Matt, et al, I got into computers when vacuum tubes and relays were still in common use. About the time of the first transistorized computers, I remember sitting around with other geeks and discussing the numbers of people we had each put out of work, which was ~100 each. Of course that was a time of "low hanging fruit', but now people have SO much more leverage, what with the Internet to spread new software worldwide.
Without most people realizing it, we have gradually morphed to an industrialized society that no longer needs the full time labors of all of its members. We simply MUST change our society to match our industry, or unrest will mount. There are many alternatives, ranging from reduced working hours to full-blown socialism. Technology, including AGI-related efforts, can only make this much worse, before it has any opportunity to make it better. Social change MUST precede things like AGI. Steve ============= On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 9:13 AM, Matt Mahoney <[email protected]>wrote: > On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 11:53 AM, Piaget Modeler > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > http://www.kurzweilai.net/big-data-and-cloud-computing-empower-smart-machines-to-do-human-work-take-human-jobs > > The invention of the printing press put scribes out of work. The > invention of the chariot put porters out of work. It's a wonder we > aren't all unemployed by now. > > -- > -- Matt Mahoney, [email protected] > > > ------------------------------------------- > AGI > Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now > RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/10443978-6f4c28ac > Modify Your Subscription: > https://www.listbox.com/member/?&; > Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com > -- Full employment can be had with the stoke of a pen. Simply institute a six hour workday. That will easily create enough new jobs to bring back full employment. ------------------------------------------- AGI Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/21088071-f452e424 Modify Your Subscription: https://www.listbox.com/member/?member_id=21088071&id_secret=21088071-58d57657 Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
