Louie Mantia, Jr.3d ago
I keep thinking about what the desired endgame is with AI. So you’ve made worse things with AI, but as expensive or more expensive, just with a smaller workforce. As a result, more people are out of jobs, the wealth gap widens, and people can’t afford to buy the product anymore anyway.
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.3d ago

I’m asking the question beyond the question of why. Follow this to its logical conclusion. At what point during the widening of the wealth gap does the rest of society decide currency is worth nothing at all? When it’s hoarded by only 8 people it’s absolutely worthless to everyone else.

So, what is the goal? Total economic collapse? The richest can already afford anything, why would they want to risk total economic collapse? Right now, when the currency is worth something, they can spend it.

Show threadChris Frederick3d ago
@louie I was under the impression that the U.S. is unique among its peers for having minimal wealth or inheritance taxes. On the one hand, you're absolutely right that AI billionaires are making the idea of wealth taxes much more palatable to the American public. On the other hand, given the degree of regulatory capture and outright corruption we've seen in the Trump 2.0 regime, I can't see the status quo changing without legislative turnover. Who knows—maybe that *will* happen this fall! 🤞🏼
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.
@kansaichris I don’t wanna dampen your hope but also I’ve known people who lived their whole lives hoping things would get better only to die without that hope satisfied. Voting is way too slow to reverse what’s happening right now.
Jun 7 at 6:14amWeb
Show threadChris Frederick3d ago
@louie I just think that the ultrawealthy haven't needed to give much thought to the rest of society for so long that they can't imagine the status quo changing any time soon, regardless of how things pan out with "AI". So why even worry? They may be right in the short- to medium-term, but eventually I have to believe that something will snap (and hopefully in a nonviolent way). I mean, I'm sure the French royalty considered themselves untouchable right up until the French revolution, too.
Show threadLouie Mantia, Jr.3d ago
@kansaichris how has it just not snapped yet? It feels like far less happened to spark [violent] revolutions before. Are we trying to maintain a moral high ground while people around us continue to suffer? What is the virtue in that?
Show threadChris Frederick3d ago

@louie It hasn't snapped in the sense that the American oligarchy still maintain their grip on power. I don't know who "we" are, nor am I sure what "moral high ground" you're talking about.

To be clear, it makes me angry to watch all the events that have transpired in the U.S. since I moved to Japan over a decade ago. But nihilism is exactly what the oligarchs want us to feel.