Jobs and automation

[Gulo Blue]

Starting a new thread here, because it doesn't belong in the Kavanaugh thread. This recurring idea I like to bring up about automation bring a future where there isn't enough work to go around that has enough economic value for everyone to contribute more than they consume. (By 'everyone', really it's more like 60% we need to keep working.)

I just heard something by this guy: https://www.vox.com/2018/5/8/17308744/bullshit-jobs-book-david-graeber-occupy-wall-street-karl-marx

He wrote something about people in 'bullshit jobs'. They're getting paid, but not really doing anything. People came out of the woodwork telling him that they have bullshit jobs. It's tough to nail down what a bullshit job is, but 2 surveys asking people if they do anything useful in their positions found that 37% and 40% of people believe their job is of no value to anyone. And it's not all at the bottom of the pay scale. A lot of it was found in middle management with great sounding titles and high salaries.

 

[Michchamp]

Everyone who loses their jobs due to robots & automation should just follow the Republican playbook and start their own business.

Not sure what businesses will still be possible with everything automated...
maybe robot repair? Everyone in America will run a robot repair business and pay no taxes. of course, with all that competition, no one will make much - if any - money running their robot repair business, and all will constantly be running around trying to pay off all the loans they take out to keep their robot repair business afloat and put food on the table. (I guess the kids who get Wall Street bank jobs from their Wall-Street-connected dads will be okay, still, of course).



Or follow the socialist playbook... the government owns all the robots, and everyone gets a free, equal allotment of stuff, and can spend their days doing whatever they want... reading, writing, painting, playing music, watching baseball, drinking and watching TV all day, getting high, etc.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Everyone who loses their jobs due to robots & automation should just follow the Republican playbook and start their own business.

Not sure what businesses will still be possible with everything automated...
maybe robot repair? Everyone in America will run a robot repair business and pay no taxes. of course, with all that competition, no one will make much - if any - money running their robot repair business, and all will constantly be running around trying to pay off all the loans they take out to keep their robot repair business afloat and put food on the table. (I guess the kids who get Wall Street bank jobs from their Wall-Street-connected dads will be okay, still, of course).



Or follow the socialist playbook... the government owns all the robots, and everyone gets a free, equal allotment of stuff, and can spend their days doing whatever they want... reading, writing, painting, playing music, watching baseball, drinking and watching TV all day, getting high, etc.

If robot repair takes off, we'll start using AI to diagnose or maybe anticipate robot failures. Maybe we can automate repair too.


edit: Not maybe anticipate failure. Definitely anticipate failure.

 

[turok]

I remember when white collar workers in tech fields began to lose their jobs to outsourcing after the turn of the century, due to the global proliferation of broadband internet. Dubya's senior economic advisor @ the time, L. Gregory Mankiw, responded to their anger by stating that they needed to take the "next step" and become consultants or idea/concept "gurus" ...lolz.

 

[tinselwolverine]

If robot repair takes off, we'll start using AI to diagnose or maybe anticipate robot failures. Maybe we can automate repair too.


edit: Not maybe anticipate failure. Definitely anticipate failure.

Someone will have to maintain the diagnostic equipment. So everyone can go into that business.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Or follow the socialist playbook... the government owns all the robots, and everyone gets a free, equal allotment of stuff, and can spend their days doing whatever they want... reading, writing, painting, playing music, watching baseball, drinking and watching TV all day, getting high, etc.

This would give people opportunities in drug and alcohol rehab clinics.

Also you?re neglecting Maslow?s hierarchy of needs and self actualization for those who are not artistically inclined.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Or follow the socialist playbook... the government owns all the robots, and everyone gets a free, equal allotment of stuff, and can spend their days doing whatever they want... reading, writing, painting, playing music, watching baseball, drinking and watching TV all day, getting high, etc.

This would give people opportunities in drug and alcohol rehab clinics.

Also you?re neglecting Maslow?s hierarchy of needs and self actualization for those who are not artistically inclined.

 

[turok]

If I was in HS, I would seriously consider becoming a mortician or Funeral Home director/owner... as the huge boomer generation will begin dying off in earnest ~20 years from now.

 

[Michchamp]

If I was in HS, I would seriously consider becoming a mortician or Funeral Home director/owner... as the huge boomer generation will begin dying off in earnest ~20 years from now.

No offense to the boomers here - I like you guys - but that may not be soon enough for the planet.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Maslow?s hierarchy of needs

Been a while since we've mentioned this. Is it possible it contributes to our extreme partisanship? A lack of self-actualization in our careers fuels a need some satisfy with tribalistic partisanship?


If I argue 'yes' for 10 pages, can I get a peer reviewed publication out of it?

 

[Gulo Blue]

If I was in HS, I would seriously consider becoming a mortician or Funeral Home director/owner... as the huge boomer generation will begin dying off in earnest ~20 years from now.

Solid career idea. Tough to get into though. My impression is there are mechanisms to keep local competition down and if you want a funeral parlor, you have to be the #2 guy at a funeral parlor when someone retires and take over the business from them.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Everyone who loses their jobs due to robots & automation should just follow the Republican playbook and start their own business.

Not sure what businesses will still be possible with everything automated...
maybe robot repair? Everyone in America will run a robot repair business and pay no taxes. of course, with all that competition, no one will make much - if any - money running their robot repair business, and all will constantly be running around trying to pay off all the loans they take out to keep their robot repair business afloat and put food on the table. (I guess the kids who get Wall Street bank jobs from their Wall-Street-connected dads will be okay, still, of course).



Or follow the socialist playbook... the government owns all the robots, and everyone gets a free, equal allotment of stuff, and can spend their days doing whatever they want... reading, writing, painting, playing music, watching baseball, drinking and watching TV all day, getting high, etc.

Been a while since we've mentioned this. Is it possible it contributes to our extreme partisanship? A lack of self-actualization in our careers fuels a need some satisfy with tribalistic partisanship?


If I argue 'yes' for 10 pages, can I get a peer reviewed publication out of it?

It?s okay with me.

 

[turok]

I refuse to be lumped in that group, since I didn't marry until age 43, have had no kids, and lived modestly within my means...besides which, most of my life wasn't spent with an energy-demanding smartphone as my constant companion. I didn't buy a vehicle until I got a FT job after HS, and didn't get my driver's licence until I turned 18.


As a child through teen, my and my peers' main modes of transport was walking, riding a bicycle or riding the bus. How many kids nowadays do you see riding bicycles to visit their friends or go to the store or to entertainment venues like parks, theaters, school, or anywhere else?

 

[tinselwolverine]

Solid career idea. Tough to get into though. My impression is there are mechanisms to keep local competition down and if you want a funeral parlor, you have to be the #2 guy at a funeral parlor when someone retires and take over the business from them.

It?s not hard to get a sales job in that business.

Opening up ones own shop-I don?t know about that.

 

[Gulo Blue]

I refuse to be lumped in that group, since I didn't marry until age 43, have had no kids, and lived modestly within my means...besides which, most of my life wasn't spent with an energy-demanding smartphone as my constant companion. I didn't buy a vehicle until I got a FT job after HS, and didn't get my driver's licence until I turned 18.


As a child through teen, my and my peers' main modes of transport was walking, riding a bicycle or riding the bus. How many kids nowadays do you see riding bicycles to visit their friends or go to the store or to entertainment venues like parks, theaters, school, or anywhere else?

I think these days, kids with bike and parents not knowing where they are 24/7 is probably viewed as bad parenting. Or maybe people are afraid it would be viewed as bad parenting.

 

[Gulo Blue]

It’s not hard to get a sales job in that business.

Opening up ones own shop-I don’t know about that.

I imagine there's a high burnout rate in sales. It's tough to be in a line of work where most of the people you deal with are having a terrible day.


edit: I bet there'd be a significant market for computerized sales. Nothing fancy, just something with a bit more detail than a fast food touchscreen self-order machine. Some people want human contact and compassion, but when I'm in a bad place, I don't want to talk to anybody.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I imagine there's a high burnout rate in sales. It's tough to be in a line of work where most of the people you deal with are having a terrible day.

I think that?s it, besides a lot of people would not want to take that sales job if they could get another one.

Lotta jobs.

 

[tinselwolverine]

edit: I bet there'd be a significant market for computerized sales. Nothing fancy, just something with a bit more detail than a fast food touchscreen self-order machine. Some people want human contact and compassion, but when I'm in a bad place, I don't want to talk to anybody.

Like in automation?

Anyways I just asked my wife and she wouldn?t want to do it that way.

I don?t think we?ll be seeing self service fully automated funeral arrangements being the norm anytime soon.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Like in automation?

Anyways I just asked my wife and she wouldn?t want to do it that way.

I don?t think we?ll be seeing self service fully automated funeral arrangements being the norm anytime soon.

It shouldn't be the only option anywhere, but I think it would be a nice option to have available.

 

[Spartanmack]

Everyone who loses their jobs due to robots & automation should just follow the Republican playbook and start their own business.

Not sure what businesses will still be possible with everything automated...
maybe robot repair? Everyone in America will run a robot repair business and pay no taxes. of course, with all that competition, no one will make much - if any - money running their robot repair business, and all will constantly be running around trying to pay off all the loans they take out to keep their robot repair business afloat and put food on the table. (I guess the kids who get Wall Street bank jobs from their Wall-Street-connected dads will be okay, still, of course).



Or follow the socialist playbook... the government owns all the robots, and everyone gets a free, equal allotment of stuff, and can spend their days doing whatever they want... reading, writing, painting, playing music, watching baseball, drinking and watching TV all day, getting high, etc.

wouldn't that be better than following the Democrat playbook of going on welfare and becoming dependent on government largesse?