We Want Full Lives, Not Full Employment

If a household gets a washing machine you never hear the family member who used to do the laundry complain that this “puts them out of work.” But strangely if a similar situation occurs in society, it becomes a problem – unemployment – which can only be solved by inventing more jobs for people to do. While proposals to shorten the work week or for more government and corporate spending, seem at first sight to address the matter rationally. But such proposals only help to reinforce the illusion that most present day work is normal and necessary. The absurdity of 90% of existing job is never mentioned.

In a sane society the elimination of all the absurd jobs that serve no real purpose and the ones that directly and indirectly exist to promote and protect an organization of society that only benefits the top 1% could reduce the necessary task to such a trivial level. If we continue with the current system (with further outsourcing and automation) there will never be enough work for everyone.

We need to create another form of society, one in which people will decide on their own activity and production rather than being slaves to the “needs” of the economy. This is obviously a huge project, and the first steps are overcoming our isolation and submission (the number one weapon of the present system). At our occupation we are encouraging every one to join us and to organize themselves in order to continue and extend the struggle.

This comes from flyer printed by a local comrade who wishes to remain anonymous. This is the sort of economy transhumanists should take as a goal. The majority of toil arises from a production and distribution scheme that is profoundly irrational for the common good.  We can do so much better.