Beware the intoxicating belief in technological determinism ;)
Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
21–30 of 87 posts
Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#22I have no real doubt this is true, but what may be different in today's situation is that something akin to true "artificial general intelligence" is not completely unfeasible (or something close enough to it that there's no practical difference). This is quite different to previous technological revolutions, where it was primarily manual labour that was automated. We seem to have in general conceded that many of tho…
what happens if there really is nothing
we're better at than a computer
The line between Humans and Computers will continue to blur. Right now, you carry a computer with you in your pocket. Tomorrow you will have it in your head. And it will aid your thinking without you having to type stuff into a keyboard and looking at a screen.
If there is nothing left "we" are better at then computers, the last remaining "old" parts inside of us will be discarded and we will just be a computer like everybody else :)
Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#23If true, is this good?
Isn't the purpose of work to end (or to diminish, at least) all work? (and leave us with more time to take care of ourselves, our minds, our bodies, our souls, our kids, our parents, our friends, our neighbours, our politics, our environment etc)
Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#24Even if you accept that the trend of more jobs being created by technology than are being destroyed will continue indefinitely, fretting over technology replacing you if you're taxi driver is very justified. Having to learn a completely new trade is not easy.
Society as a whole benefits, but there are high individual costs. We ought to figure out a way to smooth out those costs for the individuals.
I am not sure it always does.
Do you view the NSA's snooping technology as a benefit to society? More high tech, well paid jobs have been created there.
Likewise I feel that a great deal of the tech involved in finance is of questionable benefit to society as aw whole. Does High frequency trading actually benefit anyone other than the banks?
Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#25Past performance does not guarantee future results.
It's just an indicator.
Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#26If true, is this good? Isn't the purpose of work to end (or to diminish, at least) all work? (and leave us with more time to take care of ourselves, our minds, our bodies, our souls, our kids, our parents, our friends, our neighbours, our politics, our environment etc)
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Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#27If true, is this good? Isn't the purpose of work to end (or to diminish, at least) all work? (and leave us with more time to take care of ourselves, our minds, our bodies, our souls, our kids, our parents, our friends, our neighbours, our politics, our environment etc)
I think this is good. Most species need to dedicate their effort to hunting/gathering/nest building, and having need to do work I think makes you appreciate and value the non-work time more.
Technology has given me such an awesome way to make a living that makes me feel so lucky. Life for me now is far more enjoyable and easier than my time at school or college, purely because I get to work on the things I enjoy.
Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#28I am more interested in another question: has technology created more leisure than it has destroyed?
Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Society as a whole benefits, but there are high individual costs. We ought to figure out a way to smooth out those costs for the individuals.
I am not sure it always does. Do you view the NSA's snooping technology as a benefit to society? More high tech, well paid jobs have been created there. Likewise I feel that a great deal of the tech involved in finance is of questionable benefit to society as aw whole. Does High frequency trading actually benefit anyone other than the banks?
I'm no financial expert, but I believe HFT benefits many people by making the difference between buy-price and sell-price smaller and increasing the liquidity of the market.
Re: Technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed, says 140 years of data
#30I am more interested in another question: has technology created more leisure than it has destroyed?
I guess it that depends from person to person but I'd be definitely interested to see the general population happiness (not sure how they measure that) with tech.
I personally can't stand tech anymore, it's what I'm forced to do to make a living. I'd rather stare at a tree than a mobile screen.