Are you sure you would thrive without a job long term? I know it's very easy to feel that way when you're working because your pay is proof that you're doing something valuable, the requirement to do your job even when you don't feel like it ensures you don't fall into a spiral of laziness, and you don't have to face the inevitably worse reality of actually doing those things you want instead of just imagining them. What direction would you even go in and what force would continue to drive you even after your kids have grown up and there's nothing of value you can do for another human? Personal improvement in what direction? Be better at coping without external validation?

There are sayings like "If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it" and "success breeds success". I have plenty of life experience that appears to confirm these in myself and others I know.

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ctoth a day ago | parent | next [-]

> what force would continue to drive you even after your kids have grown up and there's nothing of value you can do for another human?

Building things I'm interested in with and for people I care about. That might look like code or gardening or relationships or all sorts of things. There's so much to do. So many things to want to get out of bed for, and for the days when there aren't, slow cozy mornings are nice too.

Why do you suppose there will be nothing of value you can do for another human just because the machines are better/faster at most things? Just caring about someone without being programmed to will seem to become quite the most valuable thing?

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foxglacier 7 hours ago | parent [-]

Yes, caring for people might be the one thing that remains. I can't imagine gardening or programming would be very satisfying in post-scarcity-land where you're inevitably doing something entirely useless compared to what machines would do.

	▲	ctoth 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		But ... I'm already not a very great gardener? Certainly not compared to an industrial megafarm? No where near as efficient? And it is still fun! We already live in the world where machines (or at least cyborgs, man + machine) garden better than humans, and yet there are human gardeners out here pulling weeds by hand, digging in the dirt for fun, happy to share our often funky-looking vegetables with friends.

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Nursie a day ago | parent | prev [-]

Outside of work I am a hobby brewer, I have a lot of home maintenance that needs doing, and landscaping that uses up a lot of my time.

Give me stability and no job, I'm still going to be a busy person.

These things have value and satisfaction for me.

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foxglacier 7 hours ago | parent [-]

You say "will" but have you been without work for many consecutive years and continued to do those things? Unemployed people tend to neglect their homes! It's much easier to imagine doing that work than to actually do it. I know. I've been on both sides of the coin. It's shocking how abundance can destroy motivation.

	▲	Nursie 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I’ve taken six+ months off between contracts before, it’s been amazing. Time to spend with friends doing outdoor pursuits like cycling, time to do all the things work stops me doing. I don’t believe being in a state of unemployment, which is crushing because you can't provide for yourself, is the same thing as not working because you don’t need to work. I already do a lot of home maintenance and landscaping, I have an house that needs work and 5 acres to maintain, more or less solo. I spend lunchtimes and most weekends in it and wish there was more time in the day. There’s no imagining going on here. So yes, I believe ‘Will’ is correct for me.