With only half the population needed for jobs(work), how do we keep the other half

[CK_John]

entertained(busy)?

We seem to think it's political, the EU thinks it's economics. We are all wrong and all right at the same time. We have a unique problem, it's the first time more people are not needed to survive. We invented machines that cut our survival needs in half, without a plan to find something to do for the other half.

Something that doesn't included bodily harm to half the population. People need to be busy, have a purpose.

My advise is to cut the SSI age to 50, require 2yrs mandatory service at 19, and revive the WPA/CCC to take over all infra-structure type projects rebuilding roads, bridges, communication and energy grid.

[NoOneMan]

1. We could employ the other half to spy on the rest of the workers

And it'd be cheaper than funding the NSAs super computers I bet.

revive the WPA/CCC to take over all infra-structure type projects rebuilding roads, bridges, communication and energy grid.

All that production will send up enough carbon emissions to create an environment to starve the rest of the unneeded humans. I guess thats a solution if you are looking for one.

[Duer 157099]

2. But only if SSI is increased to a living level

Then I agree in general.

Worker productivity should be made to benefit the WORKERS and SOCIETY, not the owners of capital.

[tularetom]

3. When the 1% realize that all these extra people aren't needed to serve them

and are just consuming the earth's limited resources, abortion will become mandatory.

[Egalitarian Thug]

13. They've known this for a very long time. n/t

[Warpy]

4. The workday needs to be decreased and the retirement age lowered

Then again, there is so much work that needs to be done but is being neglected because a few rich men grabbed all the wealth.

It is political. It's also economic. It's also social.

[FSogol]

5. With a Congress that can't pass a farm bill or raise veteran's benefits by a nickel,

how would someone ever bring back WPA or the CCC?

Better idea: Double the number of employees in the NPS and USFS.

You could also, create programs to fund more local parks in all states and a summer jobs programs for teens. Pass a real stimulus package that doesn't contain tax cuts for the rich.

[IrishAyes]

6. Makes sense, at least initially

Though I'll bet your house that the GOP would rather reduce the 'surplus' population by grinding them into the dust as a warning to the remainder. Maybe they'll propose artificially limited life spans and put everyone too old to work anymore into little space chambers, telling them they're being sent to a posh retirement resort in outer space.

Don't laugh. They're already saying things like access to water is not a right, that breast cancer victims and pregnant mothers are greedy moochers, that the lower classes should lick their boots in gratitude for having it better than Somalians, and that the poor would be better off if minimum wage laws did not exist.

The first stage to genocide is dehumanization of whatever population happens to be in the crosshairs. What else do you hear the sociopathic 1% saying????

[Babel_17]

7. Reclaim our blasted environment, for one

There's more clean-up to be done than we can shake a stick at. We can develop more community gardens/farms. We can have retirees, the unemployed, help collect recyclables.

We can start walking clubs. Casual groups of those of various walking abilities. It's a great way to socialize and check up on each other. For the younger peeps that could work in conjunction with doing light cleanup of the areas being walked.

A post scarcity world, it will be nice to live in.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-scarcity_economy

[PSPS]

8. Where did you get the silly idea that "only half the population is needed for jobs"

I don't know about where you are but, where I am, I'm literally surrounded by lots of work that needs to be done. There is more than enough work to employ everyone who wants a job. The real problem is that the rich don't want to pay any taxes and, since they're running the show, here we are. We're drowning in work needing to be done, but no money to pay for it.

[byeya]

9. I agree with you up to the point where you say there's no money to pay for it. Cut out the

wasteful programs at the Pentagon and subsidies and too-low taxes on corporations and the wealthy and there's plenty of money to fix the infrastructure while paying good wages to have the work completed.

[CK_John]

10. But all the various systems have this problem, look at Greece, Chile, China.

[Egalitarian Thug]

11. This is one of the fundamental issues, and it's completely ignored for only one reason.

We live in the 21st century, yet our society is still working (if you can call it working) on an early 19th century model which was developed to maintain power for the ruling class. There is no need for people to sell their lives so cheaply in order to sustain themselves.

We no longer live in a world of scarcity. We have spent a century inventing technology to allow us to make much more with far less, the problem is that the system allowed the tiny minority of owners to take all the gains. The only systems that can sustain this are variations on socialism, but those systems all, to one degree or another, require far more equitable distribution of the proceeds and the owners don't like that at all.

We're still in the early stages of this transformation and I think your ideas are a good start.
& R

[kentuck]

12. There's enough work for everyone but...

not in the private sector.

The public sector must make up the difference. But that is socialism? Yes it is.

[noamnety]

14. mandatory service doesn't work.

It doesn't take into account single parents, caretakers for aging or disabled parents or siblings, etc. It assumes everyone is in a financial situation where they can afford two years service.

I would have no problem with an opt-in work service program that's paid at a living wage.