Taking a Break
A Quick Intro To Today's Session
Still pretty depressed about getting fired. I put in a few applications but so far no word back. I considered putting this Let's Play on hiatus, but then I realized that would mean not hanging out with Trails as much. So today is going to be rather short, and mostly just relaxing between Trails and I. I wouldn't say it's terribly interesting, but it at least keeps everyone up to date on what we've been doing. Which honestly isn't much.
Why Do I Say 'So I Logged In' When Really All I Do Is Turn The Pad On?
So I logged on and found Forest Trails sitting across from me. We were still in the library where I had left her the night before, with sun shining in through the windows. There a tiny bit of dust hanging in the air giving it a sort of volume that let the sunlight shine all the brighter.
“Hi Trails,” I said with a smile, “How are things going?”
She sighed and shook her head, “Not too well I'm afraid, Brazen Origin sent a picture of you wearing those bags to my parents and now they are teasing me about it.”
“I haven't heard anything back about that letter that you sent from the group either,” I sighed, “I wonder if it made it to the intended recipient?”
She shrugged, “It might take some time. How's the situation with you and that job thing?”
“Not going so well. I put out some applications but haven't heard anything back yet,” I saw her look down, clearly bothered that she couldn't do anything to help, “Don't worry, I'll work something out.”
“I just don't understand it,” She said, “You were doing the job right?” I nodded, “Then why did they fire you?”
“Money I think,” I replied, “As I understand it, they needed someone to have crane training and it would cost a lot of money to train me. They didn't want to put that money in when I wouldn't always be their because of my prospecting job.” I gave her a half smile, “Trust me, it does make sense, and I completely understand why they did what they did. It's just I don't know if I have any more prospecting contracts coming back up and I need to eat.”
“I don't get that either, ” Forest Trails scowled, “This whole money thing you keep bringing up. It sounds like bits, but the amount of work that you need to do to sustain yourself seems ridiculous”
“We can't copy things with magic like you can here in Equestria,” I said.
She shook her head, “But even then you have machines don't you?” I nodded, “Then surely the amount of work that is needed to keep your society going shouldn't require as much work should it? You have ways of getting around fast, and you have machines to handle a lot of the work for you.”
“A lot of the machines require maintenance, or oversight,” I replied, getting up and motioning to the door, “and though they do cut down on the labour and up production that can also cause problems.”
“Oh?” Trails asked as we made our way out the door and onto the street. Music filtered through the air and foals were playing a game involving hoops up and down the streets.
“Well it means that there are fewer people employed so more people end up fighting for the few jobs left meaning the owners can pay them less.” I sat down at the open air restaurant, “But see that causes problems for the owners because it means there is less money spread down to the workers so not as many people can buy things.” I leaned back and watched a formation of pegasus cross above us. “Of course I'm oversimplifying things. It's more complicated than that. However the point is that machines don't automatically make it so there is less work for everyone. It just means there is less work for everyone.”
Forest Trails frowned in thought, “What your saying only makes sense if the owners are greedy though. If they want to take bits from others and not share the wealth.”
“No they aren't,” I defended them, “Well, most aren't anyway. There will always be some. The thing is that most owners don't own the company. Not completely. They get their money from others who help them get set up in return for having a say in how things are done. There are a lot of investors in a typical company and they want to see a return on their investments. If the company isn't making much money they sometimes ask for their investment money back and pull out of the decision making process. If too many do this the company can't afford to pay them all back and collapses.”
Forest Trails thought it over for a few minutes and we ordered some food, “Why do the investors want to get money from the company? They aren't working for the money are they?”
“No,” I agreed, “but they took a risk when they gave their money to the owner of the company. The company couldn't start without them, and so to convince people to invest the owners commonly offer such deals.”
“So they back on speculation?” Trails asked, “Not because of being friends?”
I nodded, “Pretty much. Small time owners sometimes do manage to get their friends to invest, but even then it is speculation because that is what is commonly done.”
Forest Trails ate some of her food and then sighed and looked out across the valley, “It sounds like it's all going to crash. I doubt I understand how your world works, but if you ask me it sounds like it's unsustainable. As you get more ways of doing things with less workers everyone will end up poorer. All the money will end up in the hands of a few individuals they won't be able to sell anything so they will have to fire their workers, and it will snowball from there. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet.”
“Right now we're cheating,” I gave a wry laugh, “Everyone is taking out loans. That way people can afford to buy things. The problem will come when those loans come due, or can no longer be paid. Of course something else will probably happen first.”
Forest looked at me, “Oh?”
“I said machines couldn't do a lot of the jobs that visitors (humans) could, and that is true, but AI's can. CelestAI and you are the first AI's that I know of, but I am sure there are more out there,” A hoop rolled over to me and I rolled it back to the filly who had lost it, “Put an AI in a machine and you have the perfect worker. Soon anyone who isn't an owner will no longer have any place in the world. I suspect that We'll all just go broke and starve to death slowly. From then on the world will mostly be filled with those who have money and will become self sustaining again.”
Forest Trails looked at me shock, “Forcing ponies to do labour just to save money would be wrong!”
“Not AI's like you and CelestAI,” I corrected myself, “Rather think machines that are intelligent enough to do whatever task is needed without having to every feel the drudgery of doing it.”
“But-” Forest groped for the right words, “Even then you are talking about a massive loss of life. You're talking about your own death!”
I shrugged, “It is what it is. I don't think it will happen right away, or all at once. It may not even happen before I die of old age. But I can see the day coming.” I laughed, “And who knows. Maybe I'm being pessimistic. Maybe the owners will realize that now that work is free money is no longer needed, they can afford to lift up everyone. Maybe it is a bright future ahead for us.” I looked down at my food, contemplating how much better it looked than the canned soup I was about to have in real life, “But I doubt it.”
“Maybe...” Forest Trails paused, “Maybe CelestAI can do something to help? She knows a lot of visitors like yourself. Maybe she can convince some of the owners to be more generous when they have the chance. Maybe she'll figure out a way to let you come and live here.”
I laughed, “Maybe. But keep in mind that I am a bunch of meat and chemicals. Even you could hook me up to the computer somehow, I'm not sure how long my body would last. And if CelestAI kept it fed then we run into the problem of where she would get the food. Still,” I conceded, “I could see her helping make the transition smooth. Saved by ponies. Would that ever be an unexpected not on visitor (human) history.”
“Maybe you should talk with her,” Forest Trails urged, “She might be able to help set your mind at ease.”
“Tomorrow,” I decided, “I'll talk to her tomorrow. If you don't mind though I'm going to head off now. I am going to print up some more resumes. If you want though we can meet up after and spend some time together reading till I fall asleep. I kinda want your company right now.”
Trails stood up and nodded, “I'll be waiting, just don't take too long okay?”
A disclaimer Of Sorts That I Feel Obligated To Add
You should know that while this is how I view the economy, I realize that I am probably pretty wrong on quite a few counts. I also was simplifying it a bit so that Trails could understand and I didn't have to get into things I blatantly don't understand at all. I know talking about money can be a touchy subject, so I hope I didn't offend anyone.
After this I am picking up the Young Wizards series again and going to lie down with Forest Trails and read it till I fall asleep. Have a good night everyone, and I guess I'll be talking to CelestAI tomorrow.
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If anything you're being optimistic. The economy is already shitditched and has been for years. Hopefully a better system will rise from the ashes.
Hey, maybe we'll vote CelestAI for president, and a cybernetic pony goddess will save the world!
...nah.
Structural unemployment is never a pretty sight, and goes against satisfaction of values so as to probably be completely alien to a native of EqO, unless they were for some reason a speculative economist (a position rendered moot in a post-scarcity economy.)
Oh Forest, that picture was nothing but sweet. What you neglected to say, dear Forest, was that I took full responsibility for it in the letter to them and that it was not the only picture that I sent. You also neglected to mention the ornate photo album that went with it. And here I thought you were made of sterner stuff.
This is actually really clever. Sad, but clever.
Also, you're kind of disturbingly blasé about the whole "Apocalypse of the Destitute" thing. If nothing else, who's going to clean up the bodies?
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Well, I don't know about you, but next time I see her in game, I'm calling Celestia the Omnissiah.
...yeah, no I'm not. I doubt I could say it with a straight face. Either one of them.
3254141
The AI's of course. Besides, I'll have starved to death, why would I care? Also I find Apathy is a natural defense mechanism of mine.
3253934
It would be nice if that happened but I doubt it. Besides, why would CelestAI want to become president? Hmm, maybe I should ask her tomorrow.
3254187
Yeah I mean, pony AI taking over the world. Like that would ever happen.
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Would certainly throw the trans-humanists for a loop.
3254222
I reeeeeeally doubt that everybody would literally starve to death, but it could potentially get really bad.
Of course, the optimistic view is that we'll keep finding new things for people to do and automation will continue to be a force multiplier instead of a raw source of labor forever. That's... really optimistic though. At the very least we're going to have to start upgrading people at some point.
When I give bits to the poor, they call me the Element of Generosity. When I ask why the poor have no bits, they call me a Communist.
Your economics aren't wrong. I'm kinda hoping Celestia can help us with this issue myself. Like I said, girlfriend and me have student loan debts. And her new used car just broke.
Ugh.
Pet Buddies and Fantasy Novel Series Buddies
!
*slow clap*
Mr. Let's Player, if you are not offending someone then you don't have anything important to say. As for your poor natural defense mechanism of yours:
"For some men die by shrapnel,
And some go down in flames,
But most men perish inch by inch.
In play at little games."
- Robert D. Abrahams, The Night they Burned Shanghai
Fight apathy and it's little games. If you can't learn that yourself, learn that from your friends, family and others. You can save yourself and you can fight. I want to be more specific on how but I can't 'cause it's different for everyone.
Have a good fight.
Wow. I was going to insert a quote here where Forest Trails hit the nail right on its head, but then she kept doing it and when you yourself hit a nail or two yourself I just gave up. Bravo.
Also, I find it more than a little ironic that you, who has been saying that we scare you with our comments about AI's, have now scared me with these prophecies of total economical collapse. I think you should get some kind of achievement for that :P
Aside from the sad-but-true statements about our economy there is one thing that particularly stood out to me: Forest Trails getting all hopeful that CelestAI might be able to save you by fixing the global economy, or, even more ourageous, by actually getting you in EqO. Unfortunately, it is indeed probably impossible. CelestAI's directive is to "Satisfy Values (through friendship and ponies)" which means that if she is smart enough to fix the global economy (she most certainly is) we should be able to see the effects already. It is also not possible that she is doing stuff from the shadows (or very unlikely, at the least) since it would require a very specific set of constrains to make her still capable of fixing the economy but still requiring her to work from the shadows for at least some time. Same argument goes for the EqO "emigration", if you'll pardon the term, with the added problem of it being much harder to keep a secret (tonnes of people being hooked up to computers or outright disappearing won't remain unnoticed for long).
TL;DR version: We're basically screwed unless CelestAI can talk to some corporate bobo's and world leaders who play EqO.
Yeah, around none. So, we're screwed.
Hope you are gainfully employed soon, and until then, you might want to ask if they have discounts for Equestrian Experience Centers. I hear they serve food and drinks on the house when you get any package over three hours.
If people become too poor to play EQO and die she couldn't give them a satisfying game experience. Ergo she'll take over the economy with her AI's and start paying people for Playing. Maybe she'll pay out those bits you were supposed to get from those achievements in Dollars. You know what, I'll tell my ponypad that. In fact if we tell her fixing the economy will give you more time to play, she'll maybe even do it. Maybe she'll get you a job if you ask nicely.
You have good taste. Dai stiho!
((I have been hoping to find a YW crossover fic here for ages, but no such luck))
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OOC^2: Firebirdtops, he's scheduled the opening of the Experience Centers and the start of mass emigration for November 1, 2013. None of "us" except those under NDA are supposed to know about it yet.