I wouldn't have a problem with working off the fruits of other people's labor because most of us are essentially doing that everyday anyway, the issue is that big tech companies (want to) reap all the benefit and create profit from something that should be accessible to everyone. Everything is getting privatized -- housing, water, electricity, and now, thinking and knowledge. We are heading towards a world where you have to pay even more excessive fees just for existing and for completing any basic task.
It's the age old privatize the profits and socialize the losses.
People lose their jobs, the environment is destroyed, our bills skyrocket and all of the gains go to the people who own all the shit...
I honestly cannot believe some people still believe that we'll ever get to a society where nobody has to work and we can live our lives happily ever after. Maybe too many Disney stories?
People are like sheep. Plus those who work are preoccupied and are too tired to react to these changes.
For the life of me, I can't understand why your comment is being downvoted or flagged or whatever makes it go gray on HN.
I'm guessing it's people knee-jerking that you're being political?
I can't understand the people who don't see it.
The data centers strain the power grids then electricity costs go up for everyone else. This is de facto a regressive tax because everyone needs electricity and the poor pay proportionately more of their income for the increased cost.
Live in San Francisco? Probably not now unless you're rich because of the skyrocketing cost of living due to Tech and AI money. Another de facto regressive tax, driving away other people.
Environmental damage? The poor are the most impacted and the least able to absorb the costs. Do they have the property or renter's insurance to protect them from these disasters? Another de facto regressive tax.
Need a new phone? Or a computer? Same problem.
Want to dabble in AI? You're not going to get too far on $20/month. It's mostly a wealthy person's game.
Or there are the statistics that the vast majority of successful founders from up upper middle class families or wealthier.
Wealth centralization is what our economic system does. The purpose of a system is what it does. If it wasn't, the system would have been changed.