Hi-Tech Dilemma

"Legion" has some thoughts on the hi-tech dilemma.

I heard on the radio just yesterday that Tennessee is expected to lose a million jobs over the next 5 years. And it's not to immigrant labor, companies leaving the state, or collapse of the economy system. No, it's due to advanced technology taking over jobs that have always been done by humans. This report corresponded with a video I had seen on email about the same subject, but multiplied by 49 other states.

We see the beginnings of this everywhere. Self operated check-out lines at numerous stores, ATM's, increased shopping on the net, robots manning assembly lines, even cars that can drive themselves. We already have planes that can land themselves, trains and subways that can operate by themselves, and on and on and on. Even wars are now being fought by computers. I'm not going to go into all the ways technology has taken jobs from humans because quite frankly I don't have enough room here. I would like to comment on what a near complete takeover of jobs by robots could mean to our way of life.

The reasons industry is rapidly spending big money developing this system of labor are obvious. No unions, no salaries, no health benefits, no human error, increased productivity, huge decrease in fixed and variable costs, and most of all, increased profits. That's great. The stockholders will love it. The only problem is, if people aren't working and earning money, who's going to buy stock? Who's going to buy their products? Is the government going to assure every adult a fixed income? If so, will we no longer need cash or will we have an EBT-type card that charges all purchases back to our personal, federally managed income account? Is that the left calls utopia?
How will manufacturers get their goods to people? By self operating rail, truck and planes? If so we won't need any humans in the transportation industry. Amazon is already talking about making home deliveries of retail purchases by drones. That ought to work. Hundreds of drones flying helter skelter all over city skies.

But you say a robot can't replace the human mind. Really? The big push by high tech companies is developing just such robots. They will know more, store more, and recall more in mere seconds. And companies won't need a cadre of high salaried management personnel to explore, discuss and finalize decisions. Robby Robot can do all that while you're getting a cup of coffee.
There is a bright side. Having fewer and fewer jobs will cut down on illegal's swarming across the border seeking employment. Unless of course, our liberal politicians decide they too deserve a guaranteed fixed income. We'll have no need for politicians so that should take the crime, corruption and worthless waste out of D.C.

There are still many jobs that will require humans for the foreseeable future. Law enforcement, fire fighters, emergency first responders, people to repair broken robots, people to design new robots to replace the human robot repairmen, age old human reproduction, and of course prostitutes. Maybe we'll have virtual call girls instead.

At what point does technology replace the need for humans at all? How do you stop, and should we stop, this hi-tech explosion? How is the government going to guarantee incomes for each and every person if no one's earning a living and paying taxes? That's simple, the government will own all the businesses and pocket all the profits. There's no other way.

What will millions of people do all day, every day, who are no longer needed in the work force? How many Andy Griffith reruns are there? The ones who really will see no difference are the millennial's still living in their room upstairs at mommy's house. They have neither the desire nor the intelligence to hold a meaningful job anyway.

Comments

[Franklin]

Between China and robotics, we're toast.

[Ernie]

In earlier times new innovations meant new industries, new businesses, new jobs, even more innovations and many new career opportunities. That meant personal growth like never seen before. Seems to me with robots replacing humans it means lost jobs, lost industries, lost businesses, lost human ingenuity, lost personal growth and lost culture.

[Rook]

The lost jobs numbers for Tennessee are a little exagerated, but still significant. However, new jobs are created to develop, install and maintain these tech systems. For example, Amazon.com currently employs more than a quarter million paople. That's just one example out of thousands of smaller tech systems like eBay, Google, Yahoo, etc. That's the trade-off. Life becomes more convenient, less expensive and less stressful for the public. Of course, it's not an even trade in numbers. But, for those displaced there are always options and opportunities presented for those willing to work. Going back to school, retraining for a job in demand, or starting your own small business. There are, for example, several thousand small businesses supported in part or in whole by Amazon.com and eBay. It's not difficult: just identify a need and then figure a way to fill it. Or you can sit around the house and apply for government assistance like democrats. It's your choice.

[Ernie]

Good points, Rook. I think it's reasonable to assume that more unskilled people will become unemployed, and will be unwilling to "retrain" so long as the welfare system keeps supporting the displaced, unqualified and basically worthless. Higher unemployment will mean more government intervention in our lives, meaning one step closer to a socialistic government. By the way if you look at the Amazon warehouse in Nashville you'll see that nearly all the physical crating, sorting, shelving, retrieving and loading is done by automation.