Posted on 06/22/2014 10:56:15 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
JUST over 50 years ago, the cover of Life magazine breathlessly declared the “point of no return for everybody.” Above that stark warning, a smaller headline proclaimed, “Automation’s really here; jobs go scarce.”
As events unfolded, it was Life that was nearing the point of no return — the magazine suspended weekly publication in 1972. For the rest of America, jobs boomed; in the following decade, 21 million Americans were added to the employment rolls.
Throughout history, aspiring Cassandras have regularly proclaimed that new waves of technological innovation would render huge numbers of workers idle, leading to all manner of economic, social and political disruption.
As early as 1589, Queen Elizabeth I refused a patent on a knitting machine for fear it would put “my poor subjects” out of work.
In the 1930s, the great John Maynard Keynes predicted widespread job losses “due to our discovery of means of economising the use of labour outrunning the pace at which we can find new uses for labour.”
So far, of course, they’ve all been wrong. But that has not prevented a cascade of shrill new proclamations that — notwithstanding centuries of history — “this time is different”: The technology revolution will impair the livelihoods of millions of Americans.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Then I would always have something to fall back on it times get rough.
Hmmn, I hadn't thought of that. That is a logical progression. There are lots of new filament materials being sold for 3D printers. I'm in the process of ordering some Taulman 645 nylon filament to experiment with. Can be dyed any color, super strong durable stuff. With the right design parameters clothing sections can be printed. Future enhancements to 3D printers will incorporate the ability to bond these pieces together as clothing. That's just nylon; other materials to come. Lots of seamstresses will be upset!
That’s a good summary of the problem. Plus the demand for art, science and luxury items probably won’t keep pace with the labor dislocations in the short run. So you need increased safety nets.
Huh? I thought I was replying to a news thread rather than the Religion thread..........
With that being said, good for you and Jesus........
For the educated and quality skilled of which it can be argued that there is certainly a shortage of.
But after all is said and done, if everyone were educated and skilled, who would do the job you'd hate most in doing such as cleaing urinals and waiting on tables?
Sorry I offended you.
Actually you didn't, you just picked the wrong forum to inject your religious beliefs...
You have carte blanche to whatever you wish to preach over on the RELIGION forum and I will decline from making any comments regarding such in respect for the nature of that forum..........
That's all I'm gonna say about this......
I remember the president of a small aerospace firm calling Rush about trying to hire the local high school grads. He was willing to pay them a good starting wage and to train them, but these graduates’ skill sets of reading, writing, simple math, and communications were so poor he couldn’t use them unless he did a lot of remedial training to boot. Not surprising, the local high school grads were NOT interested in working for a living doing “factory work”. Most of his hires were from outside the local labor pool.
“But after all is said and done, if everyone were educated and skilled, who would do the job you’d hate most in doing such as cleaing urinals and waiting on tables?”
The same people who have always done these things in America: The unambitious, the young, the old and ‘retired’ and those of not high intellect. If there is a shortage of these then they’ll have to pay others more money.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.