It seemed that because few outsiders came to visit his home, Mr. Chen was very enthusiastic and told a lot about his past.
Although most of it was rubbish, Ana Shen still extracted some key points from it.
Mr. Chen's name is Chen Ke. He was once a senior technician in a factory in City No. 19. Later, due to the full automation of production in the factory workshop, Chen Ke was laid off.
After staying in the factory for more than ten years, his other survival skills have seriously deteriorated. He originally wanted to continue working in his own industry, so he looked for a job for two months. Either because of age restrictions, or because most of the same type of work has been mechanized. replaced.
He asked the supervisor he was interviewing for and said he was willing to accept a salary cut. Moreover, he had more than ten years of work experience, and he just hoped that the other party would give him a chance.
Seeing that he was pitiful and unwilling to let him continue to waste his time, the supervisor told Chen Ke some inside information he knew.
It turns out that not only City 19, but the entire Earth Federation is undergoing technological upgrades. His type of work will be completely eliminated in the future.
A workshop that originally provided hundreds of positions now only needs one professional inspector after it is fully automated. Tens of thousands of employees like him have been eliminated in City 19 alone.
Chen Ke was frustrated, but he didn't complain much.
After all, the boss adopts mechanization, which not only saves costs but also improves production efficiency. What is there to criticize?
To blame...just blame yourself for not keeping up with the changes of the times.
Chen Ke told Shen Yan that he later figured out that people cannot hang themselves on a tree.
He began to try various profitable industries. He worked in auto repair, ran a street vendor, and even ran a breakfast truck at the risk of being evicted from three streets by the urban management.
But without exception, these all failed in the end.
It’s not that I didn’t make any money, I just didn’t make enough. Not enough to pay off the mortgage, not enough to send the children to school and provide them with a good education.
When the two children were first born, Chen Ke did not feel that it was necessary for the children to achieve good academic results. He thought that as long as they could grow up healthily and join the society in the future, why couldn't they find a job to make a living?
But after he lost his job, he realized that he thought the world was too beautiful.
The development of society is like an express train. Some people are born in first class, while some people can't get a standing ticket even though they try their best.
It can only be hung outside the carriage, otherwise it will be thrown down accidentally.
"Later, I really couldn't afford the mortgage, the house was auctioned, and my wife ran away."
Chen Ke sat next to Shen Yan, straightened his back, and kept looking at the shining vegetation outside the window: "I wanted to commit suicide at that time, it was the two of them..."
"The two of them suddenly ran home one afternoon and said that an uncle wanted to take our family to a place where we would never need money."
"At first I thought they had encountered human traffickers, so I took the AP bracelet, set the alarm mode, and went with them outside the city. It was also there that I met the messenger for the first time..."
Ana Shen's heart moved slightly, but on the surface she remained calm, without asking or even expressing any opinions of her own.
As expected, Chen Ke's thoughts soon emerged from the pheromones again.
"Since that day, I have been living here with my two children."
"Although there are no high-tech products and there is a lack of entertainment activities, at least we have a roof here so that we will not live on the streets."
Ana Shen interrupted at the right time and echoed: "It's just that life is too boring."
Chen Ke shook his head: "If you have ever experienced working three or four divisions of labor at the same time and having nothing left after paying off the loan at the beginning of the month, you wouldn't say that."
"Although human life was colorful in the past, what does it have to do with those of us who have been eliminated by the times? If I had to choose, I would rather live as I am now."
Ana Shen chuckled: "Listen to what you said, I am very dissatisfied with my previous life."
"It's not that I'm dissatisfied..."
Chen Ke was silent for a while: "What I just don't understand is that the federal technology has developed to this point. In the future, artificial intelligence will completely replace labor, and everyone will be laid off. If there is no money, who will sell the things they produce?" ?”
Ana Shen thought for a while and responded: "Even without the development of these artificial intelligences, the materials created by the Federation now are enough for people around the world to live for two years."
"Not even talking about now, long before the founding of the Federation, the world produced enough rice in a year for everyone to live for a year and a half, but countless people still starved to death every year."
"All the products produced in the factory are the same as food."
Chen Ke frowned: "But where did the extra food... go?"
Shen Yan: "Feed the livestock, develop animal husbandry, and make fertilizer."
"But these things can also be made with wild grass."
"Weeds...we must protect the environment."
"...What about the other extra things, milk?"
"Pour it out."
“What about building a house that can’t be sold?”
"Blow up."
"So...even if it is like this, it cannot be given to those who need it urgently but cannot afford it, right?"
This time Ana Shen didn't answer. He just looked at Chen Ke and then at himself.
Chen Ke smiled.
Yes, how can we be considered 'human' in the way we are now?
Ana Shen chuckled: "If you don't give others money, how can you let others give you things for free?"
Chen Ke lowered his head silently.
In the dark room, the whole person was like a silent volcano, blending in with the surrounding environment, but Ana Shen could still feel the suppressed emotions in his body.
"I also thought about working hard to make money. I didn't want anyone's charity..."
Green pheromones rolled over Chen Ke's body: "...But people like us, even if we work hard all our lives, we will never be able to afford a house..."
The pheromone passed out by Ana Shen was still calm: "There is nothing wrong with paying the money with one hand and delivering the goods with the other hand."
Chen Ke nodded: "... There is nothing wrong with paying the money with one hand and delivering the goods with the other hand. There is nothing wrong with us breaking the contract and having the house taken away."
"But people like me, who have worked honestly all their lives, ended up like this in the end."
Chen Ke looked at his semi-vegetative body, then looked at the sky outside the window in confusion, muttering to himself: "Then what is the problem...who is at fault?"
Ana Shen reached out and patted Chen Ke on the shoulder.
The black mist in his heart was rolling uncontrollably. The clown seemed to be particularly active because of this topic, but he always suppressed himself and did not jump out directly.
"We have become what we are now. We only need to drink water and bask in the sun every day to survive."
"Then have you ever thought about what would happen if one day the water in this mountain city is no longer free?"
Ana Shen looked at Chen Ke who was deep in thought and said slowly:
"In fact, there is not much difference between water and other things you have to buy and sell with money."
