The robots are coming for jobs

[TBoneTX 43,407]

Good article, Teddy.

Quote: "All these automated machines require someone to service them and tell them what to do."

Hence my earlier stopgap suggestion.

[Teddy B 17,251]

I think the proliferation of lower paid jobs and the loss of manufacturing along with some banking / accounting jobs is a result of technology changes.

Only a few years ago every economic page declared there was a major skills / labor gap.

But the workforce is adapting to this. There is now a big push to school and hire the blue collar worker. There is a big need for mechanics, construction workers and many other manual labor workers and the push is on to fill this gap. The pay and benefits being offered to fill these jobs is now better than it ever has been. It may not happen immediately, but the workforce does eventually adjust to fill the gaps.

If I've learned anything since 2009 its that companies actually can make profits by catering to the 1% without a productive middle class.

To my knowledge this hasn't occurred on a wide scale. If the middle class were to become non productive due to automation and the 1% are the only viable people left, who is going to pay for the gov't benefits needed to support all of these unemployed, poor people? There is a balance that needs to be kept in order for the 1% to flourish. Without a workforce to support the 1%. then the 1% will eventually collapse.

[smilesammich 10,727]

Without a workforce to support the 1%. then the 1% will eventually collapse.

[Teddy B 17,251]

[Ban Hammer 12,876]

except for vegetarians.....

[Dakine10 5,452]

except for vegetarians.....

Soylent green for vegetarians. Healthy, green and nutritious.

May contain people.

[Expat1 971]

That's for dam sure

[Jacque67 7,328]

[Sousuke 1,214]

But the workforce is adapting to this. There is now a big push to school and hire the blue collar worker. There is a big need for mechanics, construction workers and many other manual labor workers and the push is on to fill this gap. The pay and benefits being offered to fill these jobs is now better than it ever has been. It may not happen immediately, but the workforce does eventually adjust to fill the gaps.

To my knowledge this hasn't occurred on a wide scale. If the middle class were to become non productive due to automation and the 1% are the only viable people left, who is going to pay for the gov't benefits needed to support all of these unemployed, poor people? There is a balance that needs to be kept in order for the 1% to flourish. Without a workforce to support the 1%. then the 1% will eventually collapse.

I'm not really sure the first is true. Much of the employment above was / is related to the oil growth in the past 3 years. Many are losing jobs again.

Your second point is sort of why I think there will have to be a statutory payment down the road. If 47% of jobs become automated and we don't see quality job replacements, then unemployment will start to creep up over time OR we'll see larger and larger periods of partial-employment or gig employment that will need government supplemental payments.

[Teddy B 17,251]

I'm not really sure the first is true. Much of the employment above was / is related to the oil growth in the past 3 years. Many are losing jobs again.

Your second point is sort of why I think there will have to be a statutory payment down the road. If 47% of jobs become automated and we don't see quality job replacements, then unemployment will start to creep up over time OR we'll see larger and larger periods of partial-employment or gig employment that will need government supplemental payments.

I know in the northeast there is a shortage of skilled blue collar workers. We are in need of mechanics, truck drivers, HVAC techs, and construction workers. I imagine that need is country wide.

What type of statutory payment do you think will be made? My thinking is that big business will figure out that it's better to keep the majority of people gainfully employed so they can continue to be customers and add to the companies profit margin. I don't believe that any type of statutory payment would amount to a decent living wage, but I'm not sure what you have in mind.

[crazyworld 54]

Just as I was saying before!

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/bill-gross-what-to-do-after-the-robots-take-our-jobs/ar-BBsDEXg?li=BBnbfcN

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Another solution is to heavily tax automation and then redistribute to people who lose their jobs due to automation.

Good idea. How long do you think the taxation should last? Until the person finds smother job? The Republicans would drip themselves b4 letting this happen. They'd call it socialism. Anything that helps people, pension, ssn, insurance, etc. is socialist and evil.

Somehow in the liberal world taking money from one and giving to another will fix anything

[smilesammich 10,727]

Somehow in the liberal world taking money from one and giving to another will fix anything

it's not a political thing, it's economics.

for example walmart. how many youtube videos have you seen where some enraged walmart shopper goes off on another walmart shopper using foodstamps to buy steak or something similar? and yet..

Walmart’s low-wage workers cost U.S. taxpayers an estimated $6.2 billion in public assistance including food stamps, Medicaid and subsidized housing, according to a report published to coincide with Tax Day, April 15.

Americans for Tax Fairness, a coalition of 400 national and state-level progressive groups, made this estimate using data from a 2013 study by Democratic Staff of the U.S. Committee on Education and the Workforce.

“The study estimated the cost to Wisconsin’s taxpayers of Walmart’s low wages and benefits, which often force workers to rely on various public assistance programs,” reads the report,available in full here.

“It found that a single Walmart Supercenter cost taxpayers between $904,542 and $1.75 million per year, or between $3,015 and $5,815 on average for each of 300 workers.”

i would think a study unveiling info like this would rally america together and we'd be ready to get some leaders in place that could fix the obvious. but there is a major disconnect with the american public regarding politics/straight up propaganda and economics.

[ExPatty 502]

Just as I was saying before!

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/bill-gross-what-to-do-after-the-robots-take-our-jobs/ar-BBsDEXg?li=BBnbfcN

People without imagination or experience in technology simply don't get it. Tech is going to hollow out a huge core of jobs that cannot be replaced, stealing labor from those who are trained slower than a machine's firmware is updated. It's surprising and disappointing so many think the rules of the past apply in this future. They will learn eventually.

As jobs are increasingly taken out and less people are employed, controlling more of the wealth, a stipend type approach is absolutely going to happen, at least if keeping a revolution at bay is the desire. When I can buy a $20k robot that can outperform in virtually all jobs a $15/hour person, and my robot runs 24/7/365, I'm going to do it. That person's menial skill set is of no use in a future economy. When walmart's shelves are stocked by robots, automated check outs finally work and are faster than people, walmart can be run on a skeleton crew: manager, a person fixing things here and there, a customer service rep. Sweepers, shelf stockers, cashiers, all gone. No need for them.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

People without imagination or experience in technology simply don't get it. Tech is going to hollow out a huge core of jobs that cannot be replaced, stealing labor from those who are trained slower than a machine's firmware is updated. It's surprising and disappointing so many think the rules of the past apply in this future. They will learn eventually.

As jobs are increasingly taken out and less people are employed, controlling more of the wealth, a stipend type approach is absolutely going to happen, at least if keeping a revolution at bay is the desire. When I can buy a $20k robot that can outperform in virtually all jobs a $15/hour person, and my robot runs 24/7/365, I'm going to do it. That person's menial skill set is of no use in a future economy. When walmart's shelves are stocked by robots, automated check outs finally work and are faster than people, walmart can be run on a skeleton crew: manager, a person fixing things here and there, a customer service rep. Sweepers, shelf stockers, cashiers, all gone. No need for them.

Honestly I bet car sales people will be a thing of the past in 10 years.