I agree on the influence of new technologies, but the current economic downturn has had nothing to do with that. The fact is that many people are unemployed no

I agree on the influence of new technologies, but the current economic downturn has had nothing to do with that. The fact is that many people are unemployed now due to the eceonomy being as it is, and there seems to be a consensus that things won't change anytime soon in that regard. Couple that (on a slightly longer term perhaps) to the end of cheap, abundant oil to fuel every aspect of modern civilisation, and I think there could well be an issue of how to have everyone employed effectively.