What ever happened to the utopian dream of a world where nobody needs to do work because intelligent machines do all the necessary chores for us? People are freed from labor but may chose to work if they enjoy it, or focus on art, philosophy, or simply leisure.<p>While there's much to be criticized about such a naive idea, it seems to me sometimes that despite the tremendous productivity gains we have seen since the industrial revolution, it's not the common man who benefits most from technical progress. Of course, it's indisputable that the quality of life has improved dramatically across the board, and we have more spare time in our lives now than previous generations. But society is still such that you need to work 40+ hours every week if you want to be part of the middle-class.<p>Machines are not freeing men from labor. They're used to create competitive pressure. At the end of the day, the gross benefit goes into the pockets of a few, while the majority are kept in the same dependence structures as always.