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Yes, technology eliminates entire industries and major types of work, but it also creates new industries.
Some people who are unable or unwilling to learn new skills may be "out of work" and unemployable, but is that really the fault of technology?
Failed argument.
You are assuming that the number of jobs created equals the number eliminated. We're at the point where that is no longer true - we're losing jobs faster than creating them, unless one counts replacing full-time work with part-time, poverty wage work as an equal substitution, which we all know it's not.
You also assume that anyone put out of work can just "learn new skills" - unless you're handing out free educations to replace the ones they had that are no longer valid that makes no sense. Same idea with the assumption of "gaining new skills" when companies these days demand employees have "company tailored" skills sets, which are generally impossible to achieve unless you actually work for that company. This makes changing industries extremely difficult if not impossible for many people, regardless of their level of education and motivation.
In short, your post comes across as yet another variation of "anyone who's out of work is a lazy bum with no education or skills," a laughable fallacy that has been dis-proven many times already.
Precisely. There are a lot of people who spew such nonsensical denials of the reality of how things have changed over the last fifteen years. It doesn't nothing other than foster ignorance and belay step to resolve the substantive damage being inflicted on those who draw the short stick in this new game of musical chairs.
Wouldn't it be cheaper for the government just to have un-needed humans put to sleep?
Every time some "bootstrapping" nutball screams about the "need" to end all unemployment benefits and otherwise remove all lifelines to people out of work, that is what they are advocating. Or, sure - they'll phrase it in nicer terms, usually something like "doing what is right for business," but they are essentially saying that the less fortunate should be left to die.
Not one of those people realizes how in the blink of an eye they could become the "less fortunate" and be out of work and in a position where finding a job is nearly impossible... but they all think they are "smarter" than that, despite intelligence, education, and work ethic often having little to do with unemployment these days... since there just aren't enough jobs.
That doesn't change the fact that every American could be employed today if we brought back jobs from overseas.
1. That horse has left the barn. We live in a world with a global workforce.
2. America has never had 100% employment. In fact, the government considers around 4%-6% unemployment as "full employment."
3. Given the nature of threads we have here on C-D, many Americans are not well prepared for the modern workplace or don't know how to build a career.
Not yet, but it really is coming. Seriously vision systems, and advanced robotics could make a system where your entire car is disassembled, every part inspected, and reassembled. With "unusual" or non-standard parts being referred via video link to a human being to categorize.
The luddites were too early. They could easily train for new jobs that were opening up as a result of changes, but the new changes coming simply dont let people fit into the new jobs that might be created, these take extreme training and above average intelligence.
As for a guaranteed income-agreed, I don't see any alternatives, especially given the ever increasing wealth disparity that's occurring.
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