---------------------------------
We are heading maybe to a paradigm shift where innovation may not create new human labor demands as it has been in the past.
That’s what I hear people say but I don’t believe it. Just like power equipment took the place of much manual labor, so robots may take he place of much manual labor. But just as the emergence of power equipment thrust us into a new and better age with lots of economic opportunity, so a robotic age should do the same.
I believe every threshold of a new economic frontier has had naysayers that say there will be less wealth and economic opportunity. I don’t believe it for a second. Uncomfortable for some? Yes. Difficult transition for some? Yes. But economically disadvantageous? No. Economically benefiting most, if not all, individuals? Yes.
The term is “creative destruction”.
Blacksmiths replaced by cars, etc.. I’m not sure we’re heading toward a new paradigm where this concept doesn’t apply, I don’t think so though. Robot’s require manufacturing, engineering, software, etc.. I’m not sure it’s any different. Robots have been doing many jobs people used to do for decades.
It just seems that new markets keep opening up with technological advances. The main question is - how will the unskilled fair? There may be lots of jobs but they may require skills that leave the unskilled behind. For as much as I’d like to see everyone rise to their potential, it isn’t realistic.