this post was submitted on 11 Jun 2026
280 points (97.0% liked)
me_irl
7915 readers
1928 users here now
All posts need to have the same title: me_irl it is allowed to use an emoji instead of the underscore _
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Eh, it just changes what your task is; social development is driven by the evolution of the means of production, which is largely influenced by technology; as a rule any progress is going to be opposed by any faction that would see its power decrease, and embraced by the group that stands to gain.
Weavers and kings aren't going to embrace the automatic loom, but theres certainly some rich, lower nobility/merchants who want power over the peasants and upper nobility will.
"One day you will be rich tech oligarchs and rule the world!"
Ruling class: "We already rule the world, that tech is going to fuck up the bag. Guards, stab him."
Merchant: "I have 100 ships currently hauling from 10,000 farms, and you're telling me anyone can make it anywhere? If this catches on, Ill be ruined. Stabbing you is basically self-defense"
Peasent class: "Wait so the lord will only need 1/10th us to do ?? Fuck that shit, you want 90% of us to get drafted into some dumb war? We gotta stab him before the lord finds out."
Alternative merchant route: "I could save the 100 ships worth while making all the money. … But he knows too much." stabs you in the back.
Also more likely, since merchants were the smarter, more educated ones.
Fewer people have 100 ships so there's less competition, but here's the weird part: The market doesn't grow proportionally, so not only does the spread of this new invention require the capitalist invest more to remain competitive, it decreases the profit they get per dollar invested.