Once upon a time we dreamed of a world free from household drudgery, helped by robot butlers, self-cleaning appliances and "smart" homes that saved energy and tidied after themselves. Yet despite decades of high-tech innovation in the home, we've barely reduced our workload – and still no one's managed to automate the folding of laundry.

So why is household labour stuck in the past? If technology won't save us, what kind of political fix will? And why does the list of chores just keep getting longer? These are some of the questions explored by Helen Hester and Nick Srnicek in their new book, After Work: A History of the Home and the Fight for Free Time.

Eleanor Penny visited Helen and Nick at home in Surrey to discuss the impact of automation on our domestic lives, the neoliberal fixation on the nuclear family, the possibility of public luxury, and how raising their own family has informed their thinking on the promise of the post-work society.

Novara Audio: Radio For A Different Politics

Novara FM: We Were Promised Robot Butlers w/ Helen Hester & Nick Srnicek

Love’s Pharmakon

What’s the reason for?
I got the sickest ever fever

Not sure I’ll endure
The completist love take over
Ain’t no Cole Porter
But in love with you am I

Just take the pill 
See how it feels
Can’t do no harm
Love’s pharmakon

I don’t know for sure
Got the acutest can’t get over

I don’t need no cure
Cus I got the sweetest love hangover
I ain’t no doctor
So why’s my pulse so high

Just take the pill 
See how it feels
Can’t do no harm
Love’s pharmakon

love's pharmakon

hitusupquick

and if I said that this wasn't good
duddde I'd be lying
but all you need is more attention
duddde I ain't lying

real talk
I need ur song to be heard
real shytt 
me and my girl crew
we need ur song to be heard

real talk
I need ur song to be heard
real shit
me and my girl crew
we need ur song to be heard

so hit us up quickkkkk
hit us up quickkkkk

real talk
I need ur song to be heard
real shytt
me and my girl crew
we need ur song to be heard

vox - Chris Phelon/Paul Grivell
songwriter - Chris Phelon

hitusupquick

glove-box (double-dutch edition)

sugar-lift (worried about your ears mix)

Zugzwang

You gotta move
You gotta move
Mmmm yeah

I’m Aeschylus in zugzwang
Too scared to be inside
I’m looking up in fear and dread
Cus nowhere’s safe to hide
Centrists to the right of me
Sensibubbles on my back
Liberals all off kilter
Their interests under attack

You gotta move 
Mmmm yeah 
Ignore the rules
It’s your move
You’re in Zugzwang
You gotta move
You’ve gotta move now
Break all the rules
Get out of line

Eagles droning overhead
Death from above
Turtles raining down on me
Iron fist in iron glove
Essence of emoji
All thumbs ’n' smiley clowns
Kunstlumps to the right of me
Metaphors all the way down

You gotta move 
Mmmm yeah
You’ve gotta move now
Ignore the rules now
It’s your move 
Now’s the time

Essence of emoji
Always already clowns
Kunstlumps to the right of me
Metaphors all the way down 

You may be high
You may be low
You gotta move 
Just gotta move now
It’s your move
Ignore the rules
You’re out of time
You may be rich 
You may be poor
You gotta move
Move out of time

New tracks tagged #post-work