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Comment by ummwhat | Hacker News Reader

Ya stupid sons of bitches, you automated everyone else out of a job and then you gone done it to yourselves too!

Every higher level language, library and framewok automates coding. But the result is more complex programs, not fewer developers.

That's a microcosm of the effect of automation on the economy as a whole.

90% of work used to be farming. Today 10% of people are farmers. The next big thing was factory work. At first looms meant more textiles, not less workers. But eventually we hit the transition point where there's actually less factory workers. Now we've moved on to "knowledge work". Sure the effects of automation make more complex knowledge products and jobs for now, but once the automation becomes advanced enough, jobs in the field go down not up. So what comes after knowledge work?

We can't have it both ways. We can't pretend like automation will never kill our jobs while simultaneously pursuing the dream of permeant vacation through automation. The very goal of automation contradicts the idea that we would and should always have jobs.

If we produce enough of everything with less labor, each individual will work fewer hours to get all of their needs met. And that would be a good thing.

But we are very very far from that point. We have needs, like extending our life, that current technology cannot meet, and if we had excess time, most of us would trade it in exchange for more technological progress toward that goal. Fundamentally that is what's behind the increase in healthcare spending, and the growth in people employed in healthcare.

>If we produce enough of everything with less labor, each individual will work fewer hours to get all of their needs met.

No they won't. If people work fewer hours, they'll simply be paid less, barring legal limitations like a minimum wage. Meanwhile, costs will remain the same.

People are paid in goods/services, fundamentally. As production per hour of labor increases, so does wages, since there are fewer hours chasing more goods.

That hasn't been true in 50 years

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