[OT] Plato's Pub and Philosophical Society

[dogscoff]

Computers and automation have made our industries more efficient but we still don't have a 3-day work week like some people thought we will have.

You're right, but the thing to remember is that while working people are at the office longer and longer hours, more and more people are unemployed.

Basically, it comes down to the way in which the time-saving benefits of labour saving technology are used to benefit the upper levels of an organisation rather than the lower levels: If a company employs 2 ppl doing the same job, and then a gizmo is invented that means the job can be done in half the time, does the company halve both their hours or lay one of them off?

In France they've passed a law where you're not allowed to work more than X hours a week. I think X is about 35 or 40. This is a cool idea- it caused some problems while people adapted but hopefully it will reduce unemployment and improve standards of living. I think the whole world should be heading this way.