“For far too long, the lion’s share of the benefits from our increased efficiency has gone to the top, sidelining those who are at the very heart of this production. It’s time to level the playing field, ensuring that our workers directly benefit from these advancements by offering them improved working conditions and an enhanced quality of life.”
I think that’s a fair question. Do we need to be producing as much as we are. Clearly in some industries we don’t need to be, they have a lot of waste - food without better infrastructure, clothing by and large, poor quality electronics, etc.
But I think I’m equating productivity with efficiency and in that perspective I would say efficiency is king. We should work towards automation while ensuring it’s benefits don’t go purely to capitalists.
Certainly some of it is for consumerism, but a lot is construction materials and food. You want less houses? You want less food?