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I'm going to shill this book again "The Price of Tomorrow - Jeff Booth", because it is so relevant to what's happening in the labor force. Technology is eating

I'm going to shill this book again "The Price of Tomorrow - Jeff Booth", because it is so relevant to what's happening in the labor force. Technology is eating jobs and less and less people will be needed. Technology is deflationary and it's driving down the cost of labor and everything else. Just look at what's in store for the delivery sector once AMZN can use drones to deliver your package. Self driving cars to replace Uber/Lyft, automated kitchens where there are half the employees, factories where robots do the work, financial firms where software/algo's do the research and investing, software that writes software, etc. Work as we know it is changing, less and less jobs, less and less people will be needed.

dougmwne 6y ago
Yes, we could all go on automation enabled early retirement. Or with all that extra labor and capability we could reach the stars.
- huntertwo 6y ago
  Or we could hire leagues upon leagues of middle management positions to prop up our employee count.
- cbozeman 6y ago
  Neither of those will happen. People, whether they're billionaires or are making just $80,000 a year, resent having to take care of others, even if those "others" are without a job through literally no fault of their own. This is exacerbated by IQ, or g factor, or whatever you want to call it. A person with an 85 IQ isn't going to be able to write complex software, so "learn to code" works just fine for people sitting at maybe an IQ range of 100+. You might could be a delivery driver with an IQ around 85, but as someone said, delivery drones and self-driving vehicles are going to finish off that sector. There's millions of jobs that could be filled, but no one wants to do them because it isn't "prestigious" or some such. We need lots more electricians, welders, carpenters, etc., but good luck convincing people to go get the training to do those jobs - some of which are extremely high paid. Underwater welders can make up to $200,000 a year.
  - killtimeatwork 6y ago
    > There's millions of jobs that could be filled, but no one wants to do them because it isn't "prestigious" or some such. We need lots more electricians, welders, carpenters, etc., but good luck convincing people to go get the training to do those jobs - some of which are extremely high paid. Underwater welders can make up to $200,000 a year. I don't think it's about prestige for the most part. It's just that those as HARD jobs: you exert your body way beyond what is comfortable, work in uncomfortable, hazardous and unhealthy environments (heat, cold, rain, smells, noise, dust), have to be constantly careful or otherwise you can kill/injure yourself or others and, after a decade or two, can easily end up with an injury or just worn out body (joints, back etc.) which prohibits you from continuing to work. $200k is worth it, but $60k, which is most people will be making, is probably not.
    - cbozeman 6y ago
      > but $60k, which is most people will be making, is probably not. People aren't going to have much of a choice soon. It'll be that or live a miserable life by way of having little-to-no money. Or I guess the third option of whine constantly on the Internet, but that's already happening.
      - Bakary 6y ago
        Or revolt and cause social change as it has happened multiple times in the past? The 8-hour workweek didn't fall from the sky
minikites 6y ago
I personally see basic income as an inevitability for this reason. It's going to be hell getting there though, and it's possible we'll destroy ourselves before we make it there.
globular-toast 6y ago
I think in many cases people will start to do jobs that were previously automated away and learn to appreciate the superior quality. For example, raising children, cooking and cleaning. That's a full time job that is outsourced by many households. But we pay the price in quality. We've already seen shifts towards artisanal goods when mass produced ones are a fraction of the price. As long as it happens gradually enough, it should be OK.

dougmwne 6y ago

Yes, we could all go on automation enabled early retirement. Or with all that extra labor and capability we could reach the stars.

huntertwo 6y ago
Or we could hire leagues upon leagues of middle management positions to prop up our employee count.
cbozeman 6y ago
Neither of those will happen. People, whether they're billionaires or are making just $80,000 a year, resent having to take care of others, even if those "others" are without a job through literally no fault of their own. This is exacerbated by IQ, or g factor, or whatever you want to call it. A person with an 85 IQ isn't going to be able to write complex software, so "learn to code" works just fine for people sitting at maybe an IQ range of 100+. You might could be a delivery driver with an IQ around 85, but as someone said, delivery drones and self-driving vehicles are going to finish off that sector. There's millions of jobs that could be filled, but no one wants to do them because it isn't "prestigious" or some such. We need lots more electricians, welders, carpenters, etc., but good luck convincing people to go get the training to do those jobs - some of which are extremely high paid. Underwater welders can make up to $200,000 a year.
- killtimeatwork 6y ago
  > There's millions of jobs that could be filled, but no one wants to do them because it isn't "prestigious" or some such. We need lots more electricians, welders, carpenters, etc., but good luck convincing people to go get the training to do those jobs - some of which are extremely high paid. Underwater welders can make up to $200,000 a year. I don't think it's about prestige for the most part. It's just that those as HARD jobs: you exert your body way beyond what is comfortable, work in uncomfortable, hazardous and unhealthy environments (heat, cold, rain, smells, noise, dust), have to be constantly careful or otherwise you can kill/injure yourself or others and, after a decade or two, can easily end up with an injury or just worn out body (joints, back etc.) which prohibits you from continuing to work. $200k is worth it, but $60k, which is most people will be making, is probably not.
  - cbozeman 6y ago
    > but $60k, which is most people will be making, is probably not. People aren't going to have much of a choice soon. It'll be that or live a miserable life by way of having little-to-no money. Or I guess the third option of whine constantly on the Internet, but that's already happening.
    - Bakary 6y ago
      Or revolt and cause social change as it has happened multiple times in the past? The 8-hour workweek didn't fall from the sky

minikites 6y ago

I personally see basic income as an inevitability for this reason. It's going to be hell getting there though, and it's possible we'll destroy ourselves before we make it there.

globular-toast 6y ago

I think in many cases people will start to do jobs that were previously automated away and learn to appreciate the superior quality. For example, raising children, cooking and cleaning. That's a full time job that is outsourced by many households. But we pay the price in quality. We've already seen shifts towards artisanal goods when mass produced ones are a fraction of the price. As long as it happens gradually enough, it should be OK.