> At 02:41 PM 4/27/98 -0700, Paul Hughes wrote:
> >John K Clark wrote:
> >
> >> My conclusion is to work or beg for a handout. What is your alternative?
> >
> >Stock options for those laid off would be a nice start!
>
and Randall R Randall said:
<<But whom do you propose to steal them from? And
if theft is okay, for people who've been laid off, then
why not have them do it themselves?>>
> I assume you are not serious, as this would significantly devalue a
> company, effectively offseting the economic reasons for the lay off in the
> first place.
HUH? Perhaps you have missed the evolution of this thread. So I will try to
repeat it in brief:
The Scenario is that before we reach productive nanotech, the economy becomes
so productive and efficient through automation that people become superfluous.
So why not allow everyone who is automated out of a those jobs (i.e. layed off)
become shareholders in the company? And since when is owning some stock in a
company equivalent to a devaluation of same?
More importantly, if people are on the street with no money, they can't
contribute to the economy except through begging. With some invested income
they can at least buy YOUR products and services and perhaps make a
contribution back to society.
Or are you sugesting that as more and more of the economy becomes automated
less and less people are needed both as employees and consumers. So at this
point one must ask why is their an economy at all if it isn't there to serve
the people? What is the point of a business if there are no customers?
What is your alternative? To let them eat cake? To die off?
Paul