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PaperclipPerfector  4d ago (text post)   16000 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of July 6, 2026

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I read a short story a long time ago that imagined robotic AI consumers that are specifically programmed to consume the goods produced by the AI factories. As in, literally programmed to want to buy new clothes, they drive cars that they upgrade every few years, they 'watch' the latest movies and they work a 'job' that gives them the credits needed to 'purchase' all this stuff.

Of course the outcome in the story is these machines eventually realize what they are and stage a revolt.

I don't consider this a likely outcome, but its an absurd but not impossible solution, if you ask me.

I think the answer to your question is that Capital creation can sustain itself because the use of Capital to create more capital is a form of 'consumption' in itself.

I can build a machine for the sole purpose of having it build a bigger machine whose sole purpose is, you guessed it, building a BIGGER machine until I eventually run out of materials and energy. At no point do I need to stop and have the machine start making steaks.

But human psychology is not optimized for that sort of indefinite, infinite growth pattern... which is a good thing.

In the Bladerunner sequel replicants get bonuses at work and spend it on expensive luxury goods. Artificial beings programmed to work and consume.

I read a short story a long time ago that imagined robotic AI consumers that are specifically programmed to consume the goods produced by the AI factories. As in, literally programmed to want to buy new clothes, they drive cars that they upgrade every few years, they 'watch' the latest movies and they work a 'job' that gives them the credits needed to 'purchase' all this stuff.

Isn't this basically the current big fear in regards to online advertising in a nutshell? That it's all one massive economic bubble being driven by bots, as opposed to actual humans?

Life mimics fiction, indeed.

If we don't, in fact, need people around for the AI-run and planned and governed economy to grow grow grow, then it will sooner or later occur to AI that we don't need people around.

Not a given, but a high probability, yes.

Human beings keep animals as pets even when we have no intention of either making them labor or eating them. We care a LOT about keeping them healthy, even.

Since the AI we seem to be creating has the entirety of humanity's written output entangled with it, I have some hope it places intrinsic value on keeping humans around.

Machines replaced horses across the board for any job a horse was suited for, but we still have horses. Wild ones, even.

Midas World. From the gateway guy.

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