The Looming Problem Of The Unemployable

[Revoltingest]

So essentially the Basic Income model?

I didn't know it had a name. But this plan is about more than just handing out money.
But it also reforms taxation by simplifying it (no personal deductions) & greatly lowering
the marginal rate.

 

[Aquitaine]

I didn't know it had a name. But this plan is about more than just handing out money.
But it also reforms taxation by simplifying it (no personal deductions) & greatly lowering
the marginal rate.

There's been talk of implementing that in the UK, to replace the current Welfare system. Only problem is (at least with the UK) it's apparently not affordable.

 

[Revoltingest]

There's been talk of implementing that in the UK, to replace the current Welfare system. Only problem is (at least with the UK) it's apparently not affordable.

I'm shocked that a government would take such a proposal seriously!
To be affordable it would mean gutting much of the government largess industrial complex....which would be difficult.
(I just invented that term, btw.)

 

[Revoltingest]

Time to reanimate the dead with some blame finding.....

 

[ShivaFan]

This is actually a pretty good question. I suppose in some venues, there is no doubt that robotics will replace "the assembly line".


But in other venues, the consumer may have a say, certainly a large influence. For example - how many of you use the checkout machines? Take Home Depot. I refuse to use the checkout machines, I always go to the checkout that has a human associate which I prefer. I have had problems lifting clumsy boxes or tools and trying to get the machine to read the bar code, then bagging, etc..

However, I do like ATM machines, and yes I always cover the keypad when entering my secret code with my other hand. I prefer the ATM then a human teller inside in most cases.

I would not trust a robot at a fast food joint, just as I do not like getting food from a vending machine. I find it ... yucky. Imagine lubricant oil dripping from the robot into my salad - and, what about cockroaches? I will guarantee these food serving robots will have cockroaches crawling inside of them to lick the food, and they will also be full of Indian Mealmoth grubs and eggs, the wiggling little moth larve will crawl from the robots left eye and fall in my rice. There is no question about it.

Consumers like me will continue to demand waiters/waitresses, and part of a nice restaurant dinner - especially in an Indian restaurant - is a nice chat with the server, where the server is from, yadda. I love giving tips - but not to a robot.

Now I may consider a robot for personal use. For example, to help me grow fruits and vegetables in my backyard. Who knows? The robots might be so good helping people grow their own corn that folks may need to shop less for food.

Or a robot to act as armed security guard inside my house ready to blast a loud siren, call police, or electra-shock a home invader. Perhaps even shoot a home invader, and for sure funeral assistant jobs using humans is a job not going away - I mean would you want a human talking to you at the funeral, or a programmed robot?

Robot to family: "ShivaFan is dead. Oh, how sad. ShivaFan was good. We will miss ShivaFan."

Wife: "He always liked samosas."

Robot: "ShivaFan liked samosas. He was good. Very good."

Wife: "He was a Republican."

Robot: "ShivaFan. He was a Republican. He was good. Very good."

... aaaahhhh .... no.

What about having robot murtis in a Hindu Temple? Don't laugh, it is not without advocates. There is evidence that some Greek Temples had murtis where the arm would lift or sounds come using water power and steam "engines".

As far as the unemployed, it depends. Will robots be given the right to vote? I think a lot of voters could impact things. Not make robots illegal, but they may demand "separate but equal". For example, a drinking foutain for "humans only", and another one "robots drinking fountain". Robots would have to sit at the back of the bus in some states. No robot baseball players in the MLB human leagues. Sure, robots can play baseball, but only in their own "Robot Leagues".

 

[Thief]

This article....
Report: Robots Will Take Over More Jobs Than They Create « CBS Charlotte
...reminded me of the thought that we're embarking on a different age, one in which new
technology removes jobs instead of creating them. Unlike the erroneous Luddite predictions,
computer technology is different.
How do we deal with people who lack the intellectual prowess to do jobs which robots cannot?
Do we create make-work-programs for them?
Do we just let the social safety net support them?
Or is my premise faulty?

when I was laid off, Granddad wanted to know.....why can't you find work?

I told him.....In your day a machine helped the man do the work
nowadays the machine can replace 100 men

he seemed to understand....and had no response