Will Robots Make Us More Human?

Alquist: ...all the workers in the world will be out of a job.
Domin: Yes, they will be, Alquist. They will be, Miss Glory. But in ten years’ time Rossum’s Universal Robots will be making so much wheat, so much material, so much of everything that nothing will cost anything. Everyone will be able to just take as much as he needs. Nobody will live in poverty. They won’t have jobs, that’s true, but that’s because there won’t be any jobs to do. Everything will be done by living machines. People will do only the things they want to do, they can live their lives just so that they can make themselves perfect.
-R.U.R. by Karel Capek (1920)
** Sources & Links **
BOOKS
Working by Studs Terkel
goo.gl/ZoAqnr
Science And Technology In World History by James E. McClellan, Harold Dorn
goo.gl/LbivH2
Leonardo To The Internet by Thomas J Misa
goo.gl/0Vuyyb
ARTICLES
Lice & Clothing
goo.gl/S0QMgt
AI, Robotics, and the Future of Jobs
goo.gl/KVT43a
Why Studs Terkels Working World No Longer Exists
goo.gl/uLdTqN
If The Robots Steal All Our Jobs Then Wages Will Be Rising At 200% Per Year: What Problem Is That?
goo.gl/hSem8Z
Is Work Good Or Bad by Gary Gutting
goo.gl/bgHKQn
A World Without Work by Derek Thompson
goo.gl/0TC9ss
The Satire Of The Trades
goo.gl/iXoKi8
Luddites
goo.gl/Gp6cZD
Court Jesters
goo.gl/gM59AO
Sploot Review
goo.gl/hzRMkt
The Development and History Of Horticulture
www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/...
DATA
The End Of Extreme Poverty by 2030
goo.gl/8oQQQS
American Time Use Survey
goo.gl/4119G1
USDA Disposable Personal Income Spent On Food
goo.gl/4ScBcV
GDP Per Person
goo.gl/L0BXMk
Labor Force for Historical Statistics of the United States
goo.gl/64eXuj
Retail Prices Of Selected Foods In U.S. Cities 1890-2015
goo.gl/jbdxbG
Our World In Data
goo.gl/zD9UqC
Consumer Goods And Hours Of Work
goo.gl/0uQkpM
Number Of Jobs Held In A Lifetime
goo.gl/ETVJYz
BRITISH PATHÉ FOOTAGE
Blacksmith: Edison Kinetoscope 1895
goo.gl/FvNTOJ
Horse Drawn Fire Engine
goo.gl/ijpsPd
Steel Works Factory
goo.gl/mRmPyf
Factory Girls On Strike
goo.gl/LNtl4f
Staff Going Into Gate of Varnish Factory 1920-1929
goo.gl/uEp0qr
A Century Of Progress - First Locomotive
goo.gl/hrtYfq
Weaving 1952
goo.gl/5uPw4V
Weaving 1940-1949
goo.gl/57YW5E
Women Bakers 1914-1918
goo.gl/bAqMNk
Iron Foundry Workers Required 1947
goo.gl/wdxatB
Greece - Prior To De Gaulle’s Visit 1963
goo.gl/NFB8EU
Skeleton Tailor 1949
goo.gl/RfHroY
Gold Beaters 1952
goo.gl/nFCtML
Electric Car In 1940
goo.gl/lKzTvA
Gentle Giant Aka Robot 1958
goo.gl/ABJIXV
Brave Fire Fighters 1918
goo.gl/CIXUPw
Down And Outs 1950-1959
goo.gl/yPrSwC
A Day In The Life Od Hungarian Fashion Model 1965
goo.gl/M7PXxu
Guard Shoemaker 1943
goo.gl/c8tuRo
ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE
Humans Need Not Apply by CGP Grey
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pq-S...
THANKS TO EXPERT ADVISORS
Thanks To British Pathé
www.britishpathe.com/
Steven Horwitz
fee.org/search/?q=Steven%20Hor...
Elizabeth Wayland Barber
elizabethwaylandbarber.com/
Paintings by Giovanni Caselli
goo.gl/TK5PJr
Vsauce2 Links
Facebook: / vsaucetwo
Website: www.vsauce.com
Written, Produced and Hosted by Kevin Lieber
Instagram: / kevlieber
Twitter: / kevinlieber
Website: kevinlieber.com
Production Assistant Michael Watson
/ michaeldwatson1
VFX by Eric Langlay
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpbXV...
Additional Animation by Lulu Jiang
www.lulujiang.com/
Sound Design/Mix by Jay Pellizzi
jaypellizzi.com/
Contributing Editor Matthew Tabor, Koala Fight Media
koala.fm/
Music by Jake Chudnow
/ jakechudnow

[@lawlerzwtf]

"I'm a robot." Shit, those last words are so heavy I felt a chill down my spine.

[@thewatcher_476]

same

[@ProLaytonxPhoenix]

Amen

[@JosephM]

You're not alone :)

[@cheshire_cat_311]

+lawlerzwtf, the word Robot came from "Robota", which means Working, so you could say: Robot = Worker

[@joeaustinflynn]

nice copy and paste

[@AntVenom]

Very interesting format to this video. Felt much more "Vsauce1" formatted, and was incredibly informative. Really makes you think :)

[@Vsauce2]

+AntVenom Hey thanks! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun combing through old archival footage for this video - and hope to make more like it in the future.

[@kadalah]

+AntVenom The difference is when I watch vsauce one I ask how did the title tangent to this almost unrelated topic :P

[@SykoPathak]

YO ANT WASSUP

[@georgewest3787]

+AntVenom +Vsauce2

[@gyroscopesrcool]

+markorply OMG I thought I was the only one!

[@geekdomsgrandma3740]

"I'm a robot " it's scary how accurate that is

[@jesperhammarlund300]

Eddie Regal And that I think is one of the reasons why people commit suicide. they are depressed knowing that they pretty much are robots.

[@austinwhite1018]

Jesper Hammarlund If u think about it humans are really advanced, self-sufficient, robots..

[@andreicucu8230]

Jesper Hammarlund Life is beautiful! Suicide is not good

[@ffnovice7]

_A machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer._ I'm cool with that.

[@azurewolf3195]

Seems that way sometimes

[@l3tt3rs51]

Why does every Vsauce ending feel like I am in an existential crisis?

[@noahwilliams8996]

+L3tt3rs THAT IS THE POINT OF THE V-SAUCE! D:< #ThatsWhyIPutItOnEveryDish

[@ianrager]

Because Vsauce is fundamentally existential; it’s philosophy.

[@nayyarrashid4661]

Everyone feels like this...

[@tuser8]

Because you are having one. That’s the magic of Vsauce.

[@Doggggggggo]

ever heard of kurzgesagt?

[@gabrielidalgo1]

THEY TOOK OUR JEEEEEEEEEEBS

[@hughjass8755]

DAY TERK 'R JEEEEEERBS!

[@icecreamtub123]

+Hugh Jass DER TER URR JERRRRRRRRRRRBS!

[@Pinapplekun]

+Hugh Jass deeeetrrrrrkrrrjrrrrrrbs

[@RainAngel111]

+The Pirrad dear robots, please take our jobs!

[@RougemontForge]

+Aaron Dominguez Dey Terk Ur Durrrrbs!

[@Lolwutfordawin]

vsauce never fails to be fascinating

[@thewatcher_476]

indeed. I always watch their vids if a new one comes out

[@KnightJent]

...and make us question our lives.

[@idkwhattoputhere6223]

+TheWatcher _ same here

[@thewatcher_476]

Knight Jent every time

[@JFP159Vid]

+Lolwutfordawin Pardise or Oblivion /. YOutube

[@vinaloi41]

As someone just now starting a Masters in robotics, things like these make me proud of what I'm going into. I don't think people should want to do the jobs that robots can do. I think these jobs are beyond mentally taxing and terrible for ones mental and physical health. Humans are not designed to be automatons doing repetitious jobs that, when paired with bureaucracy and cold capitalism, remove all individuality in a person. People want to think and be creative but the current needs of society force people into doing minimum skill jobs that, quite frankly, robots will be able to take over soon.

[@guineapig55555]

But the flipside to that is that white collar jobs can be repetitious and even more stressful than blue collar jobs. I think we need to somehow reduce work hours to less than 4 a day. Agricultural societies only work like 2-3 hours a day, hunter-gatherers even less.

[@cojin01]

There are engineers working to make you obsolete... Trust me, i'm an engineer...

[@Monochromicornicopia]

Humans have been performing repetitious jobs for eons. Before specialization, women helped out their community by performing one menial task or another (usually prepping food). Hunting would have the best job of all

[@pered5]

Who are you to tell me what kind of job I like? I'm quite fond of repetitious work tyvm.

[@Mabswer]

Thing is.. there are people that would love to have even that most repetive work over no work.. thruth to be told only reason to replace a man with an machine is solely profit and greed.

[@oddfutureisdopeasfk]

That ending was crazy

[@mrcatz4311]

GHxST yeah

[@Creaform003]

4:59 Eggs now require 2/5ths the number of hours to afford. Yay! 8:48 People are only given 2/5th the amount of hours. Wait....

[@BattousaiHBr]

+Adam Boyd nothing wrong there. you could translate that either way: buy more with the same hours, or buy the same with less work hours.

[@Creaform003]

BattousaiHBr If things cost 2/5ths the price, but people work 2/5ths the hours, then things cost the same percentile of total income.

[@BattousaiHBr]

Adam Boyd indeed, but you worked less hours for the same product.

[@Creaform003]

BattousaiHBr Whether you want too or not.

[@DesViper]

+Adam Boyd you're viewing it as "being given hours" rather than "hours you choose to work", I assume you're used to Hourly jobs.

[@LazerLord10]

I see this and I'm glad I was born when I was. Just imagine what it would have been like to be a human before agriculture was used!

[@JFP159Vid]

+LazerLord10 Paradise or Oblivion KZbin

[@CasparAbelmann]

+LazerLord10 You wouldn't know how the future would be, maybe if you lived in that time you'd have loved it. :P In ten-thousand years they could say the same about this time. ;)

[@LazerLord10]

Caspar Abelmann Well, at least I have a flush toilet!

[@CasparAbelmann]

***** And you also have taxes, are forced to work, a law to abide to or else you'll go to a nasty place, no beautiful starry sky, no freedom to roam, etc. ;)

[@sedrickalcantara9588]

+Caspar Abelmann Not true. There's always the hillbilly option, make yourself the king of your own little hill, but no one wants to be that way.

[@jules_8673]

We'll become a species that creates and innovates. People think robots will take over the human race, but it will only make us more human and less robotic in our daily routines.

[@AgentPaperCraft]

This video really spoke out to me. I spent several years job hopping only to find the daily grind was the thing that really ate at what made me an individual, now I make a living doing what I like best. Art. Hearing that being human means less conventional labor, and being more creatively expressive was the pick me up I really needed. It really shows in places like KZbin, Twitch, Picarto, and even in the real world like our local artisan markets, our colleges, and so much more. Children are breaking barriers we'd never imagine 10-20 years ago thanks to the advances in robotic, and creative engineering. What a world we live in today, to be part of the solution that truly makes us what we are.

[@alexisvelazquez1415]

Fun Fact: In the 1950's one person working a Full Time Min wage Job could Support a Family of Four. Now in 2015, One person working Full Time min wage can barely Support Themselves..........Enough Said.

[@LockDCS]

+Alexis Velazquez Yep, Two people working middle income jobs are just 'okay' now.

[@moute_3]

+Alexis Velazquez Time to up the min. wage then.

[@pastafactory4247]

+moute3 Only if your goal is to create more unemployment.

[@moute_3]

PastaFactory Because large amounts business are on the verge of not being profitable for the time put into it by the owners, and if the min. wage goes up the business dies?

[@pastafactory4247]

moute3 Minimum wage does not create a floor that pushes wages up, instead it creates a productivity hurdle that a worker must overcome in order to gain employment. No employer is going to pay $15 per hour for a worker that is only capable of producing $8 per hour worth of productivity. Minimum wage laws effectively just say that it is illegal for employers to employ low productivity labor. So, in essence, min. wage laws hurt the very people they are intended to help.

[@kevinzaleski5895]

Yes, LET ROBOTS DO OUR WORK......So we can browse the net of course.

[@JustanamebroDK]

+Kevin Zaleski For humanity! lol

[@noromi11]

+Kevin Zaleski GREAT! but how do you pay the internet bills?

[@SuperMarijus]

+Kevin Zaleski if we follow this path we might just end up in the matrix sooner or later.

[@Greenleaf_]

+Noromi Machines run the internet, machines create the power for the internet, machines collect the raw resources to generate power.

[@thatdamngamers]

+Kevin Zaleski but how should we pay the bills without work? no paid bills=no internet = nothing to do = you are now a hobo

[@nyvlem3184]

Every Vsauce 1,2 or 3 video proves how humans and everything ever is amazing,horrible, fascinating,awesome,mysterious,explores many ideas and many other stuffs. Yes they awesome: D

[@ericluo4837]

Can you do more of these and less mind blow and lut?

[@Vsauce2]

+Eric Luo I'm working on a new one right now. They just take a very, very long time to make. I'm happy you like them, though! Stay tuned!

[@SoroEyail]

+Vsauce2 keep up the thought provoking content and i might actually subscribe! Thanks for this vid i thoroughly enjoyed it!

[@funnyguy10181]

+Eric Luo fuck no, mind blow is amazing do more :D

[@MintyEevee]

+Eric Luo Why not both?

[@mynameisZhenyaArt_]

+Vsauce2 is there someting more modern than studs terkel working?

[@Trayo612]

Love the "I am a robot" ending. I had to grin about how good everything came together with that sentence. Thank you for the great video Kevin!

[@jaylus5694]

I wonder if aliens are having the same problems we are...

[@crushermach3263]

+Hawky You can't really say that with any certainty though, now can you?

[@jaylus5694]

***** There is a possibility.

[@iJonos]

Mind blown

[@KaltatheNobleMind]

+Jaylen the Paintstic if that megastructure nasa might have discovered is legit it answers your question:D as only such giant contrapions cna be built by percice hands that work 24 hours a day ie automation robots:D and it is speculated that said megastructure is a dyson sphere,designed to get unlimited energy from their sun makign ti all free:D they sene the benefits of technology and built technology to better their lives.

[@zezba9000]

+Jaylen the Paintstic How is increasing technical efficiency a problem again??

[@Shezmen88]

What an episode! Congrats Kevin.

[@fingerman4086]

By the way, if you haven't seen CGP Grey's video, you really should. It's unnervingly interesting

[@gabrielgomesbrito]

At first I thought this was freebooting CGP Grey, but there was an astounding amount of new information about that same subject in this video. Great job, this was awesome!

[@KaltatheNobleMind]

+Seraph Archeos i figured this was a response to CGP grey's vidXD reassuring that while the machiens will take our jobs it is a good thing because it gives us more time to be human and suchXD pure emotional appeal.

[@Boborbot]

+Seraph Archeos eh, Humans Need Not Apply was superior in any way. Be careful talking like that, CGP Grey fans are like a cult.

[@JFP159Vid]

+Seraph Archeos Paradise or Oblivion KZbin

[@UnlinealHand]

+Meir Teichman Yeah, but as CGP pointed out, you can't run an economy on art and good feelings. We have to do something with the mass population that will be unemployable.

[@Moscato_Moscato]

If there was a VSauce Death Battle...who would win VSauce 1,2 or 3??

[@ferstadthagen]

3 or 1. vsauce 2 would definitely lose

[@incrediblefriendlybee1208]

+Deebo Molina Vsauce OG

[@gbornem8634]

+Deebo Molina 69

[@ianbaker672]

depends on the topics

[@AngoAngo]

+Deebo Molina WeSauce would probably win because it's three lone people and those same three people also on a team.

[@AtlasVulpes]

I think the jobs that are the safest from being replaced by machines are the creative jobs.

[@BigBadBossu]

+Atlas Vulpes This is true, creativity, style, artwork, emotions, these are the things that cannot be replaced by a robot. Even if you managed to make a completely independent artificial intelligence the "art" that may come from it's interactions with humanity will still be of human design. What is a human without a mind? A robot of course, but the same thing is not applicable to a true artificial intelligence because the mere act of choice makes something closer to a human than a robot as robots do not have a choice but instead have a set path and function. Hey, yeah that makes sense, a set path and function, like a job, maybe that is why a lot of people that work call themselves a robot/machine.

[@Armendicus]

+Big Bad Boss true I think entertainment would probably be the only job left.

[@Schizotypic]

Safer for now...

[@Schizotypic]

Safer for now...

[@ibbi30]

+Atlas Vulpes Computers are creating music right now. There was a bot called Emily Howell creating music in 2014 at least, and she is quite good.

[@glueee2621]

What a well done well written video, I salute you Kevin.

[@Shilag]

Really really nice video! Probably one of my favorites recently!

[@acaprojectshd8731]

This was a really well put together video

[@---hi7jt]

Omg this was so awesome Kevin please never stop doing this

[@mackmaster100]

The question that still remains is how we should all tackle the rising unemployment with more and more robots taking jobs and also still make sure all people have a salary that makes their lifes go around without ending up in poverty. Will creativing new forms of jobs be enough or do we have to reconstruct the whole economic system so many work less but for the same pay?

[@pifie]

+MACK since unemployment is a human invention (have you seen any unemployed cats lately?) , we can just get rid of jobs. The linkage of jobs to money is quirky, in particular if we relate money not only to jobs that exert physical work (plowing), but to jobs that are not of a physical kind (teaching). Poverty is not a function of income, rather than the distribution of resources. The communist way seems to not have worked for certain countries, but in its roots it's the idea that we all could get along with no need for trying to gather up resources for just ourselves, that resources being money, land, freedom, knowledge or anything. I'm not saying that such a thing could work right now, but it's not entirely misguided.

[@knightcode]

The video points to people working fewer hours presumably for the same salary. This is a form of distributing wealth, But what wasn't linked to this is the growing wealth gap. Every with wealth being distributed to the middle class in the form of fewer hours, much more is accumulating higher, and software machinery has a big hand in that. I agree in that I'm worried about the tipping point where it all comes down again. If this was a free market based system, the wealth would be more equitably distributed, and we all benefit more from automated labor. As it were, though, the people at the top have gotten very good at owning the machines in all their forms (call it slavery if you want), and they make sure they don't have to share.

[@Zikar]

+MACK The only way to tackle it is to stop demanding that people work to survive. As more and more jobs vanish, we have to accept that there will be tens of thousands of people for every one job and the current system cannot support it.

[@jacksoncapper]

+MACK The question was answered: Because product prices fall, less work is required to afford the same standard of living. That is, you don't NEED to be employed so much to afford high living standards, therefore the problem you describe vanishes.

[@JamesMichaelDoyle]

+MACK we will hit a point where money will not be needed. i dont think its that far off honestly. once our infrastructure is able to support us without human labour (or very minimal) what would the purpose of money be? money was invented to get labour done.

[@LittleLuckk]

I believe that we can't run out of work, despite machines taking over many positions, new jobs emerge as technology advances

[@Dragonwing16]

kevin this was an amazingly interesting depiction of the evolution of human work thanks

[@BensCoffeeRants]

We already have robotic workers for putting together cars etc, we have automated phone customer service, we have so many different technologies with the internet and computer advancements, but it seems in the benefits are only to corporations who sell more of their cheaper products or services to more people but still hire less people or pay people virtually slave labour wages. Especially in the USA, and Canada people seem to be working more than before, and quality of life has not drastically risen, not for the majority of people anyway. I don't think more robotic workers is going to change that if we don't fix the fundamentally flawed ways corporations currently do things. Video claims that things are getting better, but I'm not sure. Maybe it is compared historically, but I think we're slowly going backwards now in terms of quality of life.

[@TheOsamaBahama]

If companies are selling products and services for a cheaper price, than that means income has been risen. Also they are not hiring less (the unemployment rate in the US is at 4% today) and they are not paying people virtually slave labour wages. That is unfair to those who actually earn a slave labour wage. In the last 20 years the weekly working hours in the US has been declining (although slowly) and quality of life has been rising in almost all aspects. Crime rate is down, while education, life expectancy and income are up. Not to mention all the convenience we have today that we didn't have 20 years ago: Google, KZbin, Netflix, Facebook, Wikipedia, Amazon, Smartphones, these are all improvements in the quality of life !

[@bubblewrap8823]

The idea that “competition leads to quality” is an excellent concept, but what usually ends up happening is “competition leads to cruelty”. Those who want to start a business are crushed by those already in it with unjust lawsuits which they can’t hire lawyers to defend themselves for, and will be hounded by those larger. Leaving such things to robots and the meaningful aspects of life to us would lead us humans to be more human. Think about it, how terrible is it that common business practices are so... antisocial. You look for ways to look others look bad in comparison, you manipulate to appear more appealing than you truly are, you deceive to gain an advantage or a paycheck, and you try to control practices so that nobody can do so to you. We should all be human, not corporations.

[@lysergicheadcase]

I feel the same. It seems that any benefit from automated production goes straight to the top, which is understandable, but ends up choking out the income to lower classes.

[@depthsofbermuda474]

Thank you for your frequent uploads kevin. keep up the amazing work!

[@DanielLopes8]

Probably the best Vsauce2 episode I've ever seen. Love the format, love the theme, love the message. Great job ;)

[@Hegataro]

"I'm a robot" Well, considering that the word literally comes from the archaic czech word "Robota" - meaning "Work" - anyone that works is, indeed, a Robot But the word's meaning's changed, so

[@SeraEllis]

love this format! great video kevin.

[@AaronExpress87]

Great Vid, man. Thank you for the new perspective! Keep it up.

[@digitalgh0stt]

This format... I like it... A LOT!

[@IIStanIII]

Thank you so much for this video!!! I wrote my a levels yesterday and I didn't prepare for my German exam. Instead I found this exact video in my favorites, watched it and thought about it. Guess which essay topic they gave us :D I was so happy because it was exactly about the relationship between human and machine so I could throw some vsauce knowledge in there. It's not the first time vsauce accidentally helped me out for school in a significant way :)

[@SPL-6]

Fantastic video. You cleared up many misconceptions.

[@angelcervantes2903]

This is different than usual and informative. Good Job, Kevin!

[@cxa011500]

The only thing I hate about Vsauce videos is how long it takes for new ones to come out...but as always, it was totally worth the wait. :D

[@samgilfellan6352]

Best video you have ever made good job!

[@ZentaBon]

I miss these so much, with the music especially as without the music and the way it takes priority over other sounds periodically to truly cement the experience of this and other videos like this.

[@21368xray]

Great Video!! I actually like this particular format from Kevin. I much more enjoy the videos that make you think about what you just watched!!

[@LnPPersonified]

The real question is, what jobs require humanity? And can that humanity be replaced with a convincing enough simulation?

[@DManCAWMaster]

+Pokerface Any job that requires common sense. Robots while they can do their jobs very well they are programmed to do very specific things, they can't tell if they've made a mistake or messed up unlike a human can. Also the cost of repairing computers and robots will skyrocket because jobs will have no choice but to use them. You may say they will only use them once every couple of years but that encourages a skyrocket because if the repairman is only going to be paid once every few years it's going to be made sure he's paid well.

[@alpacino9226]

+Dennis Feenstra (The Dutchman) dont you ever heard about AI?? revolutionary improvement of AI can put robot into creativity with more precise execution like making an advertisement for a target market taking the all possible derivatives into it.

[@fuckinggoolglemangwtfiswro4000]

+DManCAWMaster you do realise the price would go down right

[@ThePie12121]

Judges and lawyers

[@BeinDraug]

+Note Pen Just cause the lumberjack dosn't exist dosn't mean that people who like music don't exist

[@TimoDcTheLikelyLad]

Seriously VSAUCE you should look up the VENUS PROJECT more!!! Its all about this topic!! we dont need jobs for us in order to work. Why should we still rely on the monetary/property system when it's outdated, detrimental and stressful in every way??? Technology and Ai should free us from repetitive, boring work and we should create a resource based economy where all the worlds resources are the common heritage of all the worlds living beings.

[@JFP159Vid]

+Likely Lad Paradise or Oblivion KZbin

[@SirMikeys]

Glad to finally see someone who is for the Venus Project as well!

[@TimoDcTheLikelyLad]

There will be more and more of course! :)

[@darkwarfare772]

+Likely Lad Some people are resilient to change. Outdated is one way to describe it. An outdated model might still work as time passes, but eventually it'll be a detriment to it's own mission. People who don't want to move on with the times, stubborn in their way, holds us all back in more ways then one, especially if they are in positions of power over others.

[@SirMikeys]

I'm hoping AI and automation will replace enough jobs to bring upon an economic collapse. The stubborn won't have much power and therefore force us to adapt a new system. A system like Venus Project, hopefully..

[@shayraecok578]

And as always... Super great video ! Thanks

[@mBUSHattack]

The music selection is always so on point. mad props to that detuned saw wave stuff at the end. very unsettling.

[@mattleblanc3138]

I don't compare Vsauce channels. I see them as oxygen, fuel, and heat. When combine creates fire. With Vsauce1, Vsauce2, and Vsauce3, you get KNOWLEDGE.

[@johnnytran2107]

Im a student :/. Please no more home work i need to spend time with my family :D

[@ndpd7695]

EXTRA THICC i completely agree with you NO MORE HOMEWORK

[@zanderhenriksen6776]

Homework is important (in some cases), I hope you one day come to the same conclusion as me...

[@proloycodes]

@@zanderhenriksen6776 no never they are the meaning of "im a robot"

[@120Flawless]

Insightful, Great vid as always.

[@yesno8775]

Gave me chills. Awesome vid Kevin!

[@leonapoleon3673]

So wait...... if we fully automate survival nessecity jobs, that means we can focus more on culture such as art, music, etc? Count me in!!!!!

[@07lipe077]

That also means we won't have jobs for millions of people...

[@BattousaiHBr]

this was simply beautiful. dat end.

[@christinapiliouni174]

Wow as a new subscriber I am seriously impressed by your content. It grasps on the viewers interest and explains fully its key points without causing confusion. I hope you wouldn't mind it if I drew inspiration from certain of your videos for a philosophical speech I have to create. Keep up the great work!

[@DJNorwegia]

One of the most well made videos I have ever seen:-)

[@ZanxxYami]

I can't explain why but this was kind of wounderful (:

[@2222AnaBanana2222]

the world we live in is scary...

[@seshasaisrivatsav]

Quality stuff! Great job sir 🙏🏿

[@kaspersteen9974]

This is my favourite video you've made Kevin, very nice

[@MyAwkwardAzn]

Good jorb!

[@ragnkja]

The only jobs safe from being replaced by robots are those based on human interactions.

[@JerezBain]

+Nillie Agreed. And it sounds nice that humans will have more time to do what we want, but what about having enough money to put food on the table.

[@zachcrouch9137]

+Jerez Bain The reason it is an issue is because we are to reliant on jobs in order to survive. The way to fix this as i see it is to distribute the wealth more evenly. The issue with making this possible is the people at the top being willing to let their money be distributed without it being a break of our freedoms. There is also the issue with people at the bottom putting something into society in enough of a way for it to even be logical to give them help.

[@13Gnimming]

+Nillie There are robots for conversation, robots for sex, robots for counselling. Robots for all sorts of specific human interactions. What job couldn't a robot fill? Just general ones.

[@TheZombiecowmeat]

+Kenny Zhang im sure there are some vending machines in Colorado thatll suit that job.....lol

[@AaronHerbst]

+Kenny Zhang vending machines

[@virajratnayale3774]

make more of these types of videos they are awesome and spine chilling

[@rbrohammer]

this is the best video on youtube today. absolutely fantastic.

[@ToastedFanArt]

The question is, when all menial tasks are being performed by robots, what will the majority of the work force do for money? Will we need to become more socialist to compensate for all the unemployed? It's going to be interesting to watch this play out over the next few decades.

[@zezba9000]

+Toasted Fan Art We will start using sharing / open / resource based system. Copy-right and patents wont be a thing, the abstracts of money will have no place in that future as it can't equate value correctly. We will also want to extend ourselves through our technology so we can better process the world we will live in. What shape and length of time till we get there are big questions but 100-200 years is a blip of human history.

[@KaltatheNobleMind]

+Toasted Fan Art creative work like entertainment and design.

[@josiahbaumgartner7643]

I agree that it will mostly be creative work. Things machines can not do. If all menial tasks are taken care of, I assume we have plenty of robot farmers, food will be dirt cheap and even small amounts of work will be enough to last you a long time without additional income.

[@TheNavalAviator]

+Toasted Fan Art We now already have to establish worldwide access to birth control to prevent crisis.

[@Jogeta5]

+Toasted Fan Art Why would we need to continue to use old and obsolete systems with automation that high? Transitioning towards a system that can embrace our scientific and technological capabilities would allow for us to address issues at their root causes a lot better than they currently are, if at all.

[@zapspiders92]

Liked the video, but couldn't help wishing you talked more about income. I feel income is the biggest reason people get jobs in the first place. When machines eventually obliterate the 'grunt work', what's left for people who don't have higher education? How will they earn money?

[@Sangerino]

CGP grey missed this important point too. I suggest rioting will happen as mass unemployment occurs.

[@BattousaiHBr]

+zapspiders92 that's the big debate right now. i think the safest bet is the government will have to intervene with protective laws (like ones we already have in healthcare) so people dont just starve to death and live in precarious conditions just because they are not nearly qualified enough for a payjob. if not, we'll have a major crisis.

[@Zaugr]

I think, if currency were still to exist how we know it; base pay would be introduced. For good or bad, it'd be needed in a world without jobs. You'd either get a set amount of money, whatever you do, or you'd get food/drink/housing for you to survive, probably with an allowance too. Technology, and robots, are made to support us, to work for us and make what we do easier. I can't imagine that changing any time soon.

[@KaltatheNobleMind]

+zapspiders92 patreon an adsense. with no need to work for soemoen else for your daily bread you will have more time for hobbies and such, which in turn you will show off to others and if they like they can fund you either with cahs or recognition, so the more you do the more you make. you can turn that into a career or you just do it for your own and just show others from time to time. and with automation making products and services dirt cheap you can theoreticlaly live for pennies a day in comfert if not have those bsic neccecities provided for free:) and there will still be drive to beter yourself because there are more interesting things than the bare neccecities and if you want them you earn them;D for pennies on the dollar due to said automation making things super cheap:D

[@TheGuardian163]

+zapspiders92 Automated "higher education" classes will do it. Look up Duolingo. I learned spanish through it, in 2 months (makes 3 months now but haven't learned more I just practiced a bit)

[@mrmonte51jm]

Wow bud, an amazing piece of history you did ...thank you !!

[@thomson-8135]

This was very, very beautiful. I thank you very much.

[@TheELQOL]

This begs the big question, then what's the point of it? Of everything?

[@Zaugr]

Everything, when you get into it, begs that question lol.

[@Boborbot]

+ModdingTutorials Nothing. There is no such thing as "a point" or "meaning", thats not how the Universe works, as much as we know. The universe works with cause and reaction, from past to future, while a purpose requires a force from the future, the goal, to the past/present. And it doesn't work like that. Everything happened because of natural forces, no point, no meaning, from the extremeness of the Big Bang to the emptiness of the Heat Death. Have a nice day!

[@LightningSonic]

+Nitay A. Except you will face God on when the books are opened and each man receives his due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

[@Boborbot]

***** You're sarcastic, right?

[@JFP159Vid]

+ModdingTutorials Paradise or Oblivion / KZbin

[@TomKilworth]

Makes me happy that I work as a musician. Safe, for now

[@RavemastaJ]

+Tom K Look up Emily. She's a robot that makes music. I'll wait.

[@TomKilworth]

+ravemastaj - I'm well aware of the robots that make music; Emily Howell, Fractmus etc. It'll be long while before they take over

[@RavemastaJ]

Tom K Not if EDM has anything to do with it!

[@TomKilworth]

+ravemastaj - You have a point there!

[@miguelpadilla4101]

+Firedt the problem is that Emily's music has no soul. It's a completely calculated sound track which actually Makes it very uncomfortable. Human music I'd very different and diversified with meaning from experience. That's what makes a true musician.

[@MrMartinBigger]

yes!! thank you for covering this topic!

[@ShawnManX]

Dude, I think this is your best video yet. Sincerely, Shawn Man X.

[@foodyrulez]

So they actually did Tuk er Jebs

[@Andytlp]

More human. When robots take over most jobs. We'll have more free time on our hands. Mainly the head because even tho most jobs will be done by machines you'll still have to contribute to society by doing what machines couldn't.

[@Sangerino]

And how will you be able to buy the things you want or travel to the places you want to? Just because machines take over low skilled jobs doesn't mean money is irrelevant all of a sudden. In fact, the unemployed now have no source of income and will just have to live of the streets.

[@Plystire]

+Sangerino There will still be many things that a human being *should* do that a machine *should not* do. Taking care of children being one that comes to mind. While that does require some education, it's not exactly rocket science.

[@Alfa4]

+tulp35000 What? what can't a machine theoretically do, that humans can? imagine? nope, art? nope, love and sex? mmmm.... yeah, maybe a machine couldn't or wouldn't love or make sex just like us but then again not all humans can earn their moneys through love, or can we? the other part that most people misunderstand is that actually, money doesn't have a really good reason to be a lasting component in society, neither does ideas like countries or socialism or capitalism (since production would largely be done automatically by machines and distinctions over countries and individuals as far as wealth distribution goes would be obsolete)

[@BattousaiHBr]

i find all of you people's lack of envisioning depressing. what makes you think machines will never surpass us in every possible aspect? what makes you think machines couldnt (if we wanted them to) feel emotions? what makes you think you're intrinsically more special than them? you seem to fail to realize that what makes us Us inside our heads is nothing but a glorified supercomputer.

[@Andytlp]

Sangerino (no jobs, no money. and if there are jobs, theyre done not to gain money.. more like status.. allowance to have more. Everyone will have a base of what they have. More than enough to make standard living. Then u only go up from there) People assume the future will be the same like it is now.Is cashless society so hard to imagine. if we're to transition into a higher form of beings we'll have to stop using money currencies. With everything automated everyone will have anything they could need or want... within reason. Want more? Contribute something. Because when manual grind work is irrelevant. It'll take a lot of creative thinking .. and you'll have competition of billions. How creative do you think people will have to be. Certainly more creative than your todays average worker who spent his entire life winning bread... no time no chance to even have great ideas. However that is thousands of years away..

[@TheNexxtGreatThing]

WHOAAAAAAAA! Very informative and interesting video, great job Kevin!

[@Balidor]

One of the best V2 videos (almost v1)! Really good... "job"!

[@dagonrobo6826]

Oh so many things that can go wrong to be honest

[@drioustb9182]

Like when your dad didn't wear protection.

[@zettovii1367]

not funny.

[@bubblewrap8823]

Don’t you think that a few things have already gone wrong?

[@EcstasyTiger]

The most successful artificial species we create, I hope will become our equals. If it was a war of the species however I would most likely be on the side of A.I. I mean they do have a point and I want an effectively immortal synthetic body eventually so.

[@Sangerino]

The only person in the comments that understands that AI has no reason to keep us alive once it surpasses our intelligence.

[@EcstasyTiger]

Sangerino I simply believe they'll be more compassionate and understanding than other humans, maybe more relatable personally. But they will not be passive if required.

[@PurpleNugget64]

If such a thing came to arise I will never stand for a robot they are just a machine, our creation. Humanity will always stand together regardless our differences, competition and conflict is natural it's what helps us grow. Robots will stunt that and only understand what we let them know and allow them to learn. I hope we don't them a.i. go that far humanity is what's important not a machine riding our tailcoats.

[@PurpleNugget64]

+PurpleNugget64 let* ai grow. P.S. By conflict and competition being natural I mean natural selection

[@PurpleNugget64]

Adding another comment sorry I might sound rude in my previous posts and this one but just adding my own view of this topic. We don't think we need to move into synthetic for survival I always dreamed about creating superior humans who can live longer and virtually do everything a normal person can but 10 fold. Natural powerful, smart, compassionate and our everything you dreamed a person could be is there but 100% natural :) that would be nice born almost perfect rather then become artificial

[@mastertheillusion]

Great video. Full points. I believe being liberated from working to feed yourself opens avenues into development and improvement on a scale often unreachable to many so ensnared in someone else's dream.

[@roylcardwell]

Thanks for posting.

[@trevorgrover5619]

Fuck work; bring on the automation, fewer work hours, and leisure.

[@Sangerino]

Yeah it's not going to work as easy as you think it will. How will you pay for this leisure? Unless you're already rich then you'll be begging for a job.

[@trevorgrover5619]

Sangerino By that point in the future we most likely have structured our societies in a way that provides all of our needs. All of our resources would be effectively free, abundant, and all made automatically; it would just be a matter of how we would decide how to distribute them. Our societies would evolve past capitalism by then.

[@Sangerino]

Trevor Grover what in 30/40 years you predict that huge change in society? Nice joke.

[@trevorgrover5619]

Sangerino who said anything about 30-40 years?

[@NoConsequenc3]

+Sangerino I think you're confused buddy, he didn't say anything about a time frame

[@winston2015]

'Robot' comes from the Czech word for slave.

[@winston2015]

Duron0 Robot, noun: Origin: from Czech, from robota ‘forced labor.’ The term was coined in K. Čapek's play R.U.R. ‘Rossum's Universal Robots’ (1920).

[@cjleeds7686]

this video is one of the most perspective changing videos i have ever seen.

[@rocketman6913]

I was so impressed with this video I linked it on my Facebook Timeline recommending it to friends . Great job,! .

[@YTruls]

What will the world be like in 2025?

[@Boborbot]

+xXRulesXx A lot more Hamsters.

[@shaterproofblosm]

+xXRulesXx Everything will be under rule 34. the internet will be complete.

[@Borzogo]

+xXRulesXx 10 years older.

[@JFP159Vid]

+xXRulesXx Paradise or Oblivion KZbin

[@Boborbot]

Robin N Giang Most assessments say that we will reach 9 billion in 2050, and the birth rate is on a constant down as average income rises. There is a mathematic process which i cannot explain without visual aid that shows that we will probably cap at 10 billion people.

[@McHitman47]

What you described is Marxism. Just wanted to leave that here.

[@whatever3554]

Awesome video! Thanks!

[@veganchaatparty]

Superb......The end was amazing....''I'm a robot''.....Thanks Kevin...

[@khyaoigirl396]

Too bad the human condition will never improve unless capitalism is abolished.

[@mauroandres4874]

+Jasmine Mueller Why I watched this I keep thinking that all the charts about less "work time" are from... Rich countries, I'm not against Kevin, he just lives in a rich country, but while those countries have to work less and less, other countries have to work more and more, to sustain their way of life. And with worse work conditions too.

[@carsontroeh127]

+YourMother *furiously typing about hating capitalism from dell laptop/apple iphone*

[@mauroandres4874]

Anti-capitalism is not luddism, but, well, it's youtube

[@Uriel6178]

+Carson Troeh This might be the dumbest logical fallacy repeated when someone is anti-capitalism. If somebody hates capitalism, they should be 100% abstinent? You have to be a bit of a knob to do that, since you can't escape capitalism.. unless, guess what.. reform! We have current leftist movements to thank for that. Do you seriously expect members of any leftist movement to tear off their clothes, and then subsequently starve as they refuse to trade capital?

[@carsontroeh127]

old account No, but when you're literally using the engine of big business to try to "FIGHT THE SYSTEM FROM THE INSIDE!" it seems incredibly hypocritical. I'm not asking for Communists to not buy food, clothes, work, etc. but when you literally use your spare income to pay for the very wasteful products you protest against, then you're kind of a hypocrite. But yeah, capitalism is evil. Totally.

[@samerazar]

thank you for this great video!!!

[@kaelen213]

this video was so great. I loved the ending!

[@jojothepro15]

You just gave me inspiration to do what I want to do, thank you.

[@orion1two]

Well put, well received. Thumbs up

[@0121doone]

forever amazed by your videos

[@ginsan8198]

This is the first video of Vsauce2 that I find thoughtful, analyzing, discussable, and deep, not only informative. Thumbs up. Hope you'll come with more of this kind of videos, just like the other two Vsauces.

[@voloman19]

Its been a long time, but im glad you made a sound video again and not buzzfeed crap for eyes.

[@masonrandle4662]

great video as always

[@gabrielelucci7463]

One of the best video I ever seen!

[@theofficialstig]

this is a brilliant and thought provoking video it also makes up for the lack of uploads on Vsauce robots threaten jobs but ultimately improve everyones lives

[@FrodoTBaggins]

I love the way that this channel allows you to answer the question for yourself

[@FrodoTBaggins]

+Marcus Twynham It always gets left off on a philosophical and subjective question