Thank you for posting these articles, flu. Most people would agree that technology is displacing human workers, that’s not debatable. The problem is that the people who were already displaced by technology (over decades) have traditionally been the low-to-middle class working Americans. They’ve already been displaced and are fighting for whatever scraps are left behind. In their world, there has long been a huge oversupply of labor, and the introduction of greater numbers of cheap, exploitable foreign labor has made things even worse for these people.
Your article also defines part of the problem: they are hiring “dozens” or “hundreds” of these higher-end tech workers “…to replace Uber’s more than 1 million human drivers with robot drivers…”
It’s clear that the number of new jobs created by the shift to higher-level tech jobs is minuscule compared to the jobs being lost.
What do we do with all of the people who are being displaced by technology? And why should we add to this burden by adding even more workers to an already over-saturated labor market?
This is the primary reason for the discontent among current and former working-class Americans (of multiple races and ethnicities). What some see as “racism” is really a fight for survival. These people have been steadily and dramatically losing their economic, political, and social power, and it’s been happening for decades (the suicide rate for this group is near a 30 year high). It’s perfectly understandable that they would support the first politician who claims to be standing up for the American working class (Trump on the right, and Bernie on the left). Nobody’s done that in decades. To the contrary, it seems as though our political leaders have long thrown these workers under the bus in order to court foreign workers and a more globalist agenda.
And while we keep hearing the drumbeat about needing more education, especially in STEM subjects, there is no shortage of college graduates, and no shortage of people with STEM degrees. The job openings where there is a high demand for workers tend to be in very concentrated areas, and there is no way that these few openings can even begin to make a dent in our under/unemployment rate, even if every person out there were to get a specialized degree in the required subject(s).
I don’t have an answer to this. I wish there was a magic wand that we could wave, and presto, everyone has a good paying job. I’m just identifying that people are barking at the wrong problem.
With advancement in technology, a lot of people will get replaced by technology, more so than cheap labor. That said, technology also creates a lot of jobs. Someone is going to have to operate those new robots and machine, someone is going to have to service those new robots and machines, and someone is going to have to install those new machines. Will it replace every job loss? No, of course not. But what it will do is offer some an opportunity.
Here’s an example. I just took my X5 in for a recall to replace a driveshaft. And along the way, the mechanic found that I have an oil leak from a oil filter canister seal. Total cost? $12 for parts $1200 for labor. I’m like you’re kidding right? He’s like, well to replace the seal, we have to disassemble the intake manifold to access the third bolt, and disconnect the coolant lines, and flush the oil and the coolant…..
I thought he was taking me for a ride, so I searched online, and yup it’s a common “maintenance item” that people with the exact same engine has experienced on 3,5,X series cars. And while the labor rates in San Diego are ridiculous, the hours he quoted was within reason of the job comparing to what others have claimed it cost them too.
Ok, aside from the fact that BMW’s are pieces of shxt after just after 5years of ownership and 29k miles, the point is all this complexity in building the “Ultimate Driving Machine” (or in my case the Unreliable Driving Machine”) has created an unprecedented demand for high skilled workers. These guys that don’t need a STEM degree, or an advanced robotics or aerospace degree. what they do need is vocational training. And there is a demand for people with such skills, for those that are willing to do this. And those skills will be knowledge that not everyone without training can do, which is important. It won’t replace every job lost, but it will offer some people an opportunity.. (For the record I declined the repair, and will DYI it and save the money and buy another gold bullion bar,lol)
