HeavenlyPossumOne of the funniest things about the “artificial intelligence is an existential threat” crowd is their worry that some powerful AI will treat humans as a raw material it can use to further its goals and what they’re really describing is actually existing capitalism.
Meow.tar.gz 
@HeavenlyPossum That may or may not happen one day far into our future.
It’s happening right now! But none of these dorks seem super worried about capitalists using us as raw materials.
LisPi@HeavenlyPossum @ablackcatstail Currently they seem to prefer using humans as captive labor rather than directly extracting raw materials.
Meeschaatser@lispi314 @HeavenlyPossum @ablackcatstail
except they don't. They just extract labour in terms of the tiniest flexible contracts and reject any other responsibilities in maintaining health&well-being of employees. Workforce is dispersible and abuntent, if you keep wages below living standards.
except they don't. They just extract labour in terms of the tiniest flexible contracts and reject any other responsibilities in maintaining health&well-being of employees. Workforce is dispersible and abuntent, if you keep wages below living standards.
@aschatermees @HeavenlyPossum @ablackcatstail An impoverished population with artificially high costs forced to accept completely ridiculous conditions to survive is captive.
There's no need for physical chains when abstracting them just a bit works the same or better.
It's not any less horrible, of course.
This seems more like a difference of degree than of kind