but: I do think that this can be seen as pretty judgemental. Contribution (without parameters/scale) to society (without further specification) feels very subjective to me.

[glesica]

You're right, that sounded pretty pretentious and high-horsey. I just meant that if a job can be automated cheaply, then we all generally benefit from automating it, assuming the people previously doing it are cared for.