←back to thread

Has the decline of knowledge work begun?

(www.nytimes.com)
388 points pseudolus | 1 comments | 25 Mar 25 17:02 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
deadbabe ◴[26 Mar 25 19:03 UTC] 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 #
c0redump ◴[26 Mar 25 21:17 UTC] No.43487400[source]▶
This is an astoundingly bad take. Knowledge workers don’t passively gain money by holding a productive asset - they WORK. It’s in the name.

The fact that you do not understand anything besides physical work as work is perplexing and, honestly, pathetic. It smacks of someone who has failed to make a life for themself, and is lashing out at anyone who is a viable scapegoat.

replies(1): >>43492954 #
1. deadbabe ◴[27 Mar 25 12:36 UTC] No.43492954[source]▶
It is not true that you don’t gain money passively by doing knowledge work. Some knowledge work is very involved yes, like a hybrid between physical and mental labor.

But there is some knowledge work where you are simply being paid in case people need you a small % of the time, and most of the time you’re not doing much or very trivial tasks. Like a consultant.