Indulge me for the coming delusion, but if we ignore who this is, forget all the reasons we know that we can’t trust him, and allow ourselves just a few moments to hope that we could live in such a world.

A world where manual labor is no longer needed, where people can just exist as large mammals are meant to exist. Robots will handle it all and we can just do as we please… and the robots are going to be plentiful because once enough of the process of making a robot becomes automated, the cost of it will go to zero. But to get there it is going to require a ton of money… these robots are going to be way too expensive for people to actually buy them, so investors and governments will help out. The investors will eventually lose everything, but that will put us on the way to having everything we need to be created through completely automated systems.

Of course, there will still be jobs for those who really want them - or more likely, who want them and are good at them - or even more likely, who knows the right people… but if we can get our basic needs taken care of it night not fully end poverty but it would be a step in the right direction.

But, alas… It’s Musk saying it so it’s only to further enrich himself and won’t actually happen.

  • vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org
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    17 hours ago

    and the robots are going to be plentiful because once enough of the process of making a robot becomes automated, the cost of it will go to zero.

    That’s wrong, new layers of generalization do you know what? They make the thing cheaper or more expensive depending on the balance between the buyer and the seller, which is changed. Nothing more.

    And suppose you’re the all-powerful and simultaneously benevolent seller, as a thought experiment. The thing becomes cheaper or more expensive based on its applicability to tasks and your ability to generalize that.

    It’s a big matter, manual labor and trades are the part of economies least affected by centralized control and computerization. With software development you can’t replace people with chatbots. But with repeating manual tasks like replacing a window or painting a wall - possible. I mean, no, I don’t think that’s possible either, too many small complications. I don’t know what Elon is on again, of course you need some substances to keep you going in this world when you’re autistic, none of us will judge him for that.

    Anyway, your direction of thought is kaboom idiotic, see, you’re as valuable as you’re needed, everything else is driven by that. I mentioned autistic people, well, most people not autistic don’t even notice how rules of dignity and morality they start applying only the layer above their basic one, of social hierarchy and power and alliances. Elon is known to be autistic and there’s a trillion in the title, so he really might believe what he’s selling, but those of us without trillions or even measly billions should know better.

    So - robots fulfilling demand mean people not being in demand. That sucks.