Midas Plague
Explore Midas Plague by Frederick Pohl: 7 Hacker News mentions from 7 participants in 2007-02-22–2026-11-01. Read original excerpts, compare opinions and save this book.
Share on XFrom the conversation
Latest 7 source recordsA mention is not an endorsement. Labels are automatically classified by the source. Follow the original discussion to verify the context.
This record preserves its author, date and source link. Open HN to read the full context.
Read on Hacker NewsThis record preserves its author, date and source link. Open HN to read the full context.
Read on Hacker NewsThis record preserves its author, date and source link. Open HN to read the full context.
Read on Hacker NewsThis record preserves its author, date and source link. Open HN to read the full context.
Read on Hacker NewsThis record preserves its author, date and source link. Open HN to read the full context.
Read on Hacker NewsThis record preserves its author, date and source link. Open HN to read the full context.
Read on Hacker News"[T]here may simply be not enough important things to do to keep everyone busy." More and more these past few years I think of a favorite old science fiction story by Frederik Pohl called "The Midas Plague." All production is done by robots. Production has become so, uh, productive that humans spend all their effort just wearing out everything made by the robots. "Poor" people must live in giant mansions with several robots and wear out more stuff than "well-to-do" people, who live in small cottages with few to no robots and enjoy leisurely, intellectual and social pursuits. Comically (or tragically), it's illegal to get a robot to wear something out for you. I think I'll reread it today.
Read on Hacker News