Should We Fear "the End of Work"?

[dedanna1029]

Good read for all, working and not, here. We've definitely out-done ourselves in technology, become too big for our breeches. I've seen it too many times as a former employment recruiter. There is mention in this about how education is the key through times like this, and that education never ends (which is true), but what they're not saying, is the overblown prices here in the states for that education. One is paying dearly for the rest of their lives to pay off school loans, and if one is not able to find work, then how are they ever going to pay off those loans? There are so many economists, futurists, etc. who are in such extreme denial of real-world scenarios, and that is the thing that's the worst thing about the whole unemployment/employment situation. If they can't even get it right (and they don't; note Ray Kurzweil in the video on the page; someone in complete total denial), then I don't think anyone will ever be able to, so in the end, we are, and will be f*cked anyway.

Story One goes like this: "If you're talking about 100 years from now, all jobs will be gone ... including the creative ones."

Story Two sounds like this: "The recovery of jobs is not all that bad ... it's moving in the right direction."

Story One is more realistic.

Okay, are these two folks living on the same planet? Yes. In fact -- amazingly and thankfully -- they were in the same room, sharing ideas about changes in the American workplace brought about by new technologies.

Four years after the Great Recession officially ended, millions of Americans are still unemployed and millions more remain underemployed. (For most, the distinction is unimportant: they're all hurting.)

So, the so-called "Great Recession" that was actually a "Great Depression", and still is, ended? When? I sure in the hell never noticed.

With realities like this, we all have to wonder how great, good, and wonderful technology really is. I believe there is a point where it and its growth stops (or at least should stop), and people begin. I also wonder what good technology will do, when it's productive and producing the supply for total lack of demand, since it's taking people's jobs, and they won't be able to afford any of the products being produced since they don't have work. How's that for irony?

"Machines are better at learning than humans in many different areas. So now the question is, what will they learn and what's the end game?

"Are we talking about the future of jobs in the next five years, 10 years, 50 years or 100 years?

"If you're talking 100 years, there's no doubt in my mind that all jobs will be gone, including creative ones. And 100 years is not far in the future -- some of our children will be alive in 100 years."

[R_Head]

I always say when you take the humanity variable out of life we will be wasteful and redundant; therefore for the sake of efficiency we will be discarded. Or simply turned off.

We had a discussion at work about technology is when you draw the line on Technology serving You and You serving Technology.

All people dream of a world that you do not have to work for a living, we are all living like pampered fat cats. That is when the human necessities are all taken care of and no innovation is created. We will cease to exist. The human been is a creature that need to strive to keep what makes them human.

For example, War. You create drones and take the human variable off the battle field. Just remotely, not seen face to face your enemy your are disconnected from life. The horrors of war is what keep the peace.

[dedanna1029]

The human being is a creature that needs to strive to keep what makes them human.

For example, War. You create drones and take the human variable off the battle field. Just remotely, not seen face to face your enemy your are disconnected from life. The horrors of war is what keep the peace.

That's just the problem. We need to get connected again, but not with technology. With all the "connectedness" of technology, it serves to disconnect us, and keep us lazy and fat, dumbed-down like sheeple, with even more rude generations on the way, paying attention to nothing and no one but that cell phone or laptop in their hand/lap. The exact reason I never wanted a laptop or cell phone. Unfortunately, the mother of necessity got to me, but it's not often any more that either is used.

[R_Head]

I have a rooted Samsung Galaxy S3 and remmoved the ATT bloatware, F u B and Twatter. To be honest is blazing fast and the battery last a long time.

[viking60]

[dedanna1029]

It appears the US military is moving on with installing robots to do its work, and so by the time they're done, there will be no humans left in the military.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23286266

It creates jobs for now, yes, but I have to say that I myself am shocked at all the "Orwellian-ness" going on these days. Those jobs for people in creating the software, etc. won't last, and then off we'll run with the robots to do all the work. In fact, it's already happening: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22083337

Be sure to see The wastefulness of automation too.