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A lot of great comments here. Firstly, we have to deal with an uncomfortable truth that software is indeed eating the world. The consequences of that won't be

by PakG1 11y ago

A lot of great comments here. Firstly, we have to deal with an uncomfortable truth that software is indeed eating the world. The consequences of that won't be 100% layoffs, but the world will change, we can't stop it, and we have to accept that. I can't add anything to what's been discussed here already (again, a lot of great comments). So I thought I'd just point you to some related stories and other corresponding discussions, one of them a classic. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/tenoq/reddit_my_friends_call_me_a_scumbag_because_i/ https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/tenoq/reddit_my_... https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/vomtn/update_my_friends_call_me_a_scumbag_because_i/ https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/vomtn/update_my_... https://www.reddit.com/r/talesfromtechsupport/comments/277zih/that_time_that_i_automated_a_woman_out_of_a_job/ https://www.reddit.com/r/talesfromtechsupport/comments/277zi...

wavefunction 11y ago
We should write software to handle the mundane aspects of existing jobs and empower our fellow humans to do more with their time than they could before.
- PakG1 11y ago
  There are three uncomfortable truths that get revealed when we do that: 1. Fewer people would be required to do the work, so layoffs would happen anyway. To what extent depends on the way the software was written and the way the tasks are traditionally done. But it happens. 2. There are people out there who find it difficult to do anything more than a mundane task. Issues of motivation and ability are rooted in personality, upbringing, education, and even mental health. Doing this punishes those people, sometimes fairly, and sometimes unfairly. 3. Among the people who get fired, there is a subset who find it difficult to retrain themselves for something else. They may not have a good life. For another subset, the experience of getting fired is devastating, and unemployment starts a long road of mental health issues. https://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=unemployment+takes+a+mental+toll https://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=unemployment+takes+a+... If we want to be cold about it, it's survival of the fittest. Having done this type of automation work before, I found that I was uncomfortable with that concept when applied to society, even if it's seemingly true.
cooper12 11y ago
I'm probably taking the internet too seriously again but Reddit's tales of fancy are always hard to believe because of the overindulgence of the OPs. Two huge red flags in his story: 1) His efficiency was never questioned. If one employee is taking almost all of the bonus pool, I'd want to know what they're doing different so their peers could benefit. And 2) His boss firing him on the spot. While Dutch law does allow immediate dismissal, it has to be for very good reason like stealing or fraud. Otherwise they need a permit or need to go to court.[0] OP's program wasn't so clear-cut because he was only benefiting off bonuses which were awarded for accuracy anyway. Ignoring that, why would his boss fire him on the spot instead of discussing a program with big benefits like that, especially since it doesn't hurt the boss. Reddit loves to eat up these kinds of stories because it plays to their STEM egos, anti-authoritarian principles, and concept of justice. Nevertheless, interesting stories in the replies to the stories. Thanks for sharing. [0]: http://www.access-nl.org/living-in-the-netherlands/working/employment-law.aspx http://www.access-nl.org/living-in-the-netherlands/working/e...

by PakG1 11y ago

wavefunction 11y ago

We should write software to handle the mundane aspects of existing jobs and empower our fellow humans to do more with their time than they could before.

PakG1 11y ago
There are three uncomfortable truths that get revealed when we do that: 1. Fewer people would be required to do the work, so layoffs would happen anyway. To what extent depends on the way the software was written and the way the tasks are traditionally done. But it happens. 2. There are people out there who find it difficult to do anything more than a mundane task. Issues of motivation and ability are rooted in personality, upbringing, education, and even mental health. Doing this punishes those people, sometimes fairly, and sometimes unfairly. 3. Among the people who get fired, there is a subset who find it difficult to retrain themselves for something else. They may not have a good life. For another subset, the experience of getting fired is devastating, and unemployment starts a long road of mental health issues. https://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=unemployment+takes+a+mental+toll https://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=unemployment+takes+a+... If we want to be cold about it, it's survival of the fittest. Having done this type of automation work before, I found that I was uncomfortable with that concept when applied to society, even if it's seemingly true.

cooper12 11y ago

I'm probably taking the internet too seriously again but Reddit's tales of fancy are always hard to believe because of the overindulgence of the OPs. Two huge red flags in his story: 1) His efficiency was never questioned. If one employee is taking almost all of the bonus pool, I'd want to know what they're doing different so their peers could benefit. And 2) His boss firing him on the spot. While Dutch law does allow immediate dismissal, it has to be for very good reason like stealing or fraud. Otherwise they need a permit or need to go to court.[0] OP's program wasn't so clear-cut because he was only benefiting off bonuses which were awarded for accuracy anyway. Ignoring that, why would his boss fire him on the spot instead of discussing a program with big benefits like that, especially since it doesn't hurt the boss. Reddit loves to eat up these kinds of stories because it plays to their STEM egos, anti-authoritarian principles, and concept of justice. Nevertheless, interesting stories in the replies to the stories. Thanks for sharing. [0]: http://www.access-nl.org/living-in-the-netherlands/working/employment-law.aspx http://www.access-nl.org/living-in-the-netherlands/working/e...