Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: JerseyanExile
Automation is steadily eliminating all "blue collar" jobs and making encroachments on many "white collar" professions as well. I was stunned to discover that there even computer systems that can perform entry-level engineering jobs out there.

The question is whether the segment of people who used to fill these jobs can be channeled towards other types of jobs or if we are facing a future where a large portion of people will have to be supported indefinitely because there won't be any place for them in the workworce.

In effect, we are doing that now with extending unemployment and other forms of government payments.

11 posted on 10/31/2011 2:48:09 AM PDT by Chainmail
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: Chainmail
The question is whether the segment of people who used to fill these jobs can be channeled towards other types of jobs or if we are facing a future where a large portion of people will have to be supported indefinitely because there won't be any place for them in the workworce.

If we keep going the way we have been for the past several decades, your question will be valid. But -- and this is also a response to the "close the borders" crowd -- if we remove the heavy taxes, unproductive regulations and the government-caused shrinking dollar; we will find that the economy will spring back to life.

People have been worrying about the effects of free trade and automation for centuries, and it's wrong to think that it's somehow different this time. Man must work to survive and he will. If government only lets him.

13 posted on 10/31/2011 7:28:53 AM PDT by BfloGuy (Even the opponents of Socialism are dominated by socialist ideas.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies ]

To: Chainmail

Note that “minimum wage” means it is illegal to pay workers what some jobs are worth, and other regulations make it hard to hire. Given the need to do the job, and the encroaching prohibitions and restrictions on having humans do them, machines fill the gap.

I’d rather a human wash my dishes and sweep my floors, but a few hundred bucks for a dishwasher and Roomba are just so much easier than the gov’t paperwork & restrictions.


15 posted on 10/31/2011 7:36:46 AM PDT by ctdonath2 ($1 meals: http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson