The future is literally in our hands. We have a choice regarding work and the rewards it provides.
Looking ahead, West sees the American economic and political systems at a crossroads: one path leads to a utopia with a more inclusive society, more leisure time, and culture; the other leads to a dystopia with high unemployment, inequality, and no guaranteed social benefits. Avoiding dystopia will require reimagining work to include non-employment alternatives such as caregiving and volunteering, and rethinking education as a lifelong endeavor. Lastly, the U.S. will need a new social contract that separate