Post-Labor Economics is happening.
In a Nutshell
The book on **post-labor economics**—where AI eradicates jobs by decoupling human labor from economic output—is complete after 18 months of audience-driven refinement, building on a viral video and a Clemson talk highlighting students' job fears. It defines three income buckets (wages, transfers like UBI, capital) and argues for balancing transfers with widespread capital boosts (e.g., stocks, rentals) to sustain demand and avert deflation, as we hit **peak tertiary sector** post-primary and secondary declines. Kickstarter is live to polish and launch the book in July, urging maximum backers and shares to spark a **labor zero movement** for voters, politicians, and consensus.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
The book about post-labor economics is done. A couple years ago, about 3 years ago, produced a video called post AGI economics that rocketed to become top video of all time, over half a million views. This gave a clue that people care about this topic. Revisited the topic occasionally, got tremendous feedback from audience pointing out blind spots, making it an act of co-creation from the beginning.
About 18 months ago, in the depths of being incredibly burned out and quite sick with GI issues, announced quitting AI. After 6 months of recovering from thinking was dying, questioned what life is for and what actually care about. Almost a year ago, January 2025, decided to double down on post-labor economics. A year later, 180,000 words later, the book is figured out. Constant feedback from audience, patrons, questions, and pointing out gaps shaped the book, especially feedback on focusing only on supply side economics and needing to look at demand side.
The story started with a talk at Clemson University where students were more concerned about jobs and future prospects than AI alignment, X-risk, and safety. As midcareer with savings and a house, had different concerns than undergrads and grad students facing the automation wave. They asked what to study to be okay. Generic answers: social skills, communication skills, negotiation—most valuable, especially in STEM. Point of school is to learn to study and learn to learn; didn't use Pascal and C++ professionally, used PowerShell and Python instead, and today's tools didn't exist in school. Students paying $20,000-$30,000 a year didn't want to hear education is useless, had genuine concerns.
Next logical step: if AI threatens humanity, it's intelligent enough to disrupt every power structure and job market, leading to focus on this for last 18 months.
Post-labor economics and labor zero are just ideas until they catch on with mimetic saturation in right conversations. YouTube channel has almost 200,000 subscribers; across YouTube, Twitter, Substack, over a quarter million people, with right people paying attention. Won't publish as blog series or free because a book gets university professors, politicians, millionaires, billionaires, voters on the same page. Book is gold standard of post-labor economics. Purpose is to build labor zero movement and consensus, prove to million or hundred million voters, right politicians, think tank people this is a new way to think about what's coming.
Book not for existing followers who already understand better than 99% of people. Goal is to demonstrate to broader audience. Next step: get Kickstarter done to polish book to highest sheen, make it glow in the dark, perfect. Idealized reader: conservative father-in-law, smart guy who needs to understand what's coming. If convince him, convince other voters, then politicians, government at state and federal levels.
When started book, knew automation, robots, AI would impact job market. Conclusion: going to eradicate all jobs, but required research, historical data, analogies, proving self wrong. Key insights:
- Primary sector: extraction—farming, mining, fishing, timberland, resources from nature.
- Secondary sector: manufacturing—turn primary goods into products, e.g., iron ore to steel for cars, buildings, concrete.
- Tertiary sector: services—doctors, lawyers, YouTubers.
Historically, primary sector was 90+% of population. Industrial Revolution rose secondary sector (clocks, gizmos, widgets, cars, iPhones). Mid-20th century, manufacturing declined. Tertiary sector plateaued or peaked around 2015, at peak tertiary sector now. Long game: farming seemed permanent in 1700 France or 1800 England, but by 2025, <2% in farming/mining. In 1968 Detroit, rust belt golden age, couldn't imagine post-apocalyptic wasteland in 60 years.
Household income from three buckets:
- Wages: paycheck for time enriching someone else (or self if self-employed).
- Transfers: money from government—negative income tax, UBI, social security, welfare, SNAP, tax-and-spend/redistribute.
- Capital: stocks, bonds, rental properties, owned businesses.
Post-labor economics formal definition: human labor input decoupled from economic output, so wages go away (not necessarily to zero, but not primary source). Transfers and capital must pick up slack. Transfers like UBI, universal basic capital, universal basic services are great but ignore boosting capital. Key insight: boost capital to get money into family homes for household spending, maintain consumer/aggregate demand, avoid deflationary death spiral. Balance transfers and capital, two large economy segments to boost—that's beating heart of book.
Kickstarter live, not just for editing/marketing on Amazon—part of marketing plan for awareness via viral campaign. Need to hit front page of Kickstarter with maximum backers fast for snowball effect (not amount of money). Aiming for July launch on Amazon as paperback, hardback, audiobook, digital. Make-or-break moment, nervous about failure. Need everyone to boost signal: back if possible, share with co-workers, friends, family, groups, Discord, subreddits. Watch video to end for YouTube algorithm. Repost blogs on Substack, Twitter, LinkedIn. This is go time, in your hands—carried it this far, will finish, but cannot without help.
Keep David Shapiro in your library
Save the videos and channels worth coming back to, and find them again in one place.
