10 ms·

>> What those new jobs for truck or delivery drivers might be is “not currently foreseeable.” I wonder if the same thing has been said about other professions

>> What those new jobs for truck or delivery drivers might be is “not currently foreseeable.” I wonder if the same thing has been said about other professions that have been more or less wiped out in the past? I would guess the answer is "yes" And then the next logical question is "So what did all those people end up doing?" Maybe that's how we being to answer the question of what all the truck, taxi and delivery drivers can be doing when those jobs are gone? Or do those jobs just get phased out as people leave them? Like people who quit for whatever reason are just not replaced by other people, they get replaced with the bots (or whatever we call the things that are replacing people here). [Added thought] Maybe the answer is found in how secretaries were replaced? They were recently the most popular jobs in many states, and now are not.

electic 10y ago
Most of these folks will be phased out but likely might never find work again. Things are different this time. There are multiple regions in the United States and the world solely focused on disrupting entire industries by automating them. In the past, the speed of automation was slower giving time for people to adapt. Going forward, things will be swift and I am not sure what these people will do.
- pm90 10y ago
  I think that is precisely why the White House is weighing in on this. Unfortunately, the Obama administration seems to be the only branch of the US legislature that is willing to look at the real issues that will cause much pain for US citizens in the future (instead of bickering about religion, climate change denial etc.)
  - wavefunction 10y ago
    Just a nit, President Obama heads the Executive branch of the US Federal government, with the other two branches being the Judicial branch (Supreme Court of the USA), and the Legislative branch (Congress).
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
badsock 10y ago
Presuming that the replacement jobs all show up (which I'm bearish about), the thing about any kind of new job is that (IMO) they will be disposable. To survive we need food, shelter, clothing, and medicine. Food production has been automated, distribution is about to be. Clothes washing was automated, production is about to be. Medical diagnostics is about to be automated, though it will take a while for a nurse's job to be. Shelter is going to be (IMO) automated in the next few decades. Whatever replacement jobs are going to arrive will be completely disjoint from actual needs. Everyone's going to be pet manicurists, metaphorically. One huge problem with that that I can see is if there's an economic contraction and everyone tightens their belts at the same time, there's going to be a snowball effect as everyone gets rid of their unnecessary luxuries, which now employs 99% of the workforce. It will hit rock bottom when we realize that the only things that we really need are all now provided by robots and the %1 of people still employed.
wildgift 10y ago
Secretaries still exist, but the job's divided into two broad categories. Receptionists, who don't make much, and executive secretaries who make middle class salaries. The latter do well because they assist people who are powerful. They generally need college-level writing skills, a diplomatic personality, and some management skills.
gluggymug 10y ago
"Maybe that's how we being to answer the question of what all the truck, taxi and delivery drivers can be doing when those jobs are gone?" Dunno but I will be stealing the tyres off Auto-Ubers to make my tyre shack/mansion in shanty town.
- maverick_iceman 10y ago
  Like the Luddites?
  - gluggymug 10y ago
    I think they just broke stuff. I am talking about harvesting for resources to construct my slum on top of the junkyard of robot parts. It's not going to cause a problem. The uber robot can auto-claim on its robo-insurance which is less than regular insurance because they don't crash as much. They just have to wait around for their auto tow truck who is having a crazy busy week.

electic 10y ago

Most of these folks will be phased out but likely might never find work again. Things are different this time. There are multiple regions in the United States and the world solely focused on disrupting entire industries by automating them. In the past, the speed of automation was slower giving time for people to adapt. Going forward, things will be swift and I am not sure what these people will do.

pm90 10y ago
I think that is precisely why the White House is weighing in on this. Unfortunately, the Obama administration seems to be the only branch of the US legislature that is willing to look at the real issues that will cause much pain for US citizens in the future (instead of bickering about religion, climate change denial etc.)
- wavefunction 10y ago
  Just a nit, President Obama heads the Executive branch of the US Federal government, with the other two branches being the Judicial branch (Supreme Court of the USA), and the Legislative branch (Congress).

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

badsock 10y ago

Presuming that the replacement jobs all show up (which I'm bearish about), the thing about any kind of new job is that (IMO) they will be disposable. To survive we need food, shelter, clothing, and medicine. Food production has been automated, distribution is about to be. Clothes washing was automated, production is about to be. Medical diagnostics is about to be automated, though it will take a while for a nurse's job to be. Shelter is going to be (IMO) automated in the next few decades. Whatever replacement jobs are going to arrive will be completely disjoint from actual needs. Everyone's going to be pet manicurists, metaphorically. One huge problem with that that I can see is if there's an economic contraction and everyone tightens their belts at the same time, there's going to be a snowball effect as everyone gets rid of their unnecessary luxuries, which now employs 99% of the workforce. It will hit rock bottom when we realize that the only things that we really need are all now provided by robots and the %1 of people still employed.

wildgift 10y ago

Secretaries still exist, but the job's divided into two broad categories. Receptionists, who don't make much, and executive secretaries who make middle class salaries. The latter do well because they assist people who are powerful. They generally need college-level writing skills, a diplomatic personality, and some management skills.

gluggymug 10y ago

"Maybe that's how we being to answer the question of what all the truck, taxi and delivery drivers can be doing when those jobs are gone?" Dunno but I will be stealing the tyres off Auto-Ubers to make my tyre shack/mansion in shanty town.

maverick_iceman 10y ago
Like the Luddites?
- gluggymug 10y ago
  I think they just broke stuff. I am talking about harvesting for resources to construct my slum on top of the junkyard of robot parts. It's not going to cause a problem. The uber robot can auto-claim on its robo-insurance which is less than regular insurance because they don't crash as much. They just have to wait around for their auto tow truck who is having a crazy busy week.