You are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

0
4

[–] TheBrokenWorld 0 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago 

How are you not seeing that you just illustrated how a large number of jobs were replaced by a small number of different jobs? Automation wouldn't be profitable if it didn't eliminate jobs.

0
1

[–] SteelKidney 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

a large number of jobs were replaced by a small number of different jobs?

But those replaced by automation didn't just give up and die. New industries emerged with a need for workers. Some jobs were eliminated others became available due to new processes and technology.

I gave a more detail in this comment, but the gist is that if you just look at an isolated industry, then yes. Jobs are lost. But if you look at the economy and job force as a whole, then advances in technology result in jobs in industries that didn't exist previously. To wit, my job didn't exist in my parents' generation and was barely in existence when I was in college. Now it's a lucrative industry with raped growth. And will probably be obsolete in 30 years. Or not. Who knows?

0
0

[–] TheBrokenWorld ago  (edited ago)

But those replaced by automation didn't just give up and die. New industries emerged with a need for workers. Some jobs were eliminated others became available due to new processes and technology.

That's not going to work forever (we're seeing it fail right now), and it's certainly not going to work now that oligopolies are able to crush any new competition before it gains any steam.

0
0

[–] Chrome-Titan ago 

Automation doesn't have to eliminate jobs. It can also increase efficiency or reduce the risk of making costly mistakes. I think it matters based on the gap of technology. A normal drill press can be replaced by an automated drill press with the operator now free to focus on inspection and proper equipment maintenance. Essentially focusing on a different aspect of the same job. Of course if your replacing a team of people who have a single corded hand drill with an automated press that entire team is going to suffer because the gap is so large.

This will definitely happen in things like taxi drivers. Of course those same drivers may become tour guides, using their vast knowledge of a city to tell people where to go and where not to go. The one's that are only good at following a GPS and driving a car will suffer though.

0
0

[–] TheBrokenWorld ago 

Automation doesn't have to eliminate jobs.

It has to or it wouldn't be profitable.

It can also increase efficiency or reduce the risk of making costly mistakes.

In other words: It can do the work of a larger group of people without having to hire more people.

A normal drill press can be replaced by an automated drill press with the operator now free to focus on inspection and proper equipment maintenance.

Except that drill press would have had to have replaced multiple drill press operators in order to make financial sense. It also probably eliminated the need for a separate person to perform the inspection of the part.

Of course those same drivers may become tour guides, using their vast knowledge of a city to tell people where to go and where not to go.

Only if there are still people that can afford their services.