Automation taking away jobs?

[outlander]

I was watching a video about self driving trucks and what it means to the truck driver work force.

It is tragic and sad that an entire career is probably going away, but it has happened before. Amazon and online shopping changed local shopping forever, just one of many changes that have already happened and are inevitable in the future.

But none of these things happened without advanced signs and warnings.

I sold my successful computer repair business in 2012 specifically because of the rise of smartphones and tablets. The writing was on the wall, PC's just weren't going to be essential devices much longer.

After planning my retirement, I decided that I still wanted to work. UberEats and DoorDash have worked well for me. If you do your homework and use a little smarts, you can make pretty good money. Work as much or little as you want, when you want, very flexible and easy. But be advised, if you are older and your physical abilities have declined, safety and security might become a serious issue to consider.

While the gig economy exploded in recent years, it's not gonna last. Drones and other automated delivery options are going to take over the industry, and people will have to move on. Not a problem for me, it's not a career and I probably won't work more than a couple of years longer.

Why are people not considering progress and career changes and preparing for the future? You can't afford not to...

 

[Brookswood]

Technology usually cuts out the bottom level of skills in any area it affects. Will it cut out truck drivers? I don’t know. We could argue that if truck drivers are a big concern for us, we should ban railroads and some air freight.

 

[officerripley]

Why are people not considering progress and career changes and preparing for the future?

I think that some people are not preparing for the future because some people don't want a technological future; they mistakenly think they (or somebody) can stop the future from happening. There seems to be that mistaken idea of, "It's never happened before; therefore, it'll never ever happen."

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I sold my successful computer repair business in 2012 specifically because of the rise of smartphones and tablets. The writing was on the wall, PC's just weren't going to be essential devices much longer.

I do not like searching the internet, or doing much of anything internet related on my phone. I had a tablet once and ended up giving it away for the same reason, since I saw zero advantage to it. I've never had a PC, as in a regular desktop computer, but my laptop will always be my preferred device, so I hope they remain available for a long time to come.

 

[outlander]

@officerripley

Maybe. But I'm one of those people that are trying to avoid a technological future. I realize that I can't stop it, but I make every effort to minimize and function with as little of it as possible.

I'm finding out that while trying to live a simple life in today's world seems daunting, it can be done and isn't nearly as hard one would think

 

[Oldeagle66]

I don't mind technology, and in fact embrace it sometimes. But there is no way I am using Door Dash or Uber Eats to almost double my food price. That's madness. I can just get or make things myself.

 

[outlander]

I don't mind technology, and in fact embrace it sometimes. But there is no way I am using Door Dash or Uber Eats to almost double my food price. That's madness. I can just get or make things myself.

I totally agree! Thankfully for me there is a whole generation of entitled and lazy people that are incapable of making sound economic decisions

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I am in the process of moving my IRA account(s) from one bank to another. Instead of doing a rollover where I get a check payable to me from the old bank, I wanted it to be an institutional transfer, so it would not be a reportable event for tax purposes.

Last week, I sat in the new bank for over 2 hours while they created transfer forms on 3 accounts for me to sign. When they finally finished, I asked if I could hand carry the forms to the new bank (about 12 miles away) and I was told, "No, the forms have to be mailed." And she went on to say that when the old bank issues the check, I will not be allowed to pick it up and bring it to the new bank - it also has to be mailed.

And yet, it's still an institutional transfer, because the check would be payable to the new bank "as Custodian for the benefit of [my name here]". That means I would not be able to deposit it - all I coud do with it is take it to the new bank to complete the set up of my account. I was simply trying to avoid the delay caused by mail.

So I have to wait a minimum of one week at best for all this to go through the mail, plus take the risk of the check being lost in the mail.

How is that for "new" technology? It seems to me they are doing business in this case about the same as it was done 50 years ago.