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388 points pseudolus | 6 comments | | HN request time: 1.062s | source | bottom
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deadbabe ◴[] No.43485671[source]
The truth many will not want to admit is that knowledge work is essentially the “rentier income” version of labor.

You secure an asset (specialized knowledge), and then you just live off of it while doing the minimal work you can, by turning yourself into an asset.

Even though this affords many people a comfortable life, much like being a landowner of a vast portfolio of properties, it contributes to the inequality and degradation of society, splitting people between those who must labor physically and those who look down at them comfortably from high balconies.

Society will not be worse off with most people doing physical labor. It was that way for thousands of years and humanity flourished. People may not like it, but humanity can only truly relax and do nothing when it has reached its peak and every problem is solved, and we are just not there yet. Back to work.

replies(7): >>43485885 #>>43486210 #>>43487400 #>>43488207 #>>43488788 #>>43489878 #>>43490743 #
1. ikrenji ◴[] No.43488788[source]
degradation of society is caused primarily by rising wealth inequality, not knowledge work you donut
replies(2): >>43492901 #>>43495503 #
2. deadbabe ◴[] No.43492901[source]
Knowledge work disproportionately accumulates wealth.
3. ForHackernews ◴[] No.43495503[source]
You sure about that?

https://www.brookings.edu/books/dream-hoarders/

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/06/the-hoa...

replies(1): >>43497589 #
4. ikrenji ◴[] No.43497589[source]
do you really believe that the middle class sending their kids to a nice school is more detrimental to society than wage stagnation for the past 50 years?

https://www.epi.org/publication/charting-wage-stagnation/

replies(1): >>43533356 #
5. ForHackernews ◴[] No.43533356{3}[source]
Where do you think all that money went? Pretending the top 20% are "the middle class" is part of the problem. Just because you don't have a private jet doesn't mean you aren't one of the rich ones.
replies(1): >>43573947 #
6. ikrenji ◴[] No.43573947{4}[source]
it went to the top 1%? what's the point of making an argument if you don't even look at the data...