Concerns Over Generative AI and Employment

The sudden emergence of Generative AI, like ChatGPT, has raised alarms about the potential for mass unemployment in white-collar sectors. This comes at a time when we desperately need unity to face various existential threats as a species.

However, I contend that the real issue is not the technology itself. Like any tool, AI is neutral; it’s the context in which it’s applied that matters. The core problem stems from the prevailing ideology of our era—capitalism. Specifically, the cutthroat, winner-takes-all variant we currently experience.

Expressions like "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and "not in my backyard" may seem innocuous, yet they reflect a mindset rooted in Social Darwinism and market-driven capitalism.

The Original Sin of Capitalism

At the heart of predatory capitalism lies a toxic notion akin to the concept of Original Sin: that every human being is born without an inherent right to existence and must validate their life through labor. This profoundly anti-life perspective reduces all existence to mere profit potential, suggesting that our value is contingent on our economic output.

John Maynard Keynes once said, "Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men, for the nastiest of motives, will somehow work together for the benefit of all." This ideology is so ingrained in our culture that we often overlook that it's merely a belief system that emerged with the Industrial Revolution, just two centuries ago.

Today, nearly every aspect of our lives is commodified—from predatory student loans to the commercialization of health care and even our relationships. The message is clear: if it exists, it can be sold.

A Call to Reassess Our Values

Jesus famously stated, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's," indicating a necessary distinction between earthly responsibilities and divine obligations. Yet, after two centuries of capitalism's pervasive influence, nearly everything seems to belong to Caesar, including essential human rights.

We enter this world with nothing and leave the same way. This fundamental truth supports my belief that every individual has an inherent right to food, shelter, and basic needs—regardless of their economic contributions.

But this raises questions: If our self-worth isn't derived from work, what fills that void? Would society falter if survival became an inalienable right? Would we face collapse due to so-called freeloaders?

Let's pause and reflect on the thoughts of Steve Jobs, a pioneer in technology and capitalism.

Steve Jobs's Perspective on Value

On September 2, 2010, Jobs remarked:

"I grow little of the food I eat, and of the little I do grow I did not breed or perfect the seeds. I do not make any of my own clothing. I speak a language I did not invent or refine..."

Jobs, a quintessential capitalist, built Apple and Pixar, yet he did not equate his identity with wealth or success. Instead, he believed in creating meaningful contributions to humanity, prioritizing innovation over profit.

This suggests that human beings possess an intrinsic sense of self-worth, which is often eroded by societal conditioning that equates value with economic output. While competition is a natural aspect of social existence, capitalism skews this balance towards rivalry, often sidelining collaboration.

Rediscovering Our Sense of Purpose

Many office workers dread their roles, perceiving their contributions as merely enriching those already affluent. Yet, there are examples of purpose-driven work that reveal an alternative path.

The Open Source Community is one such example. Its members voluntarily contribute time to projects that resonate deeply with them, like the Linux operating system, which underpins much of the internet.

These contributors exemplify that profit is not the primary motivator for human beings. Instead, they are driven by a desire to create and share, underscoring that our economy should prioritize labor over capital.

Reimagining Our Economic Foundations

To transition from a competitive, profit-driven society to one founded on cooperation, we must challenge capitalism's very principles. We need to invert our priorities—realizing that labor is the foundation of our economy, while capital is merely a tool.

I look forward to the day we celebrate Universal Emancipation Day, liberating ourselves from the corrosive beliefs of capitalism. Together, we can envision a future where hope thrives, and our children inherit a world of possibilities.