Brain Surgen Vs. Factory Worker

[STN]

I was in a debate about someone about communism. And he said "So you want a society where a brain surgen gets paid as much as a factory worker?" and also he said "The Surgen would just slack off if he got paid a low wage" I said that the factory worker would just work longer hours thatn the brain surgen.

Is this true?

[anomaly]

No one gets 'paid' under communism. People would work, first and foremost, for the betterment of humanity, not for profit.

Let's look at this issue more closely. Why do we work for profit today? Because we think money is pretty and smells nice? No! We work for profit because we need profit to survive. If we take money out of the equation, we simply work to survive. And that is what we will do.

Certain professions may be 'reccomended' by teachers or aides, but each individual has a choice as to what he wants to do. Could a person simply sit on his ass all day, and still receive what he needs to live? Certainly. But you can bet his fellows in the commune would begin showing up at his house and asking him why he isn't doing anything. So, is it probable that we will have such people who don't do anything productive? No.

Careers will likely have a bit of prestige associated with them. If one is a brainsurgeon, he will probably be looked upon more highly than one who is a bagger at the local supermarket. But, will the brain surgeon receive greater material retribution for his labor? No. And this will not lead to a society without brain surgeons either. To go into a field, one must have a general interest in it. Is there no drive for knowledge in people? If you say no, how do you explain Galileo? He wasn't exactly rewarded for his service to society! But, he still learned more, driven by a drive for knowledge which can be found in most every human being.

Communism would actually lead to more educated people, since there would be so fewer barriers to education. So, if Johnny wants to be a doctor, he doesn't have to worry about paying for college and medical school. He just has to worry about learning. The same will be true with any profession.

Then we have the factor of boredom. I am going to dare you to sit at home all day, do not go to school, do not go to work if you work, just stay at home and watch TV and listen to music. Sounds fun, eh? Well, maybe for those first few days it would be fun. But, after, say, a week or two, incredible boredom sets in on any human being. Haven't you ever felt incredible boredom at the end of summer vacation? You want to go back to school. You don't get paid for going to school, but you just want to do something to ease the boredom. In light of this, it is completely illogical to say that the abolition of the profit motive will lead to a lazy society.

[hamperleft]

A brain surgeon should get paid as much as a factory worker, although, one might be smarter, and have a harder job, where would he be without the other, without the tools the factory worker produces, the brain surgeon would have to work with his hands, and that never ends well.

[anomaly]

No, there is no 'pay' in communist society.

[hamperleft]

I wasn't refering to pay as in money but as in necessities for life.

[anomaly]

As far as neccesities go, the rule is simple: "...to each according to his need."