So there I was, happy as Larry, minding my own business with the radio on when on comes one of those politician fella's, and he starts rabbiting on about all the jobs him and his buddies are going to create for us poor citizens.
Well my skin began to crawl listenin' to him and I felt the anger bubblin' up so I popped a few blood pressure pills and washed them down with a drop of the quare stuff as quick as I could.
What is it that Marley fella said? 'a sober man is an angry man'. Well, something like that anyway.
It's not as if I hadn't heard it all before - but I had a pounding headache and I was in no mood for this old crapology.
What makes it worse is that I know people buy into this stuff.
See here's the thing
Hear That Train A Commin'
While technology should be the light at the end of the tunnel - for most of us it’s the light of an oncoming train it's coming and its coming fast - and although the whistle is blowing - its warning is not being heeded.
The march of technology is radically reducing employment rates across the world and given that wealth distribution is through the exchange of labour for income - reductions in the number of jobs available means that more people will be cut out of the main wealth distribution system available to the unwashed masses.
Something that can improve our lives tremendously is the very thing that threatens us most. To be fair - it is not actually the technology that threatens us.
So What Is It?
But Technology Creates New Jobs ….
This is the old argument.
Technology - while it may replace some jobs, it also creates lots of new jobs. Bullshit.
There was a time when this logic had some value, but the reality is that we are already replacing jobs with technology at a greater rate than we are creating new jobs and the pace of jobs being replaced is accelerating.
What Types Of Jobs Are Threatened?
Many traditional jobs have already become obsolete, but for those of you who think you are irreplaceable - think again.
There are very few jobs that will not be threatened to a greater or lesser extent in the coming years and it does look as if most jobs can be dispensed with over the long term. In other words, most job sectors will be affected.
This video should an eye-opener for any of you who believe their jobs are safe indefinitely
The Myth Of Full Employment
What we mean by full employment is that there's job for everyone who wants to work and is able to work.
Now while the expectation of full employment may be unrealistic, the theory, according to economists and politicians is that the closer a society can get to full employment the better. This is how it goes. When there are more jobs available there is an improvement in the economy and when there is an improvement in the economy more jobs become available, right?
We Want Jobs!
Therefore when unemployment rises, people will turn to their elected representatives to 'do something about it'.
Whether or not a politician is seen to be doing something or perceived to be doing something can have a huge impact on votes. This is why you will hear politicians talk about 'creating jobs' and 'improving economic circumstances'.
Yes, you may have improvement when a large company sets up in the locale. It's great for the local economy, for employment and it's a boost for the local politician.
Yes, when there is an improvement in the local economy overall it can lead to some 'trickle down'. However, the notion of maintaining or improving employment levels over the long term just ain’t going to happen.
Do our politicians realise this, but just don't want to be the ones to say it?
The Dilemmas of Our Time
We are facing two major issues as a species that are going to dramatically change the future of the world as we know it.
The obvious one is the ecological destruction of the planet - but that's a story for another day.
The second is social inequity.
The gap between the Have's and the Have not's is increasing and the amount of Have not's is also on the increase. This is not an opinion - this is fact and there is ample evidence to prove it.
Given that employment is our access to what we need to survive - as technology increasingly replaces humans - more of us will have to find other ways to create income or we will find ourselves in deep shit.
Most of us will end up in the latter camp.
Of course, this leads to another dilemma.
There is an old story about when Henry Ford toured his newly automated plant with union leader Walter Reuther - he said 'Walter, how are you going to get these robots to pay union dues?'
Walter replied 'Henry, how are you going to get these robots to buy your cars?'
Global Economics
The dominant global economic paradigm of our time is that if you want to stay in business you need to stay competitive and make a profit.
Reducing costs is one way to achieve this. There are significant costs attached to hiring workers - especially if they are to be paid a decent living wage. As technology improves and becomes more affordable, business will inevitably choose to reduce their expensive reliance on humans by investing in more cost effective technology.
So What Happens When There Are Less Jobs?
- Tax revenue from workers income falls
- Welfare demands go up Ability of the state to pay for welfare becomes a problem
- Demands for goods falls – and consumption is the bedrock of global economics
Something has to give
The irony of the situation is that although technology will allow us to create more wealth and abundance, fewer and fewer people will be able to share that abundance if we continue on our current path.
The Ostrich Approach
We are not prepared for the changes that are coming and it doesn't look like anyone in a leadership position is willing to bite the bullet on this.
Is this is due to lack of awareness of the issues or could it be a case of bury our heads and hope that everything will be alright on the day?
Is this a political hot potato that our politicians don't want to broach?
Will ignoring the issue make it go away? I think not.
Facing Reality
You don't need to be Nostradamus to predict that improving technology is going to replace jobs and it will never create new jobs at anywhere near the rate it will replace them.
There is already social upheaval across the world due unemployment, economic instability, coupled with massive income inequality.
This train is coming and it's how we deal with it that's going to ultimately determine the outcome.
Our current economic philosophy doesn’t serve society as a whole and there are powerful vested interests who don't want to change the status quo.
Our so-called 'political representatives' won’t rock the boat. Beyond their sugar-coated rhetoric and sound bites, they have little or nothing to offer.
So when I hear politicians bleating about creating jobs my skin crawls. Surely they know that they are selling a lie?
The Fundamentals Of Wealth Distribution
The fundamentals of wealth distribution as we the unwashed masses know it - is through the exchange of labour for a share in created wealth.
If you don't work you don't get a share - it's as simple as that.
Depending on what country you live in you may be lucky enough to get welfare which is some help. If you don’t live in a country where welfare is available – toughsky shitsky.
The bottom line is that you are probably going to have to work for a living or you will be hard pressed to survive.
This fundamental principle is something we all grew up with, to the point where it is pretty much embedded in our psyche. When you finish school or college you’ve got to go out and work for a living.
Yes, there are other ways to carve out a living, but by and large, for most of us - our income comes through the exchange of labour for income - unless of course you are born into wealth.
This Fundamental Principle Will Not Work in the Future. In fact, it’s already past its sell by date.
'and the needle goes back to the start of the song and we all sing along like before'
Now where's that bloody bottle gone!!