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Comment Re:AI and robotics and jobs (Score 1) 625

You misunderstand. I'm not saying that local fair distribution in certain instances is impossible. It is not. In fact it has been done throughout the history quite a few times.
What I'm saying is that it will not survive the test of time because of pressure that human nature, and more specifically greed and desire for control will impose on it. It never has and it never will. In the rare instances when it has survived the test of internal pressure, external pressure typically killed it.

In modern world, where there is massive internal and external pressure driven by globalization, we're unlikely to set any records in terms of fair distribution of work any time soon.

It certainly doesn't mean we should stop trying however! After all, it may only take one long term success to give humanity an example and base a progress of new kind of social world order based on that. But in the current economic and political climate worldwide, that is more of idealism than anything unfortunately.

Comment Re:AI and robotics and jobs (Score 4, Insightful) 625

The answers to all questions you ask, including the last one, lie in history. Read it as I suggested. History shows very well that no belief and no system is monolithic and eternal.

On the other hand, human nature is largely just that. As a result, while levels of technology, and cultural changes may change the expression of the human nature, the base human nature remains the same and it will likely be satisfied in the same way. Before they gave plebs just enough to eat reasonably well, be able to go to the gladiator arena and brothel every once in a while. If you wanted more - you had to learn a trade. When this balance was broken, the riots occurred that almost broke Rome. We still inherit a lot of things from those times, including the concept of power of "veto" - latin for "I forbid". This was the only word that plebeian representative was allowed to say in Roman Senate. Because the higher classes understood the need for curbs on their legislative powers after bloody riots when reins of power were tightened too much.

We're leaning towards the same end today in the Western countries. Some allow for more socialist system, some for less. But in general, the direction is the same. Masses are given food, shelter and base level entertainment even without working. Those who implement less of this typically pay with far more violence on the streets, just as it happened in Rome as pendulum of patricians vs plebeians balance swung back and forth.

As for your last real question (before the inane and self evident "but current short term rhetoric doesn't allow for this"), elite will always have too much power. There is rarely any social cohesion based on equality in real sense rather then for the show in advanced societies - that is a thing of basic ones. As society advances, throughout humans history a class-based society of some sort is produced. This would suggest that it's a human nature to assign such classes and that social cohesion doesn't require equality in the long run, just reasonable levels of both predictability and most importantly hope for social mobility. In Rome, even a slave could, through mastery of notable trade or possessing another valuable skill, free themselves from slavery and even end up as patrons of their town if they became wealthy. Similar path has also been taken in the Western societies to varying degrees.

Comment Re:AI and robotics and jobs (Score 5, Informative) 625

This has been done before to an extent allowed by the system, for example in Ancient Rome. In Rome, slaves did most of the work, while citizenry were mostly guaranteed livelyhood. Technology levels however were not high enough to support the system, and Rome eventually collapsed after hundreds of years of being one of the most defining and powerful societies in the world.

In fact, Ancient Rome offers a very good view of how we'll likely develop. Simply replace "slave" with "automation and go read something short like this:
http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/ancient_roman_jobs.htm

Or actually study the subject in depth for more understanding on what happens to society when a large amount of people is left without work prospects (as plebeians did in Rome after the rise of slave-based economy). What happened is exactly what is described above - a guarantee for basic needs in life and entertainment to keep the masses pleased.

Comment Re:Really? (Score 1) 552

SLC writes a single cell rather than multiple cells at once. This adds to drive life due to the way NAND flash is written (one cell/set of cells at a time). MLC drives have a far lower useful life expectancy than MLC, and TLC has far lower useful life expectancy than MLC.

SLC drives are usually far more expensive because it's more expensive to make them, and as a result they tend to be built from high quality parts resulting in better performance.

Comment Re:Really? (Score 2) 552

Urban legend. Clean environment inside drives and in the lab that does data extraction from damaged drive is to maximize performance/chance of recovery.

Hard drive itself can run just fine in dirty environment for a while. It will wear down much faster as it's not designed for such operation, but it will very likely remain operational for weeks at the very least.

Comment Re:since you're there anyway... (Score 1) 183

So let's get back to the point then. Are you saying that basic infrastructure such as power is fine as long as it works only during the day when it's sunny?

Reality is, it's not. It would certainly prove to be an improvement over status quo in many places in Africa, but it's a far cry from being something that could replace the wired infrastructure that we have in the West today.

And the entire argument in this case is that wireless is somehow about "leapfrogging over" wired network, rather then attempting to dodge the massive cost of having proper infrastructure in place by installing something that possibly, maybe could serve as a bare minimum by Western standards.

Comment Re:since you're there anyway... (Score 1) 183

Sure. You can just sit on a practice bike hooked up to electric generator and start pedaling. Advantages over solar include among other things power on demand rather than no power when its actually needed. Energy supply vector is the food, which is indeed wireless.

You could also utilize sun through simply using a diesel generator, or countless other means. In fact ALL energy is originally wireless, as it originates from the sun.

But to actually use it, you need wires.

Comment Re:Oh, really? (Score 1) 1255

It's intriguing that it's only not applicable to "morality" of those that are trying to wash their conscience clean. Interesting point: when your grandparents were creating the system, they were thinking of everyone's greater good. Post WW2 gave some very harsh lessons on what happened when too many people only looked out only for themselves and let everyone else rot.

Sadly these lessons are now being forgotten, with new generation of privileged people growing up and forgetting the lessons of old. In the end, that is the fate of humanity - to repeat its own foolish mistakes. Let's just hope that price we have to pay for your self-destructive behavior collectively will not go too high any time soon.

Comment Re: Oh, really? (Score 1) 1255

It's actually something a bit different. If someone doesn't understand, they are encouraged to seek help not only from teacher, but from the rest of the class. This brings the gifted kids from "I'm better than others" pedestal to "my friend needs help, I should provide it and feel really good when he gets it!"

It's a very powerful thing to teach at young age, which affects much of person's world view later on.

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