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Comment by tavavex | Hacker News Reader

> Society rewards those who exceed average productivity with higher value returns.

Maybe this is true if you own a business and can pocket the productivity difference. For many workers, however, higher productivity is rewarded with more work. Most people aren't paid per unit of work, but by time, so they expect you to fill your 8 hours with work, and all the newfound efficiency goes to someone else.

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Yes. But higher efficiency also makes it more likely that you'll always have a job—so you won't be completely wiped out.

It only seems more likely if you have a special edge that makes you more efficient than most people. If the efficiency gain is accessible to everyone, the outcome is the polar opposite: they will just need far fewer people. Maybe you can compete with others on how fast you can outrun the job losses, but pushing yourself to the limit is still no guarantee of never falling off the treadmill. This applies both on the scale of an organization and the entire industry.

Of course. I don't think this solves all problems. But it works for the early stages of a career and the early stages of a business. Once a student gets through the most basic painful period this way, they can use the foundation they've built to move on to things that suit them better. And yes, I own a small business of my own. It's not big, but it's enough to support us.

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