Episode Details

Sean and Jamie speak with Aaron Benanav (@abenanav), currently a researcher at Humboldt University of Berlin, about his new book, "Automation and the Future of Work." While automation theorists predict that we are headed for a smooth transition to fully automated luxury communism (or is it partially automated poverty capitalism?) with a little help from our friend Andrew Yang, Benanav says not so fast. To provide an alternate explanation for the dropping demand for labor, he takes us through the book's key arguments, savors some Keynesian tears, pokes holes in the idea of a UBI, and sets us up nicely for part 2 (out Friday!) where we talk about how to get from our current hellworld to a society built around human needs.

Outro music: Limp Bizkit - I'm Broke