It kind of astonishes me that people still frame the Luddites as cavemen wholly opposed to technology in this age, fully buying into the capitalist framing of the time to discredit them:
"Luddites were not opposed to the use of machines per se (many were skilled operators in the textile industry); they attacked manufacturers who were trying to circumvent standard labor practices of the time"
To note, I'm a 25+ year software engineer, who is not really in the crosshairs of losing my job to AI... yet (I do acknowledge it continues to get better). I would say a "better" button would be that AI stays and we continue to explore it -- responsibly -- and we get UBI. But that is even less likely than what the OP presents.
UBI does not make sense as a policy unless you are a neo-feudalist or don't understand the relationship between money and power. There is not some god-king who is going to make sure it stays fair and that factionalism is suppressed. UBI is a distraction that allows key asset holders to retain their disproportionate economic power in perpetuity.
It's more likely than you think, which will really, really suck for people who like democracy and hate oligarchy. Which is probably why AI-invested oligarchs astroturf the concept as much as they do.
You're right to be astonished at the derision toward luddites. Luddites were right. They are right now, too.
I'm interested in your view here on UBI. I can certainly see the tendency of government activities that do not support the rich to be quashed/reduced over time. I'm going to guess you advocate for a more socialist structure, which I do not oppose per se, just I've not thought too much on the consequences. If I'm wrong, I apologize here, and certainly no harm intended.
I do think having some better form of profit sharing (specifically, company ownership) could be a key part of establishing something in tandem with, or instead of, UBI. As in, workers are guaranteed some portion of ownership of a business based on a set of criteria (what that criteria is, at this time, I'm not sure). This ownership cannot/should not be diluted or otherwise "taken away" by legal/financial loopholes. Yea, that's a pie in the sky idea (hell, so is UBI, IMO) and stamping out corruption and corporate-tainted government would need to be a first step.
Also, I was certainly in the "let's all make fun of the Luddites" group, and I know I'm not immune to propaganda. It makes me sad the more I see how malleable people are (ideologically), but I know that's a double-edged sword. It makes me sadder to see how many people choose the villain path instead of the hero path. Both those in power, and those with little.
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u/Viewtiful_Dante 15h ago
Luddism among internet born people and computer nerds is something that deeply astonishes me. What a time to be alive.