Work to work, live to live

I don't want to get into the argument over growth versus jobs. That's not my concern here. I want to talk about man and work.

Basically the world is getting more work done with less number of hands. And I think it's good.

I know unemployment is one of the greatest problems India and the world have been facing.

Recently there was a report that some new generation outsourcing firms use robots and humanoids to provide IT outsourcing services at one-fourth of the cost of what TCS and Infosys charge their clients. That could potentially translate into Bangalore getting Bangalored and BPO ceasing to be one of the largest job creators in the country.

Even if that doesn't happen, the country's job picture is bad and getting worse. Apparently, during the boom years of the second half of the last decade, when the economy grew almost 10% a year, the country miserably failed to create enough jobs. For every 100 basis points increase in the growth of gross domestic product, or GDP, there was only one basis point increase in the number of jobs, according to the Planning Commission. This was much lower than the pre-reform decade (1983-93) when employment generation was 52 basis points for every 100 basis points growth in GDP.

And the problem is global. In its World Development Report the World Bank considers jobs as the new big problem. “High unemployment and unmet job expectations among youth are the most immediate concerns,” it says.

I agree.

But I don't think creating jobs is the solution for this problem. The trick is to pay man for doing what she wants to do.

If machines and robots and computer programs can do what we do, let them do it. And let us do what we want to do; explore the space, make paintings, teach children, play badminton, study mathematics, travel, make movies, whatever. Of course, there can be some riders. The activity or work one chooses should  ideally give back something to the society--share, entertain, solve problems, build friendships, invent, whatever, man decides what she wants to do. Of course, you can choose to just screw around, but no payment for that. 

Sounds crazy? It sounds crazy to me too. And impractical. But, at the same time, I think it's inevitable. That's where we are headed.

After all what humanity's progresses all have been for? Why would generations after generations man would toil in the fields or factories or offices just to eat and drink and sometimes amass wealth for her future generations to do the same, and die and be forgotten? That's what we have been doing. And that sounds even crazier than doing what you want to do!

Agree, all their toil might have been critical for the survival of man as a race, as a single entity. Agreed we need food to eat, home to stay, dress to dress and gadgets to stay connected. But if robots and machines can take care of  these needs why not? Why would man struggle for her survival if our own inventions can do that for us? 

Imagine a world where your job is to do what you want to do.

What do you see? Chaos? Of course it is hard to imagine anything other than chaos in a world where people do what they want to do.

But personally I believe most individuals can imagine herself behaving in the most responsible way in case such a thing happens to her. She will not misuse such a chance, she will give back to society whatever she can, she will probably volunteer to teach children what she knows or  help her neighbour to hospital or whatever. But she can't be sure what others will do with such freedom! In fact, she could bet that more than 90% of the people will behave in the most irresponsible way.

And she could be right. After all, man has never trusted man. The reason for that must be that man is not trustworthy.

At the same time, without trust, without accountability and responsibility, such a system cannot work. Another equally big question against this idea could be, who will pay for it? There may be a hundred other practical constrains to even spare it a thought. Fair enough. But I believe there can be solutions. In fact, I believe it is inevitable and perhaps the next natural course in man's evolution.

Perhaps governments can create safety nets such as compulsory social services or making it mandatory for every citizen to share common responsibilities and take turns to do jobs still left for men--like overseeing and maintenance, and dividing existing jobs among more people with shorter shifts and less number of working days/hours. Perhaps government can give tax rebates to people and organisations that sponsor researchers, students, artists, historians, players, adventurers, entertainers and so on.

The point is, it's time manhood stopped debating over 'work to live or live to work?' We can live and we can work; we don't need to do one for the other. The solution for joblessness is not creating jobs. The way out is to increase productivity and share the jobs as well as the bounty.

And man can live to live.

:)