There is a lot of noise right now about the effects of AI on future employment and the possibility of massive layoffs over the next few years. Most of the headlines focus on income, markets, and economic disruption. That's fair enough, money matters.

But underneath that, there is a quieter conversation being had. What happens to people’s sense of purpose if their occupation disappears? Not the salary. The identity.

For a lot of people, work is not just how they pay the bills. It is how they define themselves. It is how they measure their value. Take that away and some might feel untethered. There are even studies suggesting that after losing a job, some men in particular struggle deeply with depression because they associate their worth with being a provider. That means the hit is not only financial, it is also psychological.

I understand the concept. I am just not sure I can relate to it. Even when I was much younger, I never felt that working for someone else was the pillar holding up my sense of meaning. And even when you're self-employed, technically you're also employed by whoever is paying you. If anything, I would have been perfectly content not having to structure my life around employment at all.

Look at Thailand. Perfect example. There are plenty of expats here who choose not to work. Not all of them are wealthy. Many would have to continue working if they stayed in their own countries, but choose Thailand instead by simply adjusting to a lower cost of living and prioritize lifestyle over career. They fill their days with routines, hobbies, friendships, fitness, local travel, or simply slower living. They do not seem to be wandering around in existential despair because they do not have a job title.

That makes me question the assumption that a vocation is essential to human value.

Is meaning really tied to employment, or have we just been conditioned to think it is? As an example, you also see many people who don't retire when it's time for them to stop working because they don't know what else to do with themselves.

Of course, if someone has built their entire identity around their career, losing it or giving it up can feel like losing themselves. That is real. But maybe that says more about how narrowly we define our own value and purpose than about some universal human need to have a job.

If AI does disrupt industries, I suspect the financial shock will hit harder than the emotional one for most people. Survival and stability tend to dominate the mind. Once that is handled, humans are pretty adaptable. We find new routines. New interests. New ways to occupy our time.

Maybe the deeper issue is not whether we need work to have meaning, but whether we have neglected to build meaning in other ways outside of work.

So if the traditional career ladder crumbles and eventually it gets replaced with some form of UBI, will people mentally collapse with it, or will they finally have the space to redefine what gives their life value?

I think many people will still work even if receiving UBI, some jobs will be out there, those with no jobs will rely on UBI. I would of thought motivation for education would drop as little point with no job ahead.

How will UBI be funded, corporation tax? but companies will try to avoid maybe by moving, company profits will go through the roof with much lower staff costs so this may all work out in the end

40 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I think many people will still work even if receiving UBI, some jobs will be out there, those with no jobs will rely on UBI.

There will never be such a thing as real UBI. Most countries are already cutting back on things like state pensions and social welfare programs. The global gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow wider. UBI is a hoax that is only hyped up as a method of distraction and obfuscation by AI companies that are trying to raise billions more in capital while also trying to prevent people from thinking that AI is going to become some form of future Skynet.

2 hours ago, Alpha84 said:

There will never be such a thing as real UBI. Most countries are already cutting back on things like state pensions and social welfare programs. The global gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow wider. UBI is a hoax that is only hyped up as a method of distraction and obfuscation by AI companies that are trying to raise billions more in capital while also trying to prevent people from thinking that AI is going to become some form of future Skynet.

If there isn't a UBI the alternative is civil unrest / chaos

As answer to your headline: Seems like you don´t need one!

Isn't the meaning/purpose of life to seek pleasure and avoid pain ?

4 hours ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

What happens to people’s sense of purpose if their occupation disappears? Not the salary. The identity....For a lot of people,...It is how they define themselves. It is how they measure their value. Take that away and some might feel untethered.

Holy Buddha, I hope not. Always take pride in my work, but really don't want to be remembered as ...

... aircraft cleaner

... airline ramp worker

... computer data entry personal

... ticket / gate agent

... aircraft de-icer

Previous employment

... hole digger (lawn sprinkler installer)

... chemical mixer (flux factory)

... steel lathe worker

... lithographic publisher

... film developer

... commercial property cleaner (clean & buff floors)

... tree surgeon, landscaper

... baker

Prefer self employed entrepreneur ...

... slum lord

... market investor

... contract truck driver

... RE agent

... Firearms salesman

... Chimney Sweep

RETIRED even better ...

... photographer

... drone builder / operator

... farmer

Purpose in life, making wife & daughter laugh one more time, and maybe waking up tomorrow.

AI (formerly Deep Thought) has already concluded that the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is 101010 - and we are the computational matrix.

Very happy to be 68+ years & will avoid most of this resetting.

Would prefer to be 78+ which would have meant being a teenager in the 60's.

(the 70's were perfectly fine.)

That would have been awesome.

Everything was genuine.

Patty Hearst & Kenny Everett were doin' it.🙃🙃

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

If there isn't a UBI the alternative is civil unrest / chaos

Thailand:

***Civil unrest. No. That is a thing destroyed here by social media platforms.

Chaos:. Business as usual.🙃🙃

---

UBI is the start of the downfall of productive society. Seems the millennials are all for it, UBI / socialism, so why put in the time & work for comfy living, when you can just take others income that did earn it.

All sounds really good, until you realize the quality of life you'll be allowed, might not meet your expectations. You want more, and have it legislated for your lazy A$$, but sooner or later .... you'll run out of other people's money.

Then what ...

51 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

UBI is the start of the downfall of productive society. Seems the millennials are all for it, UBI / socialism, so why put in the time & work for comfy living, when you can just take others income that did earn it.

All sounds really good, until you realize the quality of life you'll be allowed, might not meet your expectations. You want more, and have it legislated for your lazy A$$, but sooner or later .... you'll run out of other people's money.

Then what ...

What is UBI? Sounds like a disease

5 minutes ago, khaosokman said:

What is UBI? Sounds like a disease

Yea, I had to google that myself ... Universal Basic Income.

Govt monthly income to people too lazy to earn incomes themselves. Actually I think, in Europe, some countries, are thinking about implementing, or I read.

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

Yea, I had to google that myself ... Universal Basic Income.

Govt monthly income to people too lazy to earn incomes themselves. Actually a think in Europe, or so I read.

Good idea. Give it to everyone. Cut off all other welfare.

8 hours ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

There is a lot of noise right now about the effects of AI on future employment and the possibility of massive layoffs over the next few years. Most of the headlines focus on income, markets, and economic disruption. That's fair enough, money matters.

But underneath that, there is a quieter conversation being had. What happens to people’s sense of purpose if their occupation disappears? Not the salary. The identity.

For a lot of people, work is not just how they pay the bills. It is how they define themselves. It is how they measure their value. Take that away and some might feel untethered. There are even studies suggesting that after losing a job, some men in particular struggle deeply with depression because they associate their worth with being a provider. That means the hit is not only financial, it is also psychological.

I understand the concept. I am just not sure I can relate to it. Even when I was much younger, I never felt that working for someone else was the pillar holding up my sense of meaning. And even when you're self-employed, technically you're also employed by whoever is paying you. If anything, I would have been perfectly content not having to structure my life around employment at all.

Look at Thailand. Perfect example. There are plenty of expats here who choose not to work. Not all of them are wealthy. Many would have to continue working if they stayed in their own countries, but choose Thailand instead by simply adjusting to a lower cost of living and prioritize lifestyle over career. They fill their days with routines, hobbies, friendships, fitness, local travel, or simply slower living. They do not seem to be wandering around in existential despair because they do not have a job title.

That makes me question the assumption that a vocation is essential to human value.

Is meaning really tied to employment, or have we just been conditioned to think it is? As an example, you also see many people who don't retire when it's time for them to stop working because they don't know what else to do with themselves.

Of course, if someone has built their entire identity around their career, losing it or giving it up can feel like losing themselves. That is real. But maybe that says more about how narrowly we define our own value and purpose than about some universal human need to have a job.

If AI does disrupt industries, I suspect the financial shock will hit harder than the emotional one for most people. Survival and stability tend to dominate the mind. Once that is handled, humans are pretty adaptable. We find new routines. New interests. New ways to occupy our time.

Maybe the deeper issue is not whether we need work to have meaning, but whether we have neglected to build meaning in other ways outside of work.

So if the traditional career ladder crumbles and eventually it gets replaced with some form of UBI, will people mentally collapse with it, or will they finally have the space to redefine what gives their life value?

You need to define what you mean by "meaning".

If you're a worker at Wal-Mart, UBI is a godsend as it frees you from your meaningless existence of drudgery for low pay. Your life never had a meaning, not from your job anyway. That's 60-75% of people maybe.

Imagine you're a surgeon making 750K per year and Robbie the Robot takes your job. Now all the hot women don't think you're such a great catch and you don't get to show off in your Porsche at cocktail parties anymore and act like you're better than everyone else. These people might get depressed and suicidal or become drug addicts if you strip their status and high salaries away from them.

4 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Imagine you're a surgeon making 750K per year and ...

... govt takes half your income, to give to the people that have no desire to work, but think deserve half your income, or more, if they can get it. Since chances are, your tax burden at that income, may be 50% already.

Welcome to UBI

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Welcome to UBI

UBI doesn't make any sense to me.

What if you're living in a mansion? UBI cannot even pay the heating bill. And then what? Your job gets automated and you need to move to an apartment?

Who will buy that mansion with so many jobs lost? Unless the rich ultra rich buy up everything.

The system makes no sense to me as to how it will play out.

Unless it takes place very gradually over decades ...

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

UBI doesn't make any sense to me.

What if you're living in a mansion? UBI cannot even pay the heating bill. And then what? Your job gets automated and you need to move to an apartment?

Who will buy that mansion with so many jobs lost? Unless the rich ultra rich buy up everything.

The system makes no sense to me as to how it will play out.

Unless it takes place very gradually over decades ...

Everyone gets $500. Totally fair. Then you can work or not work. If you work you don't hate the non workers cause you get more. No pensions, no child welfare. The only add on is disability pension.

1 minute ago, khaosokman said:

Everyone gets $500. Totally fair. Then you can work or not work. If you work you don't hate the non workers cause you get more. No pensions, no child welfare. The only add on is disability pension.

Yeah, Musk is saying people won't need to save for retirement anymore.

15 minutes ago, khaosokman said:

Everyone gets $500. Totally fair. Then you can work or not work. If you work you don't hate the non workers cause you get more. No pensions, no child welfare. The only add on is disability pension.

What the hell would $500 USD provide for ??? Are you getting free housing, food & healthcare with your UBI. If not, you'll be homeless and barely able to feed yourself.

Just now, KhunLA said:

What the hell would $500 USD provide for ??? Are you getting free housing, food & healthcare with your UBI. If not, you'll be homeless and barely able to feed yourself.

You get money. If you want more get a job.

8 minutes ago, khaosokman said:

You get money. If you want more get a job.

Emigrate to Australia.

2 minutes ago, khaosokman said:

You get money. If you want more get a job.

That's what I always say now, want more, earn more. $500 a month isn't worth destroying the motivation of the better off to contribute to the tax base, and part of why I stopped producing taxable income, and retired early.

Once I had enough for me ... BYE BYE USA.

Sooner, a lot sooner, you'll run out of other people's money if they ever instituted that in the USA.

As the lay abouts wouldn't be happy with $500 a month, soon they'd demand $2-3-5000 a month, and what ever party gave in, would get elected. Until all the elite, left the USA, then what ???

You're seeing that happen now, with the exodus of people & companies leaving silly taxed states.

2 hours ago, khaosokman said:

What is UBI? Sounds like a disease

Yup.

Now drinking coffee through a straw inserted into a hole in my mask.🙃🙃

UBI will happen for sure in the not so distant future. It would have to be run by the gov. some type of berthing, medical when and how they deem right. it won't be pretty, that's for sure.

1 hour ago, emptypockets said:

Emigrate to Australia.

They probably won't take it back!

The purpose of life is to pass genetic information on to the next generation.

The purpose of life does not require a meaning.

I'm 75. I was an educator. I still educate, research and write but I find I am invisible, irrelevant. Does it bother me? Not really. But it does require some navigation.

As love as someone loves us, our purpose is loving them back.

10 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

If there isn't a UBI the alternative is civil unrest / chaos

well, yes.

but looking at drone technology, unrest simply means rotting in a field really quick.