Perspective: A World Without Work

In my last blog I referenced an article in the July/August issue of the Atlantic magazine entitled, “A World Without Work”. That blog focused on the rapidly moving trend of machines replacing human labor. This blog focuses on what the article says it would be like the machines did everything and there were no jobs.

There is a small group of writers, economists and academics that are called “post-workerists”. They welcome and even root for the end of labor. They believe that with the right government provisions, ( My underline) ,the end of wage labor will provide for a golden age of well being. This is scary stuff. We already have nearly 100 million eligible workers who have no work and are not looking for work, and nearly all of these are on welfare of one kind or other.

The article states that there three phases of work, namely, (1) the means by which the economy produces goods, (2) the means by which people earn income, and (3) an activity that lends meaning or purpose to many people’s lives. Machines certainly can produce the goods the economy wants, and the worker’s lost income can be replaced by government dole, but what will happen when there is no work to lend meaning or purpose to the workers’ lives?”

It is acknowledged that work has provided the self actualization that is needed for a healthy life, and that Americans work harder than any other country. So, the transition from work to non-work in America won’t be easy. The article cites research which points out that:

1. The unemployed theoretically have the most time to socialize yet they feel isolated, and they miss the camaraderie of the workplace.
2. People at work wished they were somewhere else, but when tested they reported they felt better and lest anxious at work
3. Those who have lost their jobs are more likely to suffer from malaise and demoralization.
4. It is more difficult to recover from a long period being without a job than from the loss of a loved one or a life altering injury

The article suggests that there are signs of hope. The original middle class was made up of artisans, but the mass production of the 20^th century swept up those jobs. Some students of the next wave of automation suggest that craftsmanship and artistry will return. For example, three dimensional printing from 3d computer models is held up as one example. Unique one-of-a-kind products could be made in one’s home with this technology.

This is very interesting and may provide a path forward, but realistically, it will take a generation or two to reach the goal of providing work for the masses replaced by machines. Politically it is doubtful that the citizenry will wait that long, particularly since our current leaders can’t even see the problem let alone suggest a pragmatic path forward.

That serious writers and thinkers are putting forth the thesis of welcoming no work is shocking, but even more shocking is that in this political season not one of the 20 something presidential candidates even mentions the machine let alone the huge number on welfare already due to the lack of jobs because of the machine. Moreover, the psychological impact on the out-of-work worker is not even considered. But the only plan you hear to help the poor is to tax the rich and give the money directly to the poor without any expectation of their giving anything back. 

Watching the current political scene with Trump and Sanders and the huge crowds they draw should give us a clue about how the people feel. The masses know what is happening even if the politicians and the media do not. Trump and Sanders in their unique styles have tapped into the concern of the masses. However, neither Trump nor Sanders has a solution to offer, but they sound like and act like leaders. The masses are ready to follow anyone even if the leaders haven’t the slightest idea where they would lead them.

The media is the most out of touch of all. They focus on Trump’s use non-pc language without realizing that the masses of us use this language all the time at our dinner tables, and not only are we not offended; we are relieved that at last our political leaders, who have no clue, are being called out by Trump  for having no clue.

What is so sad is that because the politicians and the media have no idea of what work is about, they will take the simple way out and just tax the rich to provide funds free of charge to the displaced workers without a thought of the workers need for the self actualization that work brings. 

It takes imagination to think of new work for these displaced workers. One idea which could be pursued is to put the idled workers to work building the infrastructure needed to capitalize on our natural gas windfall, but there is little hope that we will hear anything about such an idea for the current class of politicians!