This Guardian article proposes the “solution” of job mortgages, one of the worst proposals for dealing with the displacement of workers caused by the rise of the robots that I have ever heard of. As usual, the error lies in still thinking within the capitalist integument and attempting to preserve existing class structure.

Here’s an excerpt:

The robots, Kaplan admitted, will be owned by the rich. “The benefits of automation naturally accrue to those who can invest in the new systems, and that’s the people with the money. And why not? Of course they’re reaping the rewards,” he said.

“We don’t have to steal from the rich to give to the poor. We need to find ways to give incentives to entrepreneurs.”

One possible solution to 90% unemployment would be job mortgages, so that people who are displaced by robots can take out loans toward future earnings in unknown jobs. “People should be able to learn new skills by borrowing against future earnings capacity,” he said.

How does going into debt because of technological unemployment solve anything. It is amazing that anyone could be so clueless as to the extent of the social disruption we are facing and still make public pronouncements like this. Another example of hamartia — a lack of understanding which leads to disaster.

Link to Guardian article here.