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From: rbowman <bowman@montana.com>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,comp.os.linux.misc
Subject: Re: The joy of actual numbers, was Democracy
Date: 4 Nov 2024 00:09:15 GMT
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On Sun, 3 Nov 2024 21:52:34 +0100, D wrote:

> Robots, automation, optimization and general technological development
> will take care of it and us. I'm personally not worrie in the least. On
> the other hand, I am an optimist. Many people do not like me for being
> an optimist, but such is life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Player_Piano_(novel)

I found that in my high school library shelved with Heinlein and other 
writers. Vonnegut was nit well known in the early '60s. Perhaps the 
librarian made the connection between Illium and Troy High.

It was thought provoking. The setting was a thinly veiled Tri-Cities which 
made it all the more interesting. I was on a path which ultimately led to 
RPI, which was more or less across the street, and a career as one of the 
engineers who kept the robots and automation going.

The problem hasn't gone away. What do you do with the millions, if not 
billions, who are unneeded in the 21st century and don't even have the 
skills and aptitude to survive?