For some, the prospect of an automated future heralds an era of robotic convenience. For others, it is another fateful step on the journey toward a cybernetic dystopia. But for many, the prospect of an automated future raises only one immediate question: what will happen if a robot takes my job?
So begins James Suzman’s compelling and thorough history of work, beginning at the dawn of the Stone Age and moving forward to an analysis of current labor conditions in our capitalist society. This passage from Work: A Deep History perfectly captures Suzman’s balancing of technology’s wonders alongside the ways in which this technology is manipulated to make work for human beings more, not less, precarious. We’ve been looking forward to having him on the show, and after watching today’s episode of Krystal Kyle & Friends, we think you’ll agree that James makes a necessary intervention into the discussion on how and why we work. Does it have to be this way? History says otherwise.
We’re thrilled to delve into the past, present, and future of labor with James Suzman in this week’s episode of Krystal Kyle & Friends, and we hope you enjoy the journey as much as we did.
Episode 19 Audio: James Suzman