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Yup, agreed with this. Call me a privileged asshole or whatever since I work in tech and I get paid well, but isn't that how supply and demand works? Once upon

Yup, agreed with this. Call me a privileged asshole or whatever since I work in tech and I get paid well, but isn't that how supply and demand works? Once upon a time, you could get a really well-paying factory job or a well-paying job working in the coal mines since those jobs were in demand. I feel like that's how it's kind of working in software. Factory jobs are going away because robotics are taking over, which creates a demand for engineers to maintain these robots. We're kind of going through a second industrial revolution, except it's a digital and robotics revolution. Unfortunately, that means we're also feeling the crunch of that which means there's a big demand for engineers that our workforce doesn't supply for... yet. So yes, tech interns are going to get paid more than most other places.

eli_gottlieb 10y ago
I kinda feel like if we were really going through a second Industrial Revolution, GDP and productivity growth rates would be a lot higher. Maybe we'll manage to unleash an Industrial Revolution if we break up monopolies, fund public infrastructure properly, and do other things to create space for really new enterprises.
- tomjen3 10y ago
  Productivity is up, massively, for those who are able to participate in the "new" economy. You can reach millions of users several magnitudes cheaper than ever before. Even small companies owned and operated by a single person can have customers spread over the entire world. Needless to say, most people are not able to participate.
  - eli_gottlieb 10y ago
    >Productivity is up, massively, for those who are able to participate in the "new" economy. Do we have any numerical evidence for this? Sure, it could explain Google's revenues, but monopoly rents from being the search-engine could explain that too. What about on a per-worker-hour basis, wit some official numbers?
Athas 10y ago
I agree with what you are saying, but there is never a reason not to be a pedant: The Second Industrial Revolution already came and went about a century ago. The one we are currently in would be the third. It's unusual in that it seems to replace human intellect and decision-making almost as much as human physical labour.

eli_gottlieb 10y ago

I kinda feel like if we were really going through a second Industrial Revolution, GDP and productivity growth rates would be a lot higher. Maybe we'll manage to unleash an Industrial Revolution if we break up monopolies, fund public infrastructure properly, and do other things to create space for really new enterprises.

tomjen3 10y ago
Productivity is up, massively, for those who are able to participate in the "new" economy. You can reach millions of users several magnitudes cheaper than ever before. Even small companies owned and operated by a single person can have customers spread over the entire world. Needless to say, most people are not able to participate.
- eli_gottlieb 10y ago
  >Productivity is up, massively, for those who are able to participate in the "new" economy. Do we have any numerical evidence for this? Sure, it could explain Google's revenues, but monopoly rents from being the search-engine could explain that too. What about on a per-worker-hour basis, wit some official numbers?

Athas 10y ago

I agree with what you are saying, but there is never a reason not to be a pedant: The Second Industrial Revolution already came and went about a century ago. The one we are currently in would be the third. It's unusual in that it seems to replace human intellect and decision-making almost as much as human physical labour.