If Everything Were Free

Bowser said:
You would think that if we had the technology to create product out of thin air, we would also have the machinery to replace the technician. It really is an intriguing idea, the possibility of people designing products and releasing those ideas to a giant database where anyone could download and produce it for their own personal use--somewhat like open source software. Yet I wonder whether such innovations might kill individual creativity, where we might become lazy and less productive without the natural incentives of a capitalist economy. What do you think?
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We won't be able to create products out of thin air. The laws of physics still apply. But the need for human labor will become increasingly unneeded. So people will need to think of new things to do with their time. There was a time when working 12 plus hour days six days a week was the norm; now it's not. Production costs will continue to decline. Production will continue to become more efficient. The reason why we need fewer manufacturing workers is because manufacturing has become much more efficient, and that's not going to stop regardless of where manufacturing occurs.

It won't kill individual creativity. To the contrary, it will stimulate it. People will have more time and more resources to be creative. Now not all people will use that opportunity. Not all people are creative. People will have more time to do the things they like to do.

The world is moving from a labor based economy to a ownership based economy. That's a big move for Joe and Jane Sixpack who is accustomed and suited by temperament to be a laborer. Some people are ill equipped for the transition. That's why we are seeing governments experimenting with the minimum income. This is a huge change and many especially the Joe and Jane Sixpacks haven't seen it coming. We will need to readjust how we look at things and develop new economic systems. Marx's vision will become a reality in the not too distant future, or at least parts of it.
 
Bowser said:
http://www.bigissue.com/features/5443/what-happens-when-humans-are-obsolete

It may be that we become obsolete in the long run. I believe we have no purpose if not struggling towards some goal. It is worrisome that someday we may not have a purpose.
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That doesn't mean we won't have struggles or goals. It just means we are better able to achieve those goals.

If I had perfect health and unlimited resources, I could find lots of stuff to do. I would have lots of things to do. Now, I'm not everyone. Many people will undoubtedly be challenged in this new world.
 
Everything could be free if we chose too. There is one overall primary source that prevents this from happening. The global society is the way it is because that is the way we designed it. Our society did not come into existence by just some random happenstance. Like I've said many times, the world is what we make of it.
 
ForrestDean said:
Everything could be free if we chose too. There is one overall primary source that prevents this from happening. The global society is the way it is because that is the way we designed it. Our society did not come into existence by just some random happenstance. Like I've said many times, the world is what we make of it.
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Actually, that isn't so. The reason pricing exists is because the supply-demand curve demands it. When demand exceeds supply it creates value, i.e. price. When people need or want something and they don't have it, they are willing to pay for it. The only way things can be free is if supply vastly outstrips demand. The air we breath is free, because there is an abundance of it. The supply greatly outstrips the demand. So no, everything could not be free just because we chose it to be so.

Our "global society", whatever that means, evolved over time. What worked was replicated. What didn't was tossed out. There is a reason why communism doesn't exist today, except perhaps in North Korea and Cuba. Communism has failed. But there was no Grand Poobah who designed our "global society". Our societies have evolved over time.

On this I will agree with you, society is what we make it. Our destiny is in our hands.
 
joepistole said:
That doesn't mean we won't have struggles or goals. It just means we are better able to achieve those goals.
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People need a purpose, Joe...even if it is a mundane job. Not everyone is equipped with the ability to achieve much more than providing the service of menial work. And most people are satisfied doing just that. When technology replaces everyone we may have more freedom on our hands, but it might also rob us of the very thing that makes us unique. On the other hand, you may be right, there might be new problems that evolve from our liberation. There is some speculation about the future and the role of technology. Certainly things will look very new in another 20 years. Nobody is immune to what is coming.
 
For myself personally, offering my service to others for free without any expectation for compensation, reward, or even recognition does not equal communism. But for some reason anytime anyone ever mentions the phrase "sharing the wealth" the first thing that pops into most people's head is this communistic governmental control. I'm not saying anyone should be forced to share what they worked hard to earn. I'm saying it should be a choice. It is a choice.

Also, this current supply-demand curve is a human creation. There is a major difference between demand in a self-serving society and demand in a selfless serving society. And again, yes everything could absolutely be free if we chose to. It is always a choice. But this is obviously something that today's society is not ready for because again of this one overall primary source that prevents this from happening
 
There's a lot being neglected because people have to work such absurdly long hours. There's plenty to do.
 
spidergoat said:
How would the economy work if everything were free? Say we discover cheap fusion power combined with the technology to replicate anything on a molecular level. Like Star Trek replicators. How would society function? Would there still be an economy, or would that concept become obsolete?
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We would become drunks , as the Russians did .

No incentive , to create , build and imagine .

We would become dumb , dumbs.
 
river said:
The star trek ideology is the worst philosophy for Humanity ever .
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:rolleyes::D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Directive
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive is the guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets. The Prime Directive, used in four of the five Star Trek-based series, prohibits Starfleet personnel from interfering with the internal development of alien civilizations. This conceptual law applies particularly to civilizations which are below a certain threshold of technological, scientific and cultural development; preventing starship crews from using their superior technology to impose their own values or ideals on them. Since its introduction in the first season of the original Star Trek series, it has served as the focus of numerous episodes of the various series. As time travel became a recurring feature in the franchise, the concept was expanded as a Temporal Prime Directive, prohibiting those under its orders from interfering in historical events
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My view:
The prime directive is a morally well thought out, general guide that I believe would be useful to advanced humans, if such a scenario is reached in the future.
I would add though, that like any general rule, there needs to be some leeway and application of discretion, as was also evident in some of the episodes of Star Trek, particularly the New Generation.
 
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