"something to do..."
oh, robots can be wonderful, save corporations tons of money in labour expenses and benefits, maybe even to precision-type jobs better. and they certainly dont ask for sick days, vacations, parental leave, health insurance, or pay raises.
but what do people then do to make a living, or to simply "have something to do" with their life?
a phrase from a book (sorry, dont remember which) sums up life excellently for how to be optimistic, to be mentally healthier, to avoid depression or malaise, and even crime. every person needs only 3 basic things in life: "something to do", "someone to love", and "something to look forward to".
when i was unemployed after a sudden layoff, the "something to do" disappeared from my life - oh for a month or 2 it was wonderful, i got caught up on things around the house. but then what? after a year of being unable to find new job, i returned back to grad school - hence giving me "the something to do". but i had to do it on student loans, and totally wrecked my finances by having to live off my 401k during the year of unemployment after unemployment payments ran out.
i also did some volunteering for a couple of social groups. very gratifying, another "something to do", and a reminder that no matter how bad i felt about my circomstance, that others were worse off than me. but volunteering doesnt pay the bills.
if robots continue to displace people, then what kind of work are people going to get? how will they pay their bills? how will they be occupied with "something to do" so that they dont get depressed, or turn to criminal acts or drugs?
