Several million of America's lower class are about to become outsourced to robots

reply to post by Rockdisjoint


That's pretty much the natural evolution of things. Sorry if it hurts you.

Why in the world...no better yet, HOW in the world would we even justify working when Robots grow our crops faster/more efficiently, produce our materials faster/more efficiently, and make out way of living easier. How do we justify working like we did in the 18th, 19th, 20th, and early 21st century?

If you can possibly explain it, I'd be willing to listen. Sorry, but captialism is a phase of humanity. Marxism doesn't work with just people, its asinine to believe so. Same way capitalism doesn't work with heavy machine based labor. Things happen in phases.

Yea soon there will be no one with any money to buy what the bots produce.

If you don't like it, don't spend your money there.

Why do people buy their crap anyway? It is just glued up plastic and scraps.

Obviously in the immediate this is bad news...but for the future of human civilization I think it's great news. I've for a long time now envisioned a world where humans have to do a lot less work in general, with the bulk of labor being performed by artificial intelligence. Of course we have many social issues conflicting with that possibility such as human's seemingly insatiable greed, especially greed of power.

Originally posted by schuyler

Yeah, but there are issues, especially when the same people become actively antagonistic to society when they don't have jobs, but do have energy. Many of these folks may be ignorant, but not all of them are stupid. Even if they are functionally illiterate, that doesn't mean they are stupid. IMO one of the worst powder kegs in the world today is unemployed youth. Witness the Middle East. Nothing to do, so let's riot. (BTW, I was just there a couple of weeks before the excitement.)

I'm just saying that we need to find a way to involve these folks in suitable pursuits that will allow them to 'pursue happiness' and all that.

I agree, definitely. The way our society is structured right now won't last much longer. It can't. Something has got to give. Like you said, we simply can't have millions of people unemployed and expect society to advance. Most people that have these expendable jobs are doing them because of economic factors. Sometimes they have the ability to go to college and be an engineer, but simply can't afford it.

As we move forward into a more technological civilization, with more and more robots producing goods, providing services, and taking the "human error" out of the decision making process, we need to come up with a new system.

When you think about it, we really just don't need so many people in the world. Huge populations have always been necessary to conduct manual labor. Now we're entering uncharted territory, where manual labor is not needed to advance civilization.

There simply isn't enough needs. We really just don't need that many services. I'm completely at a loss for a solution to this increased population with decreased need for it. Do we just provide them with their basic needs and leave them to their own devices?

The problem is that the purpose of technology is to make life easier and more enjoyable for people, and theoretically it should be doing that, more people should be able to travel the world and enjoy the finer things in life, but the problem is that with capitalism, people work, work, work, work their whole lives and hog up all the work opportunities.

Personally, I think the best solution isn't to create more jobs, but the distribute those jobs evenly. Instead of working a 70 hour work week, spread it out between two people, so they both can earn a living and have the free time to spend their money on pleasurable pursuits while they are still young and can enjoy them. It seems ridiculous that people work their whole lives nonstop, then retire and spend all their money on medication, care, and paying off debt, and then they die a few years later. Some life, huh?

We really can't proceed to replace these jobs with robots until we have an adequate system in place.

reply to post by Epiphron


Sorry to say, but Capitalistic greed is going to make the machine labor come before the adequate and appropriate system. Once corporations know that they can save money by installing automated kiosks and machines to create the goods, the jig is up. Why waste time on training, employment, human error, human resources, the paper work, retirement plans, stock options, insurance.

My perfect system, where there are no jobs or currency, involves mandatory education (in any direction the individual chooses) until the age of 25. They'll be able to develop and hone skills or hobbies that
1. May assist the world in those few human positions left
2. Keeps Children productive and engaged
3. Ensures everyone at least has a hobby
You don't "have" to complete the program but to receive the same pensions or "funny money" as everyone else (i.e. your share in the machines) it would be in your best interest to finish the mandatory schooling (in your desired direction...just about anything).

But, ignoring my system, capitalism and the greed that results from it WILL WILL WILL result in us having machine labor before we are ready for its consequences. I guarantee it.

Originally posted by Epiphron
This is great news. Progress is always a good thing.

Technological progress without humanity isn't really progress at all.

reply to post by TheOneElectric


You're likely right. While it's nice to think that we could move forward in an ideal fashion, it's greed that usually drives human advancement, and usually it's without regards or consideration for anyone but those at the forefront.

It's funny how difficult it is to imagine a world where nobody works. What else would there be to do? In a world where most people's lives not only revolve around their work, but where their lives are their work, we sometimes forget that working is merely a means to an end, with that end being living a comfortable and happy life.

Your ideal system sounds interesting, but I personally think that humans will never be satisfied enough to settle for hobbies. We'll likely continue to conquer space, and work to inhabit other planets. The population problem doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon, and while some speculate that a mass extermination event will take place, I think that's just fear mongering.

The limits of technology truly are endless, and it is only human nature to push our capabilities to the limit.

People need to do labour. The human body is a machine that needs to stay active. A lot of us already lead a rather docile life and we're paying with our health already.

I do agree it's time to get some education on how electronics and computers work. Machines break down, stay with the technology.

OP, your title states America's lower class but the article states Europe

Important message though

reply to post by MIDNIGHTSUN


Robots will be useless without costumers, eat at home and keep your cash.

What mysterious force can make us buy and eat that sheeple food?

I don't go to Mc Donalds for about 1 or 2 years, since I know how the chicken nuggets are made.

I wonder if they also will make a "robot version" of that scary clown they have...(Donaldator?).

Originally posted by Wildbob77

Time moves forward. How many buggy whip makers are still in existence?

There is Shultise, Fleck, Bit Of Britan, Fowler's, Steedwhip, Angel's custom whips, these are the higher quality whips. ..

They are still around and if gasoline goes much higher you may start seeing more horse drawn trucks making delivries around the larger cities for economical reasons like they have rediscovered in London.

Originally posted by Epiphron
This is great news. Progress is always a good thing.

As for the loss of jobs, well, the fact that some people could be so easily replaced by a lump of metal speaks volumes of their usefulness to society.

While I understand what you are saying I resent it. I've been a cashier / money handler for the past 24 years. It's not a glorious job and I will never get rich nor take that dream vacation to Hawaii on my wages it is still an enjoyable employment. Fast paced and the people are very diverse. In fact its my customers that bring me the most joy on my job, and I hope that I brighten their days as well. I dont have to be a news anchor or a doctor to feel like I am making a positive useful impact in my community. The smiles and the small talk is what is important, not some computer robot taking my order with no human contact.

when the machines took over in the cotten mills long long ago.
the people has a riot over it.
that they would all lose jobs.
no we have lots of robots building cars.

But we seem to have a lot of Jobs?
they are supost to be run by macines now?
but they are not. and will not be.
you get a LOT more money from human workers.

reply to post by Xtraeme


So far your the only one on this thread with a lick of sence.
Thankyou for being a humane human.

reply to post by TheOneElectric




I was just referring to the "Zeitgeist was right" part of your post.

I don't hate robots. I like the robot idea put forth in the Venus Project, I do not support its implementation via the state though. I would bet that if government didn't get in the way of the market, many of the ideas of the Venus Project would have already been implemented. Other than that, the VP is a full-on collectivist propaganda piece, offering false solutions to genuine problems.

Everything that we do will eventually be automated and replaced by our technology.

Its not necessarily a bad thing either.

The companies that automate do not understand that, by replacing their human workforce with machines, they are inevitably destroying people's purchasing power.

Because, simply put, without jobs, people have no money to buy anything.

The same companies that continue to automate are basically crippling themselves without realizing it. Their motivation is profit, I mean, you don't have to pay machines. But without human workers making money, there will be no one left to buy these companies products.

Its like the strangest stalemate ever played.

Well maybe they can get one that can cook. I got a Ultimate Breakfast there last week and I had to leave my scrambled eggs. It seems they did not survive re-entry, they were burnt beyond all recognition.

How about the recent article on robot altruism? Robots evolving...helping each other.
Perhaps ideas in Gibson literature(and some of the more modern parts of it in movies and such) isn't as far off as people think.
Do androids dream of electric sheep?