Conventionally work has been mostly regarded as a physical performance. In the fordist factory work or the traditional office work, the workers were not demanded more than physical activity in the subordination of the management or the intermediary management. The sarcastic phrase "I don't know anything, I'm only at work here" is very descriptive. As time has passed, work has become an increasingly intellectual and communicative performance. The general tool called the computer has spreaded everywhere, creating a historically completely new situation, in which tasks are performed with the same tool regardless of profession. The fact that work has become "intelligent", has also meant ability to solve problematic situations, self-initiativeness, creativity, team work (in other words, initially communicating with others) etc. The times are far behind when everyone was tied to one's workplace and talking was not allowed. In many areas workers are even forced to show empathy and interest in the matters of the customers. The ability to identify with one another is one of the key concepts (among others).

These new qualities of work are immaterial, meaning that they exist, but that they can't be seen nor touched. Therefore immateriality is currently a characteristic feature of work. It is that which is called "expertise" (among other things). It is extremely difficult to measure immateriality: how to calculate a solid value (salary, time, the monetary value of a stock, productivity) for a thing which cannot be seen? There are many good (and funny) examples about the problems of solid values and measurements in the context of immateriality. The same thing concerns working time. During the leisure time intellect, empathy, affect or the ability to identify cannot be put in the tool box. This means that they are reproducing also outside of the official working time. It must also be said that immaterial characteristics are mostly collective, common. How can one measure an individual's performance in that case?

If we also attach these things which we have mentioned to the fact that work is becoming part-time, periodical, uncertain and often low-payed, it is obvious, that the main source of the livelihood of an individual in the post-industrial society cannot be wages any more. All this even if the accumulation of taxes will diminish.

Nevertheless, there is a possibility of livelihood not depending on work. Paradoxically this lies actually in immateriality. If the greatest power of production is intellect, it is evident that the significance of capital investment is hugely decreasing. It is a known fact that the actitivity of companies has for a long time been guided by a principle, according to which the amount of capital investments must be diminished. In practise this also means that the significance of the profits payed to investors is decreasing, unless they want even higher profits for their investments of little importance.