Seen any record stores in the mall lately? Software stores? Now that sector was small enough that it didn’t necessarily hurt the economy, but it certainly closed businesses and cost jobs. And when you can 3D print the entire stock of Target that will also close businesses and cost jobs, only many many more of both.
Look at the current unemployment rate and tell me again the virtual marketplace has created more jobs. With 47% of the populace on some form of the dole it’s clear that there’s a lack of jobs out there.
Automation works, but understand the goal of automation is NOT to create jobs. It is to increase output and reduce costs, often with reduced headcount.
Did we lose those labor jobs to automation? I don’t think so. We lost those jobs because they were outsourced to India and China.
I have been to China several times and it’s a massive labor force. Apple’s products have created far more jobs than it replaced but they created those jobs in China, not America. If target and Walmart go away it will hurt China manufacturing jobs far more than it will hurt us jobs.
I agree that automation does not create jobs but technology absolutely creates jobs. 50 years ago there were no computer jobs or jobs that used computers. Now there are millions of computer jobs and millions more jobs that use computers. The iPhone and android may have replaced the few day planner notebook jobs but it has created millions more.
This article says the first self driving road legal truck was approved last month. And it says it will put 3.5 million drivers out of work. But it also says it will kill many of the businesses that cater to them like restaurants and motels. Also think traffic tickets, repair shops, even medical businesses will be hurt by the loss of injuries in wrecks.
That's a lot of people. The risk of labor dislocations really is much higher this go around. And it will probably put a lot of people out of work who are going to be difficult to retrain. There is still a big question as to how fast those people are put out of work.
I do think we are going to have to have bigger safety nets. But I also think it would be a huge mistake to turn our backs on the capitalistic model. No other model will find new employment opportunities as fast. No other model will drive invention or investment like capitalism.
This article says the first self driving road legal truck was approved last month. And it says it will put 3.5 million drivers out of work. But it also says it will kill many of the businesses that cater to them like restaurants and motels. Also think traffic tickets, repair shops, even medical businesses will be hurt by the loss of injuries in wrecks.
That's a lot of people. The risk of labor dislocations really is much higher this go around. And it will probably put a lot of people out of work who are going to be difficult to retrain. There is still a big question as to how fast those people are put out of work.
I do think we are going to have to have bigger safety nets. But I also think it would be a huge mistake to turn our backs on the capitalistic model. No other model will find new employment opportunities as fast. No other model will drive invention or investment like capitalism.