Technology and the extinction of the modern worker

[phixer]

Was talking to a guy yesterday about 3D printing and how it may soon eliminate more jobs. In addition to the mechanization / automation of min wage fast food prep jobs.

It only takes one guy to fix the machine when it breaks so there really wont be any more jobs being created by technology but rather more jobs being eliminated by it. And since not everyone can be a scientist I wonder what people will do?

There is a old saying that says the world needs ditch diggers too. That dosent mean that this type of work is any less noble or respectable it just means that for some it is just as important to have these kinds of jobs still available. Everyone is on a different level.

Wondering if it will get to a point when people say Id rather pay more for a hamburger if it means someone keeping their job. And the technological vs ethical dilema will surface. Work is often a key ingredient in what gives purpose and meaning to life. To replace that with technology is another bad use of science IMHO. Dont know what gives on this? I could be wrong...

 

[darthtang aw]

Was talking to a guy yesterday about 3D printing and how it may soon eliminate more jobs.  In addition to the mechanization / automation of min wage fast food prep jobs. 
It only takes one guy to fix the machine when it breaks so there really wont be any more jobs being created by technology but rather more jobs being eliminated by it.  And since not everyone can be a scientist I wonder what people will do? 
There is a old saying that says the world needs ditch diggers too.  That dosent mean that this type of work is any less noble or respectable it just means that for some it is just as important to have these kinds of jobs still available.   Everyone is on a different level.
Wondering if it will get to a point when people say Id rather pay more for a hamburger if it means someone keeping their job.  And the technological vs ethical dilema will surface.   Work is often a key ingredient in what gives purpose and meaning to life.  To replace that with technology is another bad use of science IMHO. Dont know what gives on this?   I could be wrong...
I read a story the other day. It was saying over the next 30 years we could see many of todays jobs disappear by as much as 70% due to robots.

 

[phixer]

Im for technology but when it comes to good people losing their jobs because of it, technology becomes counter productive.

 

[2quills]

There is a cosmic shift in the universe happening. Modern man's old skills will evolve to more technically advanced ones as technology becomes integrated into our flesh. The only way to beat the robots is to become robots.

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:Originally Posted by Phixer http:///t/397043/technology-and-the-extinction-of-the-modern-worker#post_3537840
Was talking to a guy yesterday about 3D printing and how it may soon eliminate more jobs. In addition to the mechanization / automation of min wage fast food prep jobs.

It only takes one guy to fix the machine when it breaks so there really wont be any more jobs being created by technology but rather more jobs being eliminated by it. And since not everyone can be a scientist I wonder what people will do?

There is a old saying that says the world needs ditch diggers too. That dosent mean that this type of work is any less noble or respectable it just means that for some it is just as important to have these kinds of jobs still available. Everyone is on a different level.

Wondering if it will get to a point when people say Id rather pay more for a hamburger if it means someone keeping their job. And the technological vs ethical dilema will surface. Work is often a key ingredient in what gives purpose and meaning to life. To replace that with technology is another bad use of science IMHO. Dont know what gives on this? I could be wrong...

This has been the cry throughout the history of man expecially in the industrial era.
It has never never come true.
my .02

 

[phixer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by beaslbob http:///t/397043/technology-and-the-extinction-of-the-modern-worker#post_3538031
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phixer http:///t/397043/technology-and-the-extinction-of-the-modern-worker#post_3537840
Was talking to a guy yesterday about 3D printing and how it may soon eliminate more jobs. In addition to the mechanization / automation of min wage fast food prep jobs.

It only takes one guy to fix the machine when it breaks so there really wont be any more jobs being created by technology but rather more jobs being eliminated by it. And since not everyone can be a scientist I wonder what people will do?

There is a old saying that says the world needs ditch diggers too. That dosent mean that this type of work is any less noble or respectable it just means that for some it is just as important to have these kinds of jobs still available. Everyone is on a different level.

Wondering if it will get to a point when people say Id rather pay more for a hamburger if it means someone keeping their job. And the technological vs ethical dilema will surface. Work is often a key ingredient in what gives purpose and meaning to life. To replace that with technology is another bad use of science IMHO. Dont know what gives on this? I could be wrong...

This has been the cry throughout the history of man expecially in the industrial era.
It has never never come true.
my .02
The printing press, the cotton gin, the automobile, the PC... you might want to look at this:

http://www.staff.com/blog/losing-your-job-to-technology-infographic/

 

[2quills]

I can only imagine the look on all of those ancient women's faces when they realized that the positions of pulling the men around in their chariots was going to go to the horses. :flame:

 

[phixer]

Heard about a ride share program that puts people in contact with someone going their direction almost immeadiately via smart phone. If you need a ride somewhere, you enter the data (your location) and someone going that direction is called and meets you in a matter of minutes via GPS. Taxi cab drivers are pissed about it because it only cost a fraction of what a cab would charge and is taking a big chunk out of their industry.

 

[2quills]

:laughing:   Heard about a ride share program that puts people in contact with someone going their direction almost immeadiately via smart phone.  If you need a ride somewhere, you enter the data (your location)  and someone going that direction is called and meets you in a matter of minutes via GPS.    Taxi cab drivers are pissed about it because it only cost a fraction of what a cab would charge and is taking a big chunk out of their industry.  
Dude, have you seen cab fair these days? lol
Some things just become outdated, then new things come along and people have to adjust. That's how things have always been.
Americans need to wake up and realize that this isn't their grandparents America anymore. Business's are competing in a more globalized market place now. Competition is tougher because there are people in this world willing to do work for a lot cheaper than most of us are willing to accept. For many people this means that the american dream is simply always going to a fantasy for them.
Unless people like Obama can save them.

 

[beaslbob]

One of the fallacies is that global competition from say china is somehow cheaper and always will be.
I used to hear that about germany for instance and yet labor costs more in germany than in the US.
the labor costs are a function of local rates sure, but modified by exchange rates. Hence car companies from abroad now build the cares in the US. Because US labor costs less.

 

[2quills]

One of the fallacies is that global competition from say china is somehow cheaper and always will be.
I used to hear that about germany for instance and yet labor costs more in germany than in the US.
the labor costs are a function of local rates sure, but modified by exchange rates. Hence car companies from abroad now build the cares in the US. Because US labor costs less.
I don't understand.
Many companies have moved manufacturing over seas or out of the country because the all around operating costs are cheaper. That isn't a fallacy.
There are foreign automakers who've set up shop here because its cheaper to make the cars here that they plan to sell to americans than manufacturing and shipping them over seas to us.
That's why American made cars over in Europe are so expensive. But they can buy a Benz over there cheaper than we can here.

 

[zman1]

It's just a matter of time. When only working robots will be the only ones able to buy the products of other working robots. Humans will be the welfare society.

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/397043/technology-and-the-extinction-of-the-modern-worker#post_3538096
I don't understand.
Many companies have moved manufacturing over seas or out of the country because the all around operating costs are cheaper. That isn't a fallacy.
There are foreign automakers who've set up shop here because its cheaper to make the cars here that they plan to sell to americans than manufacturing and shipping them over seas to us.
That's why American made cars over in Europe are so expensive. But they can buy a Benz over there cheaper than we can
here.

Benz's are made in alabama. I highly suspect they are cheaper here then in Europe.
I think you have totally missed my point about the exchange rate. It is cheaper to build a car in alabama then in Germany. No changes in the labor rates in either country. What has changed is the exchange rate.
Just a volkswagon just setup a huge factory in chattanooga,tn.
Again because it is cheaper to build here then in Germany.
Back to the subject of the thread. This technology extinguishing workers has been argued for hundredes andhundreds of years. And each and every case more people worked as technology increased.
my .02

 

[2quills]

Quote:Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/397043/technology-and-the-extinction-of-the-modern-worker#post_3538096
I don't understand.
Many companies have moved manufacturing over seas or out of the country because the all around operating costs are cheaper. That isn't a fallacy.
There are foreign automakers who've set up shop here because its cheaper to make the cars here that they plan to sell to americans than manufacturing and shipping them over seas to us.
That's why American made cars over in Europe are so expensive. But they can buy a Benz over there cheaper than we can
here.

Benz's are made in alabama. I highly suspect they are cheaper here then in Europe.
I think you have totally missed my point about the exchange rate. It is cheaper to build a car in alabama then in Germany. No changes in the labor rates in either country. What has changed is the exchange rate.
Just a volkswagon just setup a huge factory in chattanooga,tn.
Again because it is cheaper to build here then in Germany.
Back to the subject of the thread. This technology extinguishing workers has been argued for hundredes andhundreds of years. And each and every case more people worked as technology increased.
my .02
Yeah, benz was the wrong example as they're owned by Chrysler now.
Take a look at BMW. There is actually a program for americans to get into to buy BMWs directly from europe and have them sent here cheaper than purchasing from a lot here in the states.
Agreed, I don't over stress myself as much these days over advancement and change. Man will adapt to the new age one way or another. I'm sure it still sucks for those dealing with loss first hand

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/397043/technology-and-the-extinction-of-the-modern-worker#post_3538159
Yeah, benz was the wrong example as they're owned by Chrysler now.
Take a look at BMW. There is actually a program for americans to get into to buy BMWs directly from europe and have them sent here cheaper than purchasing from a lot here in the states.
Agreed, I don't over stress myself as much these days over advancement and change. Man will adapt to the new age one way or another. I'm sure it still sucks for those dealing with loss first hand

Actually Benz owned chrysler some time back. Then Benz spun them off.
Back in my Air force days people would buy cars in europe and import them. In the process they had to be modify then to meet US emissions and saftey standards. Some would sell them here (after using them) for a profit then buy something like a corvette to sell in europe when they rotated back.
But that was back in the early '80s before the exchange rates changed to more favor US workers.
For instance, the US worker back in the '50's and '60's was the highest paid in the world. Now the US worker is like 10 or 20th or so. All because the eXhange rates changed.
my .02

 

[2quills]

Quote:Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/397043/technology-and-the-extinction-of-the-modern-worker#post_3538159
Yeah, benz was the wrong example as they're owned by Chrysler now.
Take a look at BMW. There is actually a program for americans to get into to buy BMWs directly from europe and have them sent here cheaper than purchasing from a lot here in the states.
Agreed, I don't over stress myself as much these days over advancement and change. Man will adapt to the new age one way or another. I'm sure it still sucks for those dealing with loss first hand

Actually Benz owned chrysler some time back. Then Benz spun them off.
Back in my Air force days people would buy cars in europe and import them. In the process they had to be modify then to meet US emissions and saftey standards. Some would sell them here (after using them) for a profit then buy something like a corvette to sell in europe when they rotated back.
But that was back in the early '80s before the exchange rates changed to more favor US workers.
For instance, the US worker back in the '50's and '60's was the highest paid in the world. Now the US worker is like 10 or 20th or so. All because the eXhange rates changed.
my .02
Yeah, good point about the rates. That stuff is always changing. Even in my day a popular thing to do when we were kids was to hop the bridge over to canada were legal age to gamble or drink is 19. Back then you could go over there with $100 in your pocket, exchange it for canadian money and end up with close to $200 to go have a good time with. Nowadays I think you're lucky to break even on the exchange.
So in about 50 years we've gone to being the highest payed to roughly 10-20th place? That's rough when new job creation is slow and others keep losing work due to change. Unemployment is still pretty high IMO. Though Obama says new manufacturing jobs are starting to come back. That would be nice.

 

[beaslbob]

Just to be a little more precise I looked up the stats at the Bureau of labor statistics government web site.
Chart 1 hourly compensation costs in manufacturing, US dollars, 2012
Norway_________63.36
Switzerland______57.79
Belgium________52.19
Sweden________49.80
Denmark_______48.47
Australia________47.68
Germany________45.79
Finland_________42.60
Austria__________41.53
Netherlands______39.62
Ireland__________38.17
Canada_________36.59
Unites_States_____35.67
Japan___________35.34
Italy_____________34.18
United Kingdom___31.23
Spain___________26.83
New_Zealand_____24.77
Singapore________24.16
Korea_republic_of__20.72
Israel____________20.14
Greece___________19.41
Argentina_________18.87
Portugal__________12.10
Czech_Republic____11.95
Slovakia__________11.30
Brazil__________-__11.20
Estonia___________10.41
Taiwan____________9.46
Hungary___________8.95
Poland____________8.25
Mexico____________6.36
Philippines________2.10
Note China and India data was only available before 2010 and the data is not directly comparable due to differences in collecting the data. China was listed at 1.74 and India slightly lower however. (or vice versa)
Having grown up in the '50's and '60's it is extremely interesting to see Europe so much higher and Japan approximately equal. I heard the same arguments back then about how the US can't compete. What has happened is the exchange rates changed making the US work much less expensive. So now goods that used to be manufactured there are now manufactured here.