I didn’t ignore them, I disagreed with them.
You didn't address most of them.
I didn’t know I was required to.
I’m one of those workers.
You're a waged worker?
Yes. I get paid by the day but nevertheless, the company I work for pays me to do a job.
What is the working class and capitalism in general, going to do when advanced automation eliminates waged work?
I don’t know.
As I said, I don’t like the increasing automation any more than you but what is a viable solution that doesn’t involve usurping the rights of businesses to cut costs?
It’s not a question of should/shouldn’t, it’s a question of choice. If a group of people get together and want to start a business where everyone manages and makes the decisions, by all means, have at it.
Try applying for an SBA loan or for a loan at your local bank to start a worker-owned cooperative. Good luck! Practically impossible. The system is rigged against workers owning the means of production. Private business owners or capitalists see labor cooperatives as a threat and hence push for laws that make them difficult, if not impossible to launch.
Maybe, maybe not. But banks loan to who or what they see as low risk. They’re not likely to loan to a bunch of people who have no real world experience at running a business.
I forget what the percentage is but a majority of new businesses fail within six months and bank and loan companies know this.
But requiring businesses to operate this way would be wrong and unconstitutional.
I agree, it would be unconstitutional under our current system.
It would be unconstitutional under
any system.
I'm not for forcing people to turn their privately owned and operated businesses into worker-owned and run co-ops, although, in principle and practice, I believe the people who work a business should own and operate it together. I consider mass production a social project and endeavor requiring many people, hence people, not one individual should own the productive enterprise.
Again, choice.
Eventually, in the not-too-distant future, production will be forced by necessity to adopt a non-profit, more centrally planned system of production. Socialists aren't going to have to fire a shot, it will happen due to the circumstances created by advanced, intelligent automation.
Non profit? What the hell would be the point of that?
I don’t think any capitalist thinks they can manage the business and do every job on the production line at the same time. They know they can’t which is why they pay people to do the work.
When you sell your labor power to a capitalist, you're selling yourself.
No you’re not.
Under a capitalist system, you have to sell your presence, and power, placing yourself in the position of the product that is being sold.
Um, what?
A company doesn’t sell you, they sell the product. And you know who’s buying the product? Workers. How can they afford the product? With the money they’re paid to work.
Capitalism commodifies people, turning them into products in a "labor market" for capitalist consumption.
If true, workers would be commodified under any system.
There are no elections at work, you're at the whim of your employer/exploiter. The system which commodifies human beings this way under an authoritarian, profit-based system, is what leads to much of the suffering in the world.
If people suffer from being paid to work then they will be miserable wretches anywhere, anytime.
Suffering is a part of life, such that we measure our lives against our suffering.
That’s fine for those who choose it but again, requiring it is simply not right.
I agree, that socialism should happen gradually and as organically, naturally as possible. Advanced technology pushes society into the lap of socialism, there's no need to force anyone to accept it. At the right time, people will adopt it.
If it serves to increase or preserve prosperity, great. But if it constrains individuality or subverts individual rights and liberties, forget it.
I don’t like all the automation either but that is their right as Americans.
Production-Automation in a modern, capitalist economy is necessary, or you'll go out of business. Your competitors will automate and leave you behind in the dust.
Exactly.
