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the Elephant in the Room

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 2:46 pm
by callmeslick
as might be gleaned by sintering through the seeming rubble on the Politics forum, I am concerned about the preparedness of the US, and most western societies for a coming Industrial Revolution that my most reliable expertise says may lead to over 5% unemployment in a matter of 5 years or a bit more. When I brought the whole idea of a global automation/AI/Robotics revolution at our door, one person said the whole notion was a Leftist plot to scare folks into one-world governance. Most more rational types agreed that we have to start rethinking some things, but most took my former, less urgent, viewpoint that the real effects are still a ways off. My geek pals seem insistant that the wave is about to break.

Maybe, a beer run is in order:
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/25/driverle ... -truck.htm


now, levity aside, look at this: Driverless vehicle? Programmed delivery process? Imagine a simple scale up and wonder how many folks just lost their jobs at one employer, and grasp the imperative that the cost savings will make all brewers of scale do likewise. And so on. It isn't just some handful of large factory assembler jobs. This is EVERYTHING we do, from shopping to exporting. Worldwide.

Re: the Eleohant in the Room

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 3:45 pm
by Reservoir_Dog
As our boy was growing up I often said to him, "Go into the trades. Become a plumber, or an electrician, or a bricklayer, or H.V.A.C. You'll never get rich, but you'll always have a job."
There are just some things that can't be automated.

Re: the Elephant in the Room

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 4:42 pm
by callmeslick
but how do you manage a society when there are so many jobs that CAN be?

Re: the Elephant in the Room

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 4:49 pm
by Reservoir_Dog
Decrease in the surplus population.

Re: the Elephant in the Room

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 6:01 pm
by callmeslick
Thank you, Mr. Dickens. I'll flesh this one out, as my goal is for this one to be a long running thread, as this stuff rolls out, and public figures address it, if they ever start to......

Re: the Elephant in the Room

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 7:49 pm
by Reservoir_Dog
callmeslick wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2017 6:01 pm Thank you, Mr. Dickens. I'll flesh this one out, as my goal is for this one to be a long running thread, as this stuff rolls out, and public figures address it, if they ever start to......
Yeah, I ripped off Dickens. But the point is good.
Population control will eventually need to happen. It's ridiculous to think that this planet will be able to support 10-12 billion human beings. Technological advancement via automation will only help to accelerate the problem. Your concern is valid, but people aren't going to stop inventing new, easier and better ways of doing things. It's just in our nature. Unless mankind as a whole has a monumental epiphany the only answer will be to have fewer people.

Re: the Elephant in the Room

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 11:40 pm
by callmeslick
you may be exactly right, Res. The REAL Elephant in the room is that there are WAY too many of us for the planet to sustain. Thinning the herd gets REAL ugly, though, no matter whether man or nature does the job.

Re: the Elephant in the Room

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 5:24 pm
by Reservoir_Dog
I'm not talking about culling the herd. This ain't Soylent Green stuff. I'm saying it will eventually be necessary to limit human reproduction and let the old folks die off.
You think Trump's immigration ban is bullshit. Just wait till governments start telling people how many kids they can have ... or not have.

Re: the Elephant in the Room

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 11:28 pm
by callmeslick
I have yet to see such a plan take root without,well, culling the herd. Of girls, in China, most recently.

Re: the Eleohant in the Room

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 2:53 am
by fatman
Reservoir_Dog wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2017 3:45 pm As our boy was growing up I often said to him, "Go into the trades. Become a plumber, or an electrician, or a bricklayer, or H.V.A.C. You'll never get rich, but you'll always have a job."
There are just some things that can't be automated.
I deal with the plumbing trade here and if you have your head screwewd on right its pretty much impossible to not become rich if i had my time again i would go that route, and look at automation with safeway and coles with self serve checkouts that kids and adults out of work right there thats just a start.