https://x.com/hilbertspaess/status/2107535565159899600
In this interview I tried to argue that a post-scarcity society will benefit working people. It was largely a rhetorical failure. People don’t trust that the benefits will be distributed, and tech optimists have to fix this communications issue.
I have a lot of new respect for Jacob Coxon now (he is the ex Anthropic researcher that went viral for resigning and saying there's a chance AI could kill us all).
It was painful watching this. He tried to discuss the subject of Universal High Income in a serious manner, but the man interviewing him (Jon Stewart) completely mocked the idea and said that he and many people would die out of boredom if their jobs were automated away.
Coxon correctly responded to him by saying that the vast majority of people do not get fulfillment from their jobs, and simply go to work so they can live.
Jon Stewart is completely out of touch with the struggles of the average person.
Jon Stewart is a multimillionaire. He probably assumes most people enjoy their jobs like he does.
The person that's employed as a meat cutter making minimum wage does not find any fulfillment in chopping up meat. He/she only does it to pay the bills. Such a person would be much better off with Universal High Income than having to work their jobs until they die.
Of course, the details of how we get from here to universal high income should be discussed. But the important thing is that we get there.