h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What's my perfect job??

Being a professional "Job seeker" who doesn't seek or find.
Working sucks, it was the name given by the ruling classes to slavery to justify the peasants making them richer without it being called slavery. Bring on the age of the intelligent robots where we all can be released from the shackles of working and actually really "live".
and hopefully never have to answer that question again.

Couldn't agree more. In fact, I'm writing a book about that very subject.

I enjoy working! I think having the right job can be infinitely better than being unemployed. For one thing, unemployed people generally have a limited social life as they don't meet new people, where as those working in an office, say, meet people every day. Also, depending on the job, you might feel that you are 'making a difference' to someone's life through doing the job, whether you are a carer/nurse, or even an author who can enrich their readers' lives.

It's nice to have time where you don't have to do anything, where you can sit in front of the TV all day every day, or potter around in your garden, but many retired people feel they miss work!

Fair enough. Whatever makes you happy I s'pose.

Surprise... People who want everything for nothing...

Who would that be then?

The creator of this thread... or anyone else who agrees...

I don't want everything for nothing.

'Bring on the age of intelligent robots where we can all be released from the shackles of working and actually really live'

How would you earn money..???
If the 'robots' did earn you money, enough to actually live, you would be spending money 'you' didn't earn. You would be getting everything for nothing.

The point is that there would be no money. The economy would not longer exist. You wouldn't get robots sitting around doing your office job for you, because office jobs wouldn't exist (unless you wanted them to exist, that is (i.e. you start your own magazine or something)). Robots would be used to farm and distribute food. This would allow people to spend their days doing exactly what they wanted - even if you like to work, there's no one stopping you from working for fun.

So, in a sense, we would be getting food for nothing, but we've always got food for nothing - the earth provides it, we take it.

As it stands, 'work' in the way we think of the word is a reletively new way for humans to spend their time. Eventually, these types of robots will be available to us, this is when 'work' as we know it, will cease to exist, in my opinion.

So know, to answer your accusation, I don't want everything for nothing.

So in your world with no money, say you want a new TV. How do you get one if you can't pay for it? You don't work, so you're not manufacturing goods you can barter with, and you're not providing a service you can swap for the TV either. The people who chose to work and make the TV aren't gonna let you enjoy the fruits of their labour without getting something in return. And even if the robots made the TV, you'd need a human to programme them, and repair them when they break...

How an earth can you say you wouldn't work and you'd get things for FREE but you don't want everything for nothing.. That doesn't make sense..

Wow, what a hypothetical argument!

Well, you're right, robots would constuct such things as TV's if there was a demand for them. And if they did break down, other robots would fix them.

You wouldn't need to barter.

As for the human to programme the robots - perhaps the first robot/factory may need to be programmed. But after that, they would build themselves. And I'm sure the people that do programme that first one would be only too happy to do it. Remember, they'd be working in the era when money existed.

But do you think there would be a demand for things like TV's? I can't see many people volunteering to be runner or cable basher. Personally, I think theatre would grow in popularity, which can't be a bad thing.

Why would people work for a theatre if they did get payed to act..?

'How an earth can you say you wouldn't work and you'd get things for FREE but you don't want everything for nothing.. That doesn't make sense..'

All you'd be getting for 'free' would be food and water, and they've always been free outside of the supermarket.

As regards to goods and services - I don't think there would be much of a demand for things like TV's etc.

'Why would people work for a theatre if they did get payed to act..?'

Because people LIKE to act! People LIKE to direct!

Yeah and im sure people would be dying to do something knowing they're not getting anything out of it.. At least if you worked properly you'd have the bonus of money and the fact they like to act, direct, whatever.. The fact that you can save up and buy things like holidays, dream cars, etc is an achievement. You have something to look forward to.. You obviously want everything for nothing. Its not enough that machines do almost everything, that technology is pouring from everything on the planet. No why not rely on something that could crash, get a virus, whatever. I know people who have worked for most of their lives and 'lived'...

Just another lazy comment because people can't be bothered.



Have you seen Terminator?

Oh and getting 'food and water' for free because there wouldn't be demands for tv's etc is STILL GETTING EVERYTHING FOR NOTHING!!

"Just another lazy comment because people can't be bothered."

There's no need to get personal. If you want I can explain (in painful detail) how hard I've worked in my life.

"The fact that you can save up and buy things like holidays, dream cars, etc is an achievement. You have something to look forward to.."

So, the reason you spend a third of your life working is so you can buy a nice car? Go on a two week holiday to spain once a year?

"Yeah and im sure people would be dying to do something knowing they're not getting anything out of it.."

Yes, actually. I have and I do.

"Oh and getting 'food and water' for free because there wouldn't be demands for tv's etc is STILL GETTING EVERYTHING FOR NOTHING!!"

No, actually, as you've just stated, 'getting food and water for free' is simply getting food and water for free. And, as I've stated, they've always been free outside of the supermarket.