Re: Science and Unemployment...
Andrew Singer (asinger@flute.aix.calpoly.edu)
Wed, 28 Jun 1995 18:53:58 -0700
In my opinion, the availability of jobs works under the same principle of
concervation of energy...there is no loss of energy, or jobs, merely a
transformation from one form to another.
Let me explain. People are finding their jobs being replaced by machines
a lot more now than they ever did in the history of the world, they are
also finding it "hip" to change careers at least 5 times in one's
lifetime. The combination of the two will create a lot of people out of
work. The added problem is that technology is increasing at a rate that
is greater than the ability of the population to re-educate. The younger
population (25 yrs old or so and below) grew up in a world of computers
and had the opportunity to learn it like it was another language (and we
know that language is more easily grasped by the young), but the older
population is caught in libo...we don't have the foundation needed to
jump right into the "new" work force. It's not that there aren't jobs
out there...it's that there aren't enough older people who qualify for
the jobs available...which is why younger and younger people are making a
killing in the work force! They are getting the well paying jobs that
the older generation worked their whole life to get, but all they got was
laid off because a young 22 year old wrote a computer program that does
his/her job more efficiently and cheaper.
Remember...if you can't beat them, join them. It's never too late to go
back to school to learn a trade necessary in this ever changing world!
Andrew
:)
asinger@oboe.aix.calpoly.edu
PS..if you have a comment to my editorial...feel free to email me.
I'd prefer not to get flamed publicly ;)
On 24 Jun 1995, T. Joseph W. Lazio wrote:
>
> MdS> sterner@sel.hep.upenn.edu (Kevin Sterner) wrote:
>
> MdS> And why is that? Because science has produced so much wonderful
> MdS> advanced technology and abolished the jobs they used to do... If
> MdS> the society provided jobs they could do these people [who are now
> MdS> unemployed] would work and be fine upstanding citizens... They
> MdS> would be paying tax, they would be consuming... they wouldn't be
> MdS> a burden at all. But how can they be productive? Your machines
> MdS> are doing all the work! It is a great paradox... you are making
> MdS> "advancements" but your "advancements" are putting people out of
> MdS> work. You then have to pay them social security [which comes out
> MdS> of your own pockets] As you "advance" more and more so many more
> MdS> become unemployed as a result... Thus science destroys the
> MdS> society...
>
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