The War on Normal People

Outline

The War on Normal People (2018) warns that automation and artificial intelligence are rapidly replacing millions of jobs, especially for workers without college degrees. Andrew Yang describes how this shift is already affecting communities and argues that society must respond with new ideas. He makes the case for a universal basic income and a more human-centred economy that values people beyond their jobs.

• Automation and artificial intelligence are already replacing millions of jobs, and the book argues the pace is accelerating.
• Workers without college degrees face the greatest risk of losing their jobs to automation.
• Job loss is already affecting communities, not just individual workers.
• Andrew Yang argues that society needs new ideas, because old approaches will not match the scale of the change.
• He makes the case for a universal basic income and an economy that values people beyond their jobs.

Andrew Yang is an American entrepreneur and author who founded Venture for America, a programme that trains young people to work in startups. He became widely known as a candidate for the U.S. presidency in 2020, when he promoted a universal basic income. His books include The War on Normal People and Forward.