Sarah T. Roberts, Ph.D.May 31, 2023

During the height of COVID, rental assistance, job assistance, food assistance and more were given to those in need. Student loan payments were paused. The US did not collapse due to these policies. In fact, consumer spending went up.

So, given that these things are possible and even economically favorable, one can only conclude that ending them benefits some small but powerful portion of the populace who wants to keep the rest of us under control and in relative, if not full-on, poverty.

Show threadSarah T. Roberts, Ph.D.May 31, 2023
The fact that the US government charges interest on student loans is already so offensive and immoral that I don’t even know where to begin.
Show threadSarah T. Roberts, Ph.D.Jun 1, 2023
And I keep being asked about job “losses” due to automation, e.g., generative AI, and all I can say is, these are not people being replaced by AI as such, but their work moving to a different place along the same production chain, then cheapened through a process of deskilling that provides the capitalist class with further excuse to underpay and undervalue. But there is no “generative AI” without human labor, so look to find where it is.
Show threadSarah T. Roberts, Ph.D.Jun 1, 2023
My undergrads yesterday had no problem identifying the BS of the whole thing, noting that an increase in production without a concomitant increase in wages is a LOWERING OF WAGES. And that is what automation is good for. Then there’s the phenomenon of “it’s good enough.” The AI generates content, for example, that’s “good enough” for a copywriter to be fired and replaced. But good enough for whom? Once again, for the ownership class, and “good enough” to generate profit…
Show threadSarah T. Roberts, Ph.D.Jun 1, 2023
…but no evaluation on the grounds of, say, qualify, veracity, accuracy, etc. , because who gives a good goddamn if the facsimile can do?
Show threadSarah T. Roberts, Ph.D.Jun 1, 2023
They also made the connection that, despite claims to the contrary, there is no evidence that automation and always-on access to computational technologies yield less work. Instead, these things simply take the productive cycle from a hard-won eight hours per day and turn it into 24.
Show threadSarah T. Roberts, Ph.D.Jun 1, 2023
Ever had a manager texting you outside of work hours to demand various things of you? They all laughed wryly that they had. Like, how did you get this number?
Show threadSteve TorrenteJun 1, 2023
@ubiquity75 I've just had one ask me to export my classes for someone else to teach.
Show threadDr. Tineke D'HaeseleerJun 1, 2023
@theLastTheorist @ubiquity75
Uuuuh... how about intellectual property rights, if not copyright?
Show threadSteve TorrenteJun 1, 2023
@tinebeest @ubiquity75 The policy gives them a 3 year license on all class materials. Solid confirmation of my decision to move on, though.
Show threadDr. Tineke D'Haeseleer
@theLastTheorist @ubiquity75
Yaaaa - I can see that!
Good luck with the next adventure!
Jun 1, 2023 at 11:03pmWeb