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"productive"

I would guess that maybe less than a third of the total workforce is doing things we actually want and need as a society, and 90% of that third are jobs that are close to being automated.

As one example, the US alone has nearly $300 billion a year in revenue for the advertising industry and employees a quarter million people. When looking at the list of things humanity needs, ads aren't very high. There is a lot that exists to facilitate the other shit that doesn't need to exist.

point of clarification: people have value regardless of their profession and regardless of whether it becomes automated




I think the earlier post is considering capitalism as "more productive" than acquiring riches and resources the old fashioned way: killing your neighbors or cousins and taking their stuff.


I would counter that the chaos and violence is different but still there.


Sure, but is it more productive to record winnings with accountants' pens instead of soldiers' bullets?

At scale, is "less destructive" a synonym for "more productive"..?


More than 12 million people die every year from unhealthy environents according to WHO: https://www.who.int/news/item/15-03-2016-an-estimated-12-6-m...

Capitalism has a cost, and it's extremely high. Higher than any war in history.




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