Robots will take many of our jobs – and that's good

[Chris]

Right. That is what we are fast moving towards.

People forget that in the past the question of who got what and how they got it was only a question because resources were scarce.

And people are clinging to old notions of how scarce resources were allocated when faced with the possibility of no more scarcity.

I don't think we're headed toward that though. There will always be unlimited wants against limited resources. It's not really a question of quantity, or even quality, but limitations in how resources are allocated for different uses. That's the economic calculation problem.

[Peter1469]

I don't think we're headed toward that though. There will always be unlimited wants against limited resources. It's not really a question of quantity, or even quality, but limitations in how resources are allocated for different uses. That's the economic calculation problem.

When I speak of scarcity I refer to needs, not wants.

[Chris]

When I speak of scarcity I refer to needs, not wants.

I no longer recognize the difference. You want to live, you need to act--eat, clothe, shelter yourself. You want a cellphone, you need to act--work to buy one, invent your own, whatever. You need to act to get what you want.

[Peter1469]

OK. Just so you know what I mean when I use the term.

[Chris]

OK. Just so you know what I mean when I use the term.

Yes. My argument is mainly a counter to the argument that because some things are needs it is necessary from those needs to be provided. Otherwise, yes, something are necessary to living, some nice to have.