Retiring Surveyor

[Harald]

(01-29-2018 09:17 AM)Thomas Okken Wrote:  

(01-29-2018 08:02 AM)Harald Wrote:  Well, If you think about it, what should automation mean? It should lead to us all having to work less while maintaining the same standard of living. Instead some are left behind completely while others have to work hard and still struggle. I guess something is going seriously wrong. We are all generating wealth for someone else but not really ourselves...
Unfortunately I have no solution for that...

Is it really so difficult? Productivity is rising faster than consumption, so, on aggregate, people should be working fewer hours, and/or retiring sooner. We're long overdue for a shorter workweek, lower retirement age, or more paid vacation, or any combination of those.

We've been here before. The work week used to be more than 40 hours, the retirement age used to be death, and vacation days used to be zero.

In Germany, the idea of the 24-hour work week is being seriously discussed. I was thinking 32 myself, but hey, I'm open to other ideas, too. :-)

Thomas,
I am in Germany as well, and I am on 40 hours. I wouldn't mind working less, but I don't think it would go down well with my employer. Also I am still hoping to buy a house before the children have grown up. With the current price situation reducing hours is probably not a good idea financially either.
And why are house prices so high? Because massive amounts of cash are being pumped into the market. And that is to save banks who have speculated. So all of us are working to build a huge pile of money somewhere... It's all nonsense if you think about it...
Oh, and retirement age is rising, not falling. But let's not get into health care madness as well...

Cheers,
Harald