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Comment by zem | Hacker News Reader

you would think so, but this story is scarily plausible: http://marshallbrain.com/manna1.htm

I wasn't able to read through the entire story, but I think Karl Marx was onto something. What I suspect will happen is we will transition into a post-scarcity economy. The only question for me is how long it will take, and how painful the transition will be.

I also suspect (although with somewhat less confidence), that the transistion will occur by a single individual having gradually diminishing works hours, and a gradual increase in government 'welfare'.

the "two visions" were how to screw up and how to embrace the post-scarcity economy respectively. the problem is that the currently-rich will have first crack at the cornucopia and they could easily feel they have somehow earned the right to it, and need not share it with the currently-poor other than via crumbs of charity.

Maybe not, as Shamus Young related: http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=13695

I read this story, Manna, a few weeks ago. Disturbing (and thought-provoking, at the end) stuff.

I was reminded of it in this OP when they mentioned armbands tracking worker productivity. It has begun!

I presume you mean the ”how the technology takes over most employment” part, rather than either of the dystopias (one poorly masquerading as a utopia) that are presented as a resulting false dichotomy?

no, i mean how rich people will obtain the free "means of production" ahead of poor people, and then see to it that the fruits of said means of production flow mainly to them, even though there is no real need to.

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