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Automation really doesnt make sense from a business standpoint. At least not comprehensively. You're making capable, viable people unemployed, who when they were employed could afford to buy your product as consumers. You replace them with automation, and replace those would be employed consumers with consumers who are on the taxpayer dole; in which case, you as a corporation or as a rich CEO pay the highest tax rate. Remember, when you layoff one worker, you dont just lay off that worker as a marketplace consumer. That person will now depend on someone else in their family to sustain themselves, so the money that both people could have spent as consumers of your product, is now being reallocated to sustain one unemployed person's existence. You're essentially raping yourself in order to suit a certain business model. (less/fewer people on the payroll is more profit)
Automation really doesnt make sense from a business standpoint. At least not comprehensively. You're making capable, viable people unemployed, who when they were employed could afford to buy your product as consumers. You replace them with automation, replace those would be consumers with consumers who are on the taxpayer dole; in which case, you as a corporation or as a rich CEO pay the highest tax rate. You're essentially raping yourself in order to suit a certain business model. (less/fewer people on the payroll is more profit)
LOL! Not all business models center around consumers, and news flash, the USA comprises only about 5% of the global population.
Anytime one can reduce costs and pay off automation in little more than 1 year as is the case when benefits are added here, one would be a fool to pass up the opportunity.
LOL! Not all business models center around consumers, and news flash, the USA comprises only about 5% of the global population.
The jobs in America center around the American worker. We need to look out for the American worker, and our elected officials are either asleep at the switch or have sold out.
Our current system is selling ourselves down the river, for a temporary monetary boost to the 1%.
But the long-term trends are unmistakable: now that Corporate America has made the discovery that they can jettison 8 million workers and still make beau coup profits, there is no turning back with the devaluation of the human workforce, in spite of whatever "recovery" the economy may be experiencing. Not only are more jobs done by fewer people, automation (robots) and A.I. (computers that can think like humans) will continue to displace more and more workers, and this process will only accelerate over time. The day will soon come when cashiers will no longer be needed at the stores - just push your cart through the scanner, pay on the machine and of course, do the bagging yourself. "Robot" McDonald's aren't that far off either, and once costs fall low enough, you can bet they'll convert all the fast-food places into giant vending machines. And just wait until they come out with virtual accountants, A.I.'s that can do the work of a 100 engineers, etc, etc - oops, there goes all those "STEM" jobs.
So when all this "human workforce reduction" takes place, what will become of all the unemployed? Currently, despite the large numbers of people out of work, they're still in the minority, and can metaphorically be swept under the rug. But what happens when the true unemployment / underemployment rate approaches the critical 50% mark? Well, we might get an idea from Spain, considering their UE rate is nearly 25% and rising, and France has already elected a Socialist president that's dead-set against austerity. I have a feeling that the United States would be undergoing some major political changes, and perhaps sooner rather than later.
Assuming we're able to hold on to some sense of democracy as opposed to a dystopian corp-state, I'd like to explore what kind of possibilities exist for re-engineering our economy so that all those people without regular jobs can maintain a comfortable standard of living. If it was left up to me, I'd adopt Huey Long's platform of an universal, minimum income, generated from harvesting 1/3 of the country's GDP each year. Back then, that would have meant taxing the tycoons into oblivion; in the near-future of the automated workforce, that would mean that the machines would be "taxed" and the money divvied out among the population, whether they had a job or not.
But I know many folks on here would consider that "communist" or "socialist", so I'd like to hear some alternative ideas of how to remake the economy so that it can still function when the jobs go away. Or perhaps I'm feeling a bit doomerish, and that it'll be back to 1999 before we know it...
Yeah; not sure what is going to happen when we are all poorer than dirt. I think the plan is ~ we'll cross that bridge when we come to it?
Scary. I am not sure how these companies think everyone is going to pay for their goods and services when no one is making any money. Guess they'll figure it out.
The jobs in America center around the American worker. We need to look out for the American worker, and our elected officials are either asleep at the switch or have sold out.
Our current system is selling ourselves down the river, for a temporary monetary boost to the 1%.
Nothing further from the truth. Had Bridgestone not automated; we'd most likely see much of their market share going bye-bye overseas. So one avoids 100% losing their jobs at such a facility.
Yes, when only a select few have a job or money (and I mean a select few) and everyone else doesn't have a pot to **** in, nobody will be able to consume and purchase. You know what happens next. That's called karma and it hits everybody.
You realize that the need for CNC workers is expected to decline 25% in the next 10-20 years right? The wages for many are a joke because as fewer machines are required to do the same amount of work, there are still the same number of shops trying fighting for the work, and the same number of workers looking for a job. The bidding war has many casualties, and many production shops are working well below plumbers rates for machines that cost in the millions. The work is also becoming easier as time progresses because machine makers aren't stupid. They want to make the machine as user friendly as possible, so the boss can pay as little as possible to get the button jockey. Basically, if you're not the guy programming or at least setting up the machine, you're probably not going to be worth much. And even those good paying jobs are going to be reduced. Demand for CNC machinists is expected to decline, but so too are the number of people entering the field in that level.
I do feel it's still a good trade, and still a good occupation to consider, but these are things to keep in mind. Lots of older guys would never recommend it to their kids, but there really isn't much else out there in better shape career wise. I still do a fair bit of repair work on manual machines just to keep a broad skillset. Can't really automate a job like that, and it will always take some skill to do that kind of work. Hence, gotta pay a decent wage to get the worker you need. Not many people can dial in for a plus or minus 5 ten-thousands of an bore on a 30 year old machine... Never knew the meaning of the word stress until I got into that crap
I program and set up... among other things. I also recently started doing backup desk work... CAD drawings and such.
I'm always trying to improve the resume. I'm more confident in this job being around a while over any job I've ever had previously. If my profession is 25% less in demand 20 years from now so be it... can't worry about it now.
I'm almost 38... gonna try to take this profession to retirement. We'll see...
But the long-term trends are unmistakable: now that Corporate America has made the discovery that they can jettison 8 million workers and still make beau coup profits, there is no turning back with the devaluation of the human workforce, in spite of whatever "recovery" the economy may be experiencing. Not only are more jobs done by fewer people, automation (robots) and A.I. (computers that can think like humans) will continue to displace more and more workers, and this process will only accelerate over time. The day will soon come when cashiers will no longer be needed at the stores - just push your cart through the scanner, pay on the machine and of course, do the bagging yourself. "Robot" McDonald's aren't that far off either, and once costs fall low enough, you can bet they'll convert all the fast-food places into giant vending machines. And just wait until they come out with virtual accountants, A.I.'s that can do the work of a 100 engineers, etc, etc - oops, there goes all those "STEM" jobs.
So when all this "human workforce reduction" takes place, what will become of all the unemployed? Currently, despite the large numbers of people out of work, they're still in the minority, and can metaphorically be swept under the rug. But what happens when the true unemployment / underemployment rate approaches the critical 50% mark? Well, we might get an idea from Spain, considering their UE rate is nearly 25% and rising, and France has already elected a Socialist president that's dead-set against austerity. I have a feeling that the United States would be undergoing some major political changes, and perhaps sooner rather than later.
Assuming we're able to hold on to some sense of democracy as opposed to a dystopian corp-state, I'd like to explore what kind of possibilities exist for re-engineering our economy so that all those people without regular jobs can maintain a comfortable standard of living. If it was left up to me, I'd adopt Huey Long's platform of an universal, minimum income, generated from harvesting 1/3 of the country's GDP each year. Back then, that would have meant taxing the tycoons into oblivion; in the near-future of the automated workforce, that would mean that the machines would be "taxed" and the money divvied out among the population, whether they had a job or not.
But I know many folks on here would consider that "communist" or "socialist", so I'd like to hear some alternative ideas of how to remake the economy so that it can still function when the jobs go away. Or perhaps I'm feeling a bit doomerish, and that it'll be back to 1999 before we know it...
I believe honestly the true nature of the recession is to get rid of dead weight people.
How can you eat and support yourself if you have no job. You either resort to violence and criminal activity , die from poor medical care or 3 you just die off period.
If your not productive then its poverty and an early grave.
I mean think it would force people to get skills and more educated. It would be the governments way of keeping people in check.
I know nurses and engineers out of work. But let's just say everybody get educated and gets skills. And let's say they get in demand skills. Whatever the thing of the week is this week. We have 15 million unemployed and 15 to 25 million underemployed. Now let's worry only about the unemployed for now. Thus the 15 million go to college or get a trade. Their are no jobs to absorb 15 million people. Nor classroom space or room in the training programs. About 25 million Americans earn 9 dollars or less an hour. They are the underemployed no one talks about. So let's say even 10 million of these people get educated and gain skills. Where are they going to work? I will tell you nowhere that is where. We are moving to a future where will need less labor not more. Only 63.6% of us work now. The rate has been dropping for years. Of the 63% still working 15 to 17% are underemployed. We most likely will hit the 50% mark in the next 10 to 15 years. That will be our labor rate of people working. There will not be 25 million new jobs for these unemployed and underemployed to take. Most future job growth will be low wage service jobs. You will not be able to support yourself to start with.
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Well, we might get an idea from Spain, considering their UE rate is nearly 25% and rising, and France has already elected a Socialist president that's dead-set against austerity. I have a feeling that the United States would be undergoing some major political changes, and perhaps sooner rather than later. 
