Trump Tax Plan Gives Jobs Away to Robots and Will Increase Unemployment

[whatbogsends]

I wholly agree with that. And I hope that you also agree that there are no jobs "created"....just work that needs to be done.

Job creators are a mythical beast. No one "creates" a job out of the goodness of their heart, they create jobs because work needs doing.

For some reason in this country we have elevated the business owner to sainthood status while characterizing the workers as greedy envious graspers.

Overall, I agree with much of what you said, but have to take some exception to the highlighted part. We/this country haven't elevated the business owner to sainthood and characterized the workers as greedy, envious graspers, most on the right have done so, and most on the left have soundly rejected that absurd notion.

 

[Fantine]

If it costs less to manufacture things using robots, then prices for things will drop, and your dollars will go further.

But if many fewer people are employed they won't HAVE dollars to go further.

 

[Aldebaran]

But if many fewer people are employed they won't HAVE dollars to go further.

They can still be employed. When automation comes, then people are needed to program the machines, to build them, to maintain them. All the time, we have new technologies that are developed, and people are needed as a result. When the computer was invented, it was to make life easier and faster. Today, we have computers that do things only dreamed of in the past. Are there not jobs in existence today that are also a direct result of computers? I'm sure many people using this forum are employed right now directly as a result of computers--without which they would be either unemployed, or working somewhere else.

 

[PeachyKeane]

They can still be employed. When automation comes, then people are needed to program the machines, to build them, to maintain them. All the time, we have new technologies that are developed, and people are needed as a result. When the computer was invented, it was to make life easier and faster. Today, we have computers that do things only dreamed of in the past. Are there not jobs in existence today that are also a direct result of computers? I'm sure many people using this forum are employed right now directly as a result of computers--without which they would be either unemployed, or working somewhere else.

That all requires intensive, specialized training. These robots are taking jobs from people with virtually no training.

 

[Aldebaran]

That all requires intensive, specialized training. These robots are taking jobs from people with virtually no training.

Then couldn't those people get some training? Learning how to push some buttons and monitor a screen is often easier than the heavy labor that they'd otherwise be doing if the robots weren't doing it.

 

[PeachyKeane]

Then couldn't those people get some training? Learning how to push some buttons and monitor a screen is often easier than the heavy labor that they'd otherwise be doing if the robots weren't doing it.

Building, maintaining and programming machines like that takes a bit more talent than 'pushing buttons'.

Robotics is an engineering degree, and typically at least 4 years in college. Maintenance is mechanics and computer science. Two to 4 years of college.

Who's going to pay for that training?

 

[Aldebaran]

Building, maintaining and programming machines like that takes a bit more talent than 'pushing buttons'.

Robotics is an engineering degree, and typically at least 4 years in college. Maintenance is mechanics and computer science. Two to 4 years of college.

Who's going to pay for that training?

I guess what I meant was running the machines in general. I mean, computers are extraordinarily complex devices, but even 5 year olds are using them. I'm sure much of the automation that will be implemented for certain jobs would be relatively easy to operate with some on-the-job training.

 

[PeachyKeane]

I guess what I meant was running the machines in general. I mean, computers are extraordinarily complex devices, but even 5 year olds are using them. I'm sure much of the automation that will be implemented for certain jobs would be relatively easy to operate with some on-the-job training.

Not really. These aren't machines built to be used by humans. These are robots that work without human interaction until they break, or need reprogramming. That's automation.